Faidha gani? What's the point: HIV and the logics of (non)-disclosure among young activists in Zanzibar

Most HIV treatment guidelines advise people who test positive to disclose their status to improve adherence and garner psychosocial care and support. Similarly, advocacy groups for people living with HIV encourage disclosure as a key component of fighting self and community-based stigma. Although there is arguably much to be gained by disclosing, there is also much at stake, including issues of individual and family honour and the possibility of living a "normal" life. Starting with the question, faidha gani, or what is the point, this paper attempts to shed light on motives for disclosure and non-disclosure. The arguments draw from a qualitative study among young HIV positive adults in eastern Africa, and most specifically an in-depth case study of one couple in Zanzibar.