The AIDS Diary Project

		Listen to Thembi's AIDS Diary in the Story section
	We first met Thembi when she was 19 and living in one of the largest townships in South Africa. We were struck by her candor, sense of humor and her courage. She was willing to speak out about having AIDS at a time when few South Africans were willing to say, "I have AIDS." Thembi carried a tape recorder from 2004 to 2005 to document her life. Her story aired on National Public Radio in the U.S., and in the U.K., Australia and Canada, reaching more than 50 million people. Thembi then traveled to the United States in 2006 to present her story. In 2007, Thembi's AIDS Diary was heard in South Africa for the first time - in English, Xhosa and Zulu. Thembi and Radio Diaries toured South Africa, presenting her story at high schools, universities, community clinics, Constitution Hill, and Parliament. Her story eventually reached millions and she became a spokesperson traveling around the world to present her story. On June 5th, 2009, Thembi died of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis. She was 24. She leaves her daughter, Onwabo, her boyfriend Melikhaya, her mother, brother and sisters. She is greatly missed.

	REMEMBERING THEMBI Thembi's death resonated around the world. We have lovingly and proudly archived many of these beautiful tributes to her and her work: Remembrance on NPR Time Magazine Wall Street Journal New York Times Sunday Times (South Africa) Cape Argus (South Africa) Melikhaya, Thembi's boyfriend reading a tribute at her memorial service in Cape Town. "You were my best friend, my hero, my role model. Rest in peace, baby. You did the right thing in this world." (Photo by Ayanda Ndamane, Cape Argus) NPR Listener: "Oh, that voice of hers. The lilt of innocence tempered in the confidence of having at that young age lived past the realization of her own mortality. There is reason in it that humbles my insulated ambitions of the day. She changed lives and spoke with authority. She said it best. "I am not afraid of dying, I am afraid of not being here." We'll be alright Thembi, we'll take care of your baby and appreciate your man. Thank you for your love." Tribute to Thembi in South Africa's Sunday Times "Thembi Ngubane lived in a shack in Khayelitsha in poverty. But she refused to be "typical". She committed "acts of insubordination". Ngubane rebelled in her own way against social attitudes towards black women, black youth, poor people, shackdwellers, as well as definitions of what constitutes heroism. Ngubane gave voice to people living with HIV/AIDS at many forums and continues to do so through the story and media she produced and leaves behind. It is not sentimental to say that her honesty, wisdom, courage and inspiration is a legacy to be treasured in the same way of the legacies of heroes who fought the injustices of the Apartheid system. Ngubane is in many ways, one of South Africa's own post-1976 heroines. HIGHLIGHTS FROM THEMBI'S AIDS DIARY Thembi was a youth ambassador for Nelson Mandela's 46664 concert and campaign against HIV/AIDS in South Africa on World Aids Day, Dec. 1st, 2007. Read about it on her blog. Thembi travelled to Germany in June 2007 and India in October 2007 as a UNICEF ambassador. Thembi addressed Parliament on March 29th, 2007. "Accept that AIDS is here," she told the country's leaders. The Sunday Independent reported that Thembi's presentation was "compelling" and a "step in the right direction" for a country that has been "grappling for years with institutional silence on AIDS." Check out this 5-minute video of the tour [.MP4] Thembi kept a blog about her travels overseas. It is a good read. Thembi's AIDS Diary has won the Overseas Press Club Award for best international radio story of 2006. You can purchase CDs of Thembi's AIDS Diary. The CD includes the English, Xhosa, and Zulu versions, and is introduced by Desmond Tutu. Thembi, Melikhaya and their daughter, Onwabo, were living with family members in different shacks in their township, Khayelitsha. Thanks to your donations and support, we raised $8,000 for Thembi and her family to buy their own brick home. In April 2006 Thembi was part of an internationally broadcast CNN special that included former President Bill Clinton, Paul Farmer of Partners in Health, the heads of Pfizer, Worldvision, CARE, Doctors Without Borders, and actor Richard Gere. » Watch the clip from CNN [.mov]

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Thembi's AIDS Diary is a
Radio Diaries Documentary

For more info:
info@radiodiaries.org

Most of the photographs were taken
by Thembi's boyfriend, Melikhaya Mpumela.

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