I GET goosebumps thinking about my life, says Keembe UPND member of parliament Princess Kasune.

Kasune, who is the first Parliamentarian to openly declare her HIV status, has posted a heartwarming update on her Facebook page celebrating what God had done in her life today, January 6, 2017; her birthday.

“God has been good and gracious to me. To him is all the praise and honour. What can I say apart from to enjoy each day, overcome every obstacle, climb very maintain in my destiny and helping those less privileged to the best of my ability,” Kasune Zulu writes on her Facebook page.

‘To my fellow Keembians. I am officially 41 years old, more than ever am grateful for life. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve along with you as your MP. I have lived exactly 20 years with HIV, healthy, beautiful, intelligent, full of love, passion, compassion, friendships & to top it all, family.”

Kasune recounts some of the challenges she has overcome in her life.

“From a humble beginning of being a double orphan at 17, teenage mother, HIV positive at 21, grade 11 eleven school dropout, just a young vulnerable village girl of Chipopo village in Keembe constituency in Chibombo, rural Zambia. To become the founder of an NGO/NP helping vulnerable children and those infected with HIV/AIDS, from being a volunteer as peer educator at CHEP, Kitwe and a humble assistant development facilitator at World Vision Zambia-to become a spokesperson for World Vision USA and other countries,” she writes.

“Meetings with President [George] Bush and other Presidents; even [Barrack] Obama, sat next to him on the same bench at AFC before he become President. To becoming a master degree holder with two degrees. Against all odds as an MP/senator for Keembe constituency. Blessed with marriage, above all the mother to my three biological children and five adopted. I cheated death twice in 2016. I get goosebumps thinking about my own life to sum it all. God has been good and gracious to me. To him is all the praise and honour.”

She advises people to live positively and aim high in life.

“What can l say apart from enjoy each day, overcome every obstacle, climb very maintain in my destiny and helping those less privileged to the best of my ability. Indeed, each one of us are the captain of our own lives. Live positively, tell yourself you are gorgeous, intelligent, destined for higher heights, aim higher, block all negative people or delete them in your life, because the world will try to bring you down and tell you otherwise,” writes Kasune.

Kasune is married to American David Schoefernacker.