This Sunday morning, as many scrolled through TikTok for laughter and trends, I found myself drawn to a series of emotional videos by the late Muhayinka Suzan, better known as Suzan Kashiringi (@SuzieKash1). Her story, told in her own voice, is one of love, betrayal, courage, and tragedy.
Suzan’s life took a painful turn after reuniting with her ex-boyfriend, a man who had just returned from Dubai. The two rekindled their relationship, and she conceived. But not long after, the man disappeared, back to Dubai and that was the last Suzan heard from him.
A few months later, she tested HIV positive. Heartbreakingly, her baby was also found to be HIV positive. Still, Suzan chose not to hide. She turned her pain into purpose; using her TikTok platform to educate others about HIV/AIDS, sharing her daily struggles and encouraging people to live responsibly.
“The first man I slept (had sex) with made me pregnant and infected me with HIV/AIDS,” Susan said in an interview with Tik Toker Allan Cruz
Suzan passed away at just 30 years old. She was laid to rest at her parents’ home in Kanungu District, in southwestern Uganda. She left behind a son, barely three years old. Her family says they do not know the child’s father, and neither did Suzan at the time of her death.
Her story, though painful, speaks volumes. HIV is still with us. It has not disappeared, as some may assume. Out there are people silently battling the disease, some afraid to open up, others living in denial, and sadly, a few intentionally putting others at risk.
As a society, we must wake up. Before having sex, use a condom or get tested. It doesn’t make you weak, it makes you wise. For couples, whether dating or married, routine HIV testing should be as normal as visiting a doctor for a cold. Love must go hand in hand with responsibility.
Suzan’s courage to speak up probably saved many lives. Imagine if she had kept silent, how many others could have been infected unknowingly?
Her death is not just a loss to her family, but a wake-up call to all of us. HIV/AIDS remains real, deadly, and preventable. The best way to honour Suzan’s memory is by choosing to live safely, speak openly, and care for those already infected.
Let Suzan’s story remind us: the fight against HIV is far from over. HIV is still here, Let’s not take chances!
By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
The writer is a Ugandan online journalist, media trainer , advocate for SRHR, Drowning Prevention, Mental Health and Elderly Care.
Email: kamugisha.leonardakida@gmail.com
