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| Joyce Dzidzor Nartey,sad story. |
Joyce Dzidzor Nartey's story is a sad one.The actresses stories reads like one of the many Nollywood or Ghollywood films we see.But this is real life and no fantasy.Joyce contracted Hiv/Aids in a church! Seems unreal
writing that.But that's her unfortunate story.
The 27 year-old mother of two battled growing up. Her humble background challenged her and she pulled many strings to escape poverty. She was determined to part with poverty. And she felt her skill in dancing could expose her to the entertainment world and possibly to stardom. The fund to pursue
university education was not there but she believed in her skills.
Although she became vulnerable, exposed to rape and many vices the irony was that she ran to a church where salvation ought to beckon on her but doom followed.
A church member who was expected to preach salvation to her played A Patrick Sawyer to her. Just like the American Liberian who knew he was infected by the Ebora virus but who, full of evil, deliberately arrived Nigeria to spread it, the "church member was infected by HIV virus and he decided to spread among members of the church".
And so Ghana’s Dzidzor Nartey contacted HIV in her church but today she is a star in many ways and the virus in her has been contained to the extent that she is living a normal life. She is HIV/AIDS Awareness Ambassador who has travelled to many parts of the world to create awareness on the virus and preach against stigmatisation. She is married and a happy mother.
Joyce is also a backup singer and has backed top Ghanaian musicians in her quest to make a profession.
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The movie titled, ‘My Cross Roads’ featured herself, and top Ghanaian film stars like Ekow Smith Asante, John Dumelo and Vicky Zugah. She also has a new movie in the market titled, “Jewel of the Waters”which she is using to further propagate her campaign against the spread of the HIV virus.
Interestingly, for the past seven years, Joyce has been living with the disease and on antiretroviral therapy. She tells her story on DSTV’s Africa Magic channel.Living with HIV virus
I have lived with HIV/AIDS virus for seven years now. I contacted the disease in 2007. But I’m just a normal person. When people meet me and tend to find out how I’m feeling, I always tell them I’m a normal person.
As a matter of fact, I visited a school to educate the students. After talking to them they were keen to test for HIV. I also joined the queue and got tested but it was negative. It means one must stay with one’s medication forever. Regular medication can make it read that way. It doesn’t mean such a person is no longer a career.How she contacted the disease
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I contacted the disease in 2007, through a member of my church. I was to spend a night with him in his house. When he removed his clothes, I saw some kind of rashes all over his body. I was terrified, as I innocently asked him why he was like that. He covered up, saying it was a minor skin infection and that it was nothing serious. But when he wanted to make love to me, I insisted that he must used condom. He told me that he didn’t like using condom.
However, when I insisted, he agreed but he never used it. He removed it while entering into me. We did it several times that night. After few weeks, I became pregnant for him. When I told him, I was pregnant, he advised me to abort the baby. But I refused, insisting on keeping the baby.
He later warned me that if insisted, I would have myself to blame in future. I never knew what he meant until I was diagnosed HIV positive. He also infected other ladies in the church before he died.
Growing up
Growing up was in a very poor background. I discovered my love for music and dance. I was very ambitious, passionate about my dance skills. All efforts to get help to go to school failed. I was vulnerable, most times raped. I had to attend all kinds of events in my neighbourhood to exhibit my skills in dancing. In my case, there was no one to confide in. I hawked all kinds of things to make ends meet’.
Why she became HIV/AIDS Awareness advocate
I was driven by the need to help other carriers of the HIV/AIDS virus. This is because most AIDS patients are brought to the hospital when they are almost dead. Victims find it difficult to undergo medical test to determine their HIV/AIDS status.
I realised when people get to know about their HIV status at the early stages and they are put on medication, they wouldn’t die. They would live their normal lives. So, I decided to use myself as an example. That was what motivated me to begin the campaign against HIV/AIDS virus.
Platform and the benefits
I started sensitising the people on the streets. I went to a business district in Accra, and my purpose of going to the area was to share my story, as well as sell some copies of my music which I had on CD to enable me realise some money to feed myself.
The first person I approached when I got there shouted, and never allowed me to utter a word. The moment I mentioned I was HIV positive, he shouted at me, and warned me to leave the place immediately. But I wasn’t discouraged.
Joyce Dzidzor not HIv positive!
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In a shocking update and turn of events,it has been revealed that Joy Dzidzor who had the sympathy of the world following her sad and shocking story,is indeed not HIV positive.Joy had liked about this to get sympathy for the cause of those who were actually positive with the disease.I FIND THIS SHOCKING AND UNBELIEVABLE! Is there no level people won't stoop to?
After years of campaigning for HIV awareness, the popular AIDS ambassador, now decides to deny she is HIV positive?
She says ''I am not HIV positive, but I did confess that I was for the sake of those who are really HIV positive''.
The AIDS Ambassador for many years, had claimed that she was an HIV patient.
The AIDS Ambassador for many years, had claimed that she was an HIV patient.
She had been invited to speak on several occasions by churches, schools, crusades, companies and seminars both within and outside the country.
Joyce has even written a book and acted a movie which explained how she contracted the virus. In the movie, starring John Dumelo, she indicated that she came from a poor family and after her BECE, had no money to further her education.
She had claimed she contracted the virus through the director in her church. It was this time that she met a man of God who decided to sponsor her music career. Joyce at this stage told her story to people and made a CD out of it.
By this reason, she became an AIDS Ambassador and travelled to other countries to share her story.
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But in an even crazier twist of things,Joyce ex husband,Benjamin Tettey Nartey insisted that “she is HIV positive and that is not in doubt.” “Joyce’s statement is false. We have a daughter, I know positively and vividly that she is HIV positive. I am positive myself,” he added.
How crazy is this? This is beginning to sound like a Nollywood or Ghollywood movie.
The ex says Joyce has decided to lie because she is worried about the discrimination her children will get from the stigma attached to the disease.
But speaking on several media platforms Monday, December 15, 2014, Joyce has confessed that she lied regarding her status and has rendered an apology to the whole world.
She has also indicated that the Ghana AIDS Commission and other organisations she’s worked with had no knowledge of her true status.
The controversial ambassador when asked if she'd thought of the legal implications says she is ready to face any legal action resulting from her confession.
According to her, she and her children have been through a lot of stigmatisation on account of her alleged status and it is time for the truth to come out.
Meanwhile persons living with HIV have expressed dismay at the deception.
One member of the Association of Persons Living with HIV AIDS has suggested that the “confession” is a bad step taken by Joyce in reaction to the termination of her contract with the Ghana AIDS Commission.
He insisted that the confession could not be a PR gimmick and suggested that she be interrogated to uncover the truth of the matter, especially since she has been receiving treatment for HIV for several years.