He was born Xolani Nkosi in a slum east of Johannesburg, He never knew his father, His mother Monthlanthla Daphne was HIV positive so she passed the disease to unborn Nkosi, He was born HIV- positive and became a statistic-one of more than 70000 children born HIV-positive every year in South Africa. He survived beyond his second birthday which is unusual for affected babies, the disaease started to sap his mother they were admitted in the hospital,there were he was seen by Gail Johnson and became his foster mother, in 1997 his mother passed away he said in one of his speeches"i really miss my mother but i know she is in heaven".
Nkosi with his foster mother Gail Johnson Nkosi tree
Later that year he won a battle of enrollment in a primary school, the contrversy made him a national figure in the campaign to destigmatize AIDS, and his big moment came in Durban at AIDS international conference he made an imotional speech he said"please help people with AIDS, support them, love them, and care for them".He took the same message to Atlanta GA, he said"it's sad to see so many sick people",he added"i wish everybody in the world would be well"
Nkosi Johnson at the 13th International AIDS conference
At the 13 international Aids conference he made a remakarble speech, he said "Care for us, accept us we are all human beings, we are normal we have hands, we have feet, we can walk, we can talk, we have needs like everyone else,-dont be afraid of us we all the same" .Nelson Mandela described him as "an icon of struggle for life"
Nkosi with Nelson Mandela
Nkosi Johnson died in 01/Jun/2001 at age of 12, he will be remembered as an activist,struggle and survivor against aids, in his last days he said"i'm tired of taking medicine" 
Dying Nkosi with his foster mother Gail Johson
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