Judy Muringu's life took a tragic turn, not because of illness, but because of a profound betrayal. In 2008, she married her husband, envisioning a future built on young love and shared dreams. However, their life together didn't unfold as planned. Years into their marriage, her husband was diagnosed with diabetes, and as the illness progressed, he became emotionally withdrawn. Their financial situation also became increasingly dire.
In a desperate attempt to survive and provide, Judy accepted KSh 5,000 from a male client. She admits it wasn't about love but about exploitation. This brief affair had devastating consequences: she contracted HIV and soon discovered she was pregnant.
When her husband returned to Nairobi after being away for nearly a year, he found Judy visibly pregnant with another man's child, ill, and filled with shame. Judy tearfully recounted how he simply looked at her and asked if she was pregnant. He didn't yell or accuse her; he just walked away, a silence that spoke volumes.
Although he later accepted her back, something in him had irrevocably broken. Just a few months later, in June 2016, her husband passed away, his body weakened by illness and his heart, perhaps, even more so.
Today, Judy is raising the child from that affair. While her health is stable, the emotional scars remain deep. She shares her story as a cautionary tale, hoping to warn others that desperation can lead to devastating decisions, and that betrayal's impact is never truly silent. "I live with it every day," she reflects, "Not because I wasn’t loved, but because I didn’t love myself enough to wait.”
