Tanzania Network of Journalists Living with HIV came into being on January 9th 2010 out of an idea by Zephaniah Musendo, who had spent three years and four months in prison from May 17,2005 to September 16 2008) while living with the AIDS virus. Musendo had experienced the hardships of prison which included one meal per day, hard labour, sleeping on a mat on the floor and cut off from his friends and family. When he was released from prison on September 16, 2008 he had resolved to form an organization which would cater for positive journalists. However, he met fellow journalists who encouraged him to form an organization for journalists living with HIV. He started looking for members and in December 2009 he organized a training seminar for journalists from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania which was funded by Panos Eastern Africa. The seminar was a big success attracting top officials from National Council of People Living with HIV/AIDS (TANOPHA) as well as other networks by women living with HIV in Dar es Salaam. From the three-days seminar participants' encouragement, Musendo was able to get more members and by January 2010 he had eleven members. With the help of a select-committee he was able to draft a constitution which was brought to a members' meeting on January 9th 2010 and endorsed. On June 24, 2010 the TNJ+ constitution was endorsed by the registrar of NGOs and thus registered.

Mtandao wa Waandishi wa Habari Tanzania wanaoishi na virusi vya ukimwi viliumbwa tarehe 9 Januari 2010 nje ya wazo la na Sefania Musendo, ambaye alitumia muda wa miaka mitatu na miezi nne katika gereza kuanzia Mei 17,2005 na Septemba 16, 2008) wakati wanaoishi na virusi vya Ukimwi. Musendo alikuwa na uzoefu wa matatizo ya gereza ambayo ni pamoja na mlo mmoja kwa siku, kazi ngumu, amelala juu ya mkeka sakafuni na kukata kutoka kwa marafiki zake na familia. Alipokuwa kutolewa gerezani Septemba 16, 2008 alikuwa kutatuliwa kuanzisha shirika ambayo kuhudumia waandishi wa habari chanya. Hata hivyo, alikutana na waandishi wa habari wenzangu ambao moyo yake kuanzisha shirika kwa ajili ya waandishi wa habari wanaoishi na virusi vya ukimwi. Alianza kutafuta wanachama na katika Desemba 2009 yeye iliandaa semina ya mafunzo kwa waandishi wa habari kutoka Kenya, Uganda na Tanzania ambayo ilifadhiliwa na Panos Afrika Mashariki. semina hiyo ilikuwa na mafanikio makubwa kuvutia viongozi wa juu kutoka Baraza la watu wanaoishi na VVU / Ukimwi (TANOPHA) pamoja na mitandao ya pili kwa wanawake wanaoishi na virusi vya ukimwi katika Dar es Salaam. Kutokana na moyo wa semina ya siku tatu ya washiriki, Musendo alikuwa na uwezo wa kupata wanachama zaidi na kwa Januari 2010 alikuwa na wanachama kumi na moja. Kwa msaada wa kamati ya kuchagua-yeye alikuwa na uwezo wa rasimu ya katiba ambayo aliletwa mkutano wa wanachama juu ya Januari 9, 2010 na utowaji. Tarehe 24 Juni 2010 ya TNJ + katiba alikuwa utowaji na Msajili wa NGOs na hivyo kusajiliwa.