Speaking out on your Status - Mildred is honoured by the Nation
One more thing to share, before all else takes over again
- when i first came to Zambia in 2002, a journalist for the Times of Zambia covered our work. A lovely young woman called Mildred Mpundu. Young and dynamic, a keen and thoughtful writer, in this nation where journalism generally suffers from superficiality and sensationalism.
Over the next few trips she was seen less and less, no longer directly involved with our work, but occassionally writing for the ICT4Development knowledge sharing network that the organisation i work for supports here. In 2004 I was again in direct contact, when she put forward a women's self helf group from her hometown of Kalomo as deserving of a chance to learn how to use ICTs to support their good work. The women called their project The Kalomo Bwacha ICT Club, where 'bwacha' means something akin to 'Coming out of the darkness into the light', and the title predates but reminds me strongly of the Number 1 Ladies Detective Agency books coming situated in Botswana, just south of Kalomo. When the Kalomo Bwacha women were in Lusaka to attend the kick-off training for the project, Mildred invited the women and Gareth and I to her house, where we sat around a fire basket, listening to the elderly women tell stories, laughter and fire in their eyes. Mildred mentioned that she had had to move to a smaller house, that she was having difficulties in paying for her rent and caring for her daughter, but not much more was said on the subject. It was a memorable evening, and i am honoured that i was invited to be a part of it. More on the project.
Since then I hadnt heard much about Mildred, until this visit.
Yese told me that she had spoken out about her HIV/AIDS status in an article in The Post recently - as a well known and well respected journalist, her outspokenness caused many waves, Zambia's first president went to visit her, many newspapers reported on her, and many people are touched by the attention and her honesty. After writing about HIV/AIDS and working on many HIV/AIDS programmes and campaigs for years, she never had herself tested until early this year and found her and her daughter HIV/AIDS positive. Yese recounted the recent media attention with tears in his eyes, maybe her message will make a difference: if I could live life again, I would listen to the good advice people gave me.

When you google Mildred now, you find her writing and referenced all over the place, see HIV/AIDS stigma and support groups , Corruption in Zambia
Truly an inspiring woman.