Ssali Ssubi
"I felt welcome when I joined and I am learning many skills during the seminars. What the directors, the donors, and the team are doing is so important. We would have been in a bad state if it wasn't for Untold. I thank you all."
Ssali Ssubi grew up in Uganda in the early 1990s in the midst of war. Rebel groups were fighting for freedom from President Museveni, and in the chaos, Ssali and his brother were separated from their father.
For the rest of their childhood, they struggled to make ends meet. Ssali and his brother eventually parted ways to pursue jobs and families of their own. Ssali fell in love and had a son, but the boy's mother was not faithful and often had other relationships. One day, she didn't come home, and Ssali was left to raise his son on his own. He couldn't afford to send his son to school, and often he would leave the young boy at home alone while he went to work as a motorcycle taxi driver.
Ssali eventually fell in love again and got married. The three of them were finally a happy family, but Ssali began experiencing symptoms he didn't understand. Ssali recalls having consistent joint pain and headaches with no apparent cause. One day he drove past a hospital that was advertising free HIV testing, and he decided to get a test. It came back positive, and Ssali was shocked.
Ssali Ssubi
"I felt welcome when I joined and I am learning many skills during the seminars. What the directors, the donors, and the team are doing is so important. We would have been in a bad state if it wasn't for Untold. I thank you all."
"I got so scared and felt like I would die very soon. I suggested she should get tested, but she didn't want to."
A few months later, Ssali's wife got sick but resisted getting medical care. Her health rapidly declined and Ssali insisted they all go to the hospital. She also tested positive for HIV.
The attendant at the hospital saw how devastated the couple was, and referred them to the Untold program at a nearby church. They joined immediately, and Ssali felt his life take an immediate turn for the better.
"I felt welcome when I joined and I am learning many skills during the seminars. What the directors, the donors, and the team are doing is so important. We would have been in a bad state if it wasn't for Untold. I thank you all."
Ssali and his wife both successfully graduated from the Untold program and we are excited to see how they continue to learn and grow together in the coming months and years.