HIV Couldn't Beat Her Business Morale

When Savitha’s neighbors learned about the fact that she was an HIV positive, savitha was completely abandoned fearing that she would infect them as well. For three years, Savitha lived in sheer solitude and without hope. Many times, she thought of committing suicide. But finally a ray of hope peeped when she came across another HIV positive woman of her age, Swapna Raj.

Raj was the president of People Living with HIV (PLHIV), a group of HIV positive people who help each other live with self-respect and confidence. PLHIV organize with local hospitals and when new cases of HIV are registered there, it meets the patients, encourages them to join the network where they can receive free counseling on health, career and above all, emotional support that can help them rebuild their lives.

Savitha joined the group and started with making red ribbons, which is a symbol against HIV. Savitha found the job quiet easy and in two weeks she could make as many as five thousand ribbons that were sold for 1 a piece. Savitha made a profit of 3, 000 with which she started a small home-based business of selling glass bangles. Though initially the customers were only from the PLHIV network, but gradually other people also started visiting her shop. Soon the business gained pace and today Savitha successfully earns 4, 000 profit per month.

Today Savitha is a self sufficient business woman who has set an extra ordinary example for other people to not just to sit back cry their fate, but to stand up and look forward to a dream, a dream of having a healthy self sufficient life.

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