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 Bindu is
27 years old and resides in Shuranad panchayath of the Kollam
district. She came to know her status in 2002 and has a 4 year old
son. She got married to Bindu, who was working in Navy. After the
marriage, they went to Mumbai and she detected her HIV status during
her pregnancy. After that, Bindu was also tested as HIV positive.
Ms. Bindu got the right information about HIV/AIDS from the doctor
who treated her. After 3 years her husband obtained voluntary
retirement from his service and came back to his own territory. But
the approach of the society towards her husband was appalling. Bindu
said: “Due to the stigma and discrimination faced by my husband by
his community, he was forced to leave his home forever and return to
Mumbai to get his service pension”.
This incident had upset Bindu and she even tried to commit suicide.
At that moment she got a chance to meet the Positive Speaker of the
PSH Project. Later she got a job as a peer counsellor at the KLNP+
office. Her parents, who were quite old, depended on her small
income. Even though she was in a miserable stage of her life, she
still had a lot of energy and potential to make her life successful
if only she was given an opportunity. Her hidden potential turned
into reality when she was chosen as a participant and was provided
with entrepreneurship training by the UNDP Tsunami Project. This
training aims to enable ‘low income families’ to raise their income
opportunities by starting their own micro enterprises.
She started a Lehyam making unit with Rs.10,000 and her father and
mother supported her. They marketed Lehyam of half and one kg tins.
Initially they distributed their products in local areas. Now the
demand for the lehyam has increased due to the success of the
product. “I can not compare my condition then and now. I used to
strive hard to buy one glass of milk for my son; now the situation
is very different” she recalls.
Recently her husband expired. But she has the self-assurance and
hopes to go ahead and have a successful life, even after the death
of her husband. She has no debts in her loan repayments.
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