ICASA Young Writers Series - Winners

*Based on a personal true story*

I had a crush on this guy, his name was Tino. He was well built and he had a devil-may-care outlook and a stellar smile. He had a hawkish nose. He was fair enough to make me fall for him.

Tino was wonderfully and fearfully made. The fairer sex adored him for his Teutonic-gold hair and he was a male model. Sometimes it was a casual muddle, but mostly it was orderly and fluid. He had thin, angular eyebrows that resembled a crescent moon. His angular cheekbones descended sharply into a flinty jaw, and he carried his domineering nose effectively.

He possessed a Samson-like figure, which was unusual for a model. He slid with athletic grace and without missing a beat which the catwalk adored. I fell for him.

His round, blue eyes were always darting and beaming with a joyful and youthful vvigour Everyone praised his vibrant personality and his kind disposition. Tino took my heart and I really loved him.

We started dating and everything was dexterously moving. He called me on the first day of July 2021 and we had a congruence that we were going to have a night together at a cocksure five-star hotel in the capital. With so much jubilation I drove and met my 'Tino'. We drank glasses of wine until we got drunk. We went to bed because it was late and we really needed to rest. With his smooth hands, he touched me and slowly removed my clothes. I failed to say a single word because I was ready to have him and at the same time I was drunk. Nothing like 'protected sex' rang in my mind and neither did he care about it. He bedded me and, after the encounter ,he drove me home and that was the last time we saw each other.

Two weeks down the line, I started having blisters and an itchy feeling around my sphincter ani. Cauliflower-like bumps started appearing around my orifice. I got depressed and I was diffident to go for medical attention. My appetite for food vanished. I contacted my friend and told him about what I was going through. He told me about STIs which later made me confident that I contracted an HPV and I had anal warts.

Despairing being judged, I resorted to not going to the hospital. The warts grew bigger and I started feeling discomfort when walking. I started having suicidal thoughts and went on a trial to execute myself.

On a cool morning of the second Monday of November 2021, I took a walk to shops with an intent of buying buy poison. I bought rat-killing tablets. I consumed them, and unfortunately, my attempt was unsuccessful as I was found lying on the floor crying in pain. I was rushed to a nearby hospital where I got treatment. I got a cryotherapy for the warts.

I got a counselling session and empowerment from SAYWHAT. I was educated and empowered to stand for my sexual and reproductive health and rights.

I am now free from the anal warts and I encourage youths and young people to seek medical attention when they suspect an STI as well as avoid unprotected sex.

Our health, our right. Our health, our responsibility.

Biography

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