Not even a deadly virus can keep Stanley down

By ROSELYN ELLISON
COCOA farmer Stanley Eremas chose to live outside the stigma associated with the HIV-AIDS virus, to show others who have it too that there is so much sunshine outside to enjoy.
What helped him come out of his shell and into the open was a lot of counselling, and cocoa farming. He today owns a three-hectare farm at his Vunaitava village in the Napapar ward of the Central Gazelle local level government, Gazelle district, East New Britain.
“I am a person living with HIV and AIDS with no hope but God has a plan for me and now I can do anything healthy people can.”
He started primary education in 1991 and completed Grade Eight in 1998 at the Napapar Primary School.
He was not selected to continue to Grade Nine so he returned to the village.

“ I am a person living with HIV and AIDS with no hope. But God has a plan for me and now I can do anything healthy people can.”

Stanley greatly benefitted from a cocoa training programme organised by the Productive Partnership in Agriculture project in the province. He is now passing on to other farmers what he had learnt.
“I want to thank the project which has helped me a lot even though I have this medical situation. It has given me courage and confidence to stand up and do what every normal person especially farmers can do to farm, grow and produce cocoa so that we can support our families financially.”
Stanley, 39, got married in 2007 to a woman from Rabaul who he contracted the virus from.
“In 2011, my wife died. I am living with our son who is HIV-AIDS negative.”
Stanley then married Addie.
“In 2012, I got married again and have a six-year-old son. My wife and son are both negative.”
He is on medication which he has to take each morning before he goes out to his cocoa farm.
Counselling too has benefitted him a lot, breaking down the barrier which usually surrounds those who contract the virus.
Stanley received training on cocoa management skills and the setting up of nurseries which he is now teaching other farmers.
He also supplies hybrid clone cocoa seedlings to other farmers and train them on how best to prune their cocoa trees, plus budding.
He also thanks his wife Addie for her support.
Stanley sometimes feels he is a dead person who has been allowed to live. He cannot explain living and working like any normal person today.
And he thanks God for giving him strength and the will to make a success in cocoa farming.
World Aids Day this year was celebrated on Tuesday, Dec 1.
“My advice to others out there living with HIV-AIDS is to come out, think positive and be focused. People will see us as being HIV-AIDS positive but through God we are normal people and can achieve anything through him.”