Caroline Tiba is the founder and director of the Rotanganedza Community Care in the West Rand and more recently in Limpopo.
She is from the rural area of Brandvlei in the Karoo region. When she was in her teens, she experienced epileptic seizures. Soon after that, she had a stroke. But she is a fighter and has never let her health affect her love of helping other people.
Caroline is a People Living with HIV sector activist. Her organisation advocates for the rights, needs and interests of people living with HIV/Aids. Its objectives include raising awareness about HIV/Aids, sexually transmitted infections and TB and the importance of testing and adherence to treatment and encouraging people to take an active role in advocating for their rights.
Caroline says she is inspired by seeing women stand for themselves and believes her key contribution has been to address poverty in her community; about 365 people in West Rand have been employed by her organisation.
Caroline says she is driven by what she has experienced as a woman infected and affected by HIV, which is one of the reasons Rotanganedza was established — to address the stigma and discrimination faced by people living with HIV in rural communities. She hopes her legacy is her ability to empower others.
Caroline has always believed in the power of people, and has encouraged them to strive for greatness.
The name of the organisation at which you work
Rotanganedza Community Care
Your educational background, listing your qualifications and institutions, if any:
- Abet Level 4, Bekkersdal Abet
- HTS picking and counselling, The Networking HIV, AIDS Community of South Africa (Nacosa)
- 69 days palliative care (auxiliary), Right to Care
Your greatest achievement
Caroline says her greatest achievements are being a chairperson of People Living with HIV in the West Rand district, being recognised by Rand Water for poverty alleviation of women and also being recognised by the mayor of Rand West for her work.