I have been HIV positive for the last 11 years.
I would not have been here, had I not come across MILANA. I was introduced to this family support network of HIV positive people by a doctor. When the test results for HIV status were done I was not told that we were HIV positive. I was instead told that all of us - me, my husband and my baby - have AIDS and we won’t live more than three months.
Hearing this we had decided to commit suicide...and then MILANA happened.
Jyoti madam, coordinator and founder of the group, came to us and counseled us. She touched us when no one was ready to touch us. In MILANA, conversation, touch, hug, love and affection is very important.
I realized that I could also live courageously with my son.
My marriage was a love marriage. But it was an inter-cast wed-lock. My husband was a Malayali and I am a Gowda. So no one agreed to our marriage. My husband committed suicide.
My son’s name is Vinod. He is 10 years old. He is very naughty. During such moments I feel saddened. Then I pull myself together and tell myself that I must look after him very nicely as long as he lives. I want to give him whatever he asks for.
Since he is taking the second line ART, his health condition is good. He knows that he is HIV positive.
In MILANA I got training to become a nurse. I also learned that I can work for people. I also came to know that we can fight for our rights as people affected with HIV.
ActionAid is the founder of the group and there is a good co-ordination between us and members of ActionAid. They often take part on our planning and discussions and tell us how to face this life, how to fight for our rights.
We carry forward this work by learning what are rights as people living with HIV, what are our human rights, what we must do to get it and what kind of atrocities are taking place in ART centers.
