Nozi holds open conversations about her HIV journey on her social media platforms.
Biography
Nozibele Mayaba (born 20 November 1990) is a South African internet personality, activist, author, TV host, and podcaster. She is best known for her story and shedding the stigma about HIV.
The author penned a book to help children easily understand what Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is. She discusses topics about challenges in society in her podcasts.
| Nozibele Mayaba | |
|---|---|
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| Short Profile | |
| Full name: | Nozibele Qamngana-Mayab |
| Other names: | Nozi Mayaba |
| Born: | 20 November 1990 (age 32 years old) |
| Origin: | Johannesburg |
| Nationality: | South African |
| Education: | Marketing |
| Occupation: | Internet personality, activist, author, TV host, and podcaster. |
| Book: | I Am Still Zuri |
Early Life
Nozibele Mayaba was born on 20 November 1990. Her parents are staunch Christians and raised her in the Christian doctrine. She hails from the city of Johannesburg in South Africa. Her mother worked in a TB hospital and with patients who were HIV-positive.
Nozi has been the child parents used as an example to discipline their children. She is the first one in my family to graduate from the university.
Education
Nozi passed her matric when she was 16 years old. Her academic work earned her a scholarship to university. In her third year in university, she secured a permanent job.
The activist obtained a Bachelor of Technology in Marketing. She holds a National Diploma in Marketing and a BA Honours Degree in Development Studies.
Career
Using any platform to destigmatize HIV, social media has proven to be a helpful tool to achieve this. She has a YouTube channel, with over 100 000 subscribers, for her lifestyle as a person with HIV.
Nozibele tells a story of a seven-year-old girl in her book I Am Still Zuri. The girl is HIV positive from birth.
In the literary masterpiece, she tries to tell children that people living with the virus are not different. They enjoy the good things of life as we do and love to play and have fun.
Her main aim for writing down the masterpiece is to eliminate the stigmatization of people living with the virus. She is the presenter of Yes I Have HIV.
Personal Life
Nozibele Mayaba discovered she was living with HIV in 2013. She and her husband, Sikhumbuzo Mayaba, celebrated their first anniversary as a married couple in 2020.
At first, when she met Sikhumbuzo, Nozibele never thought she was ready to expose herself. Her husband’s persistence made her tell him about her HIV status.
The man refused to leave after hearing she was positive. He remained regardless of her attempts to hurt him to go away. Her husband is supportive of her and her ideas. The couple welcomed their first baby in 2023.
HIV Status
Mayaba is HIV positive and discovered she had the virus at twenty-two during a wellness day event on 15 August 2013. The company she worked for had organised a week-long wellness programme.
Her HIV status shocked her since she had only a sexual partner.
“While I did casually date a few times, I was always clear that I’d never have sex before marriage. This is how I was raised. But it would take me meeting a guy that promised he’d marry me to change my mind.”
Discovering her status came with fear, disappointment, and shock. So she refused to tell her family for five years. The thought of ending her life and battling depression became the cause of the day.
After many thoughts of taking her life, an insurance policy clause stopped her from suicide. The clause stated that the insurance policy won’t pay in cases of suicide. She had bought her mother a house.
Social Profile
On YouTube, viewers have gained information about the virus through her podcasts. She also enlightens people about HIV on other social media accounts.
Feedspot named her YouTube channel One of the Top 15 HIV YouTube Channels on the Web. She has other accounts on:
Recognitions
No matter our present conditions, giving up is a personal option. Mayaba has many achievements despite living with HIV. She has many awards and recognitions to her name. Among her achievements are:
- Nelson Mandela Business Chamber Top 40 under 40 achiever recognition.
- Businesswoman Association of South Africa Regional Achievers Award.
- Fruits of Democracy Award winner (civil society).
- Vision4Women Beyond the Balance Sheet award finalist.
- South African International Youth Committee Ambassador