WLHIV show what enterprise is all about
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 06 2009: 'To get opportunities of marketing our products in public events like an exhibition has given us new hope and courage'', is the common refrain that runs through the response of Women Living with HIV (WLHIV), who are participating in the Ist National Asian Expo which is currently underway at Keishampat here.

Belonging to three different self help groups (SHGs) namely Unity and Apunba SHG, Singjamei; Radiance SHG, Lalambung and Unique SHG, in all 45 WLHIVs, most of whom have lost their husband to the HIV/AIDS are participating in the expo, setting up their own stall to display and sell various products, ranging from clothing items like Phanek Mapan Naiba, Phanek, Muga phanek, Muga Phee, Khudei, Chunni, embroidered blouses, tops, full-shirt, shoes to decorative items like beads, Sengra, dolls, etc as well as eatables like pickle and items of daily use like incense sticks, bags and dish washers.

Visitors are awestruck to see the wide range of products manufactured by these women.

Along with exposition of the products, the stall also facilitate discussion on the issues surrounding HIV and how the affected people should be dealt with in the society.

Talking to The Sangai Express on the sidelines of the expo, secretary of Radiance SHG Kh Bala (45) observed that WLHIVs in general and those who have lost their husbands in particular have been facing lot of difficulties in their daily struggle for survival.

WLHIV at their stall at the 1st National Asian Expo

Yet there has been no policies and programmes from the side of the Government to take care of these poor women.

'' But we have to live and for this we don't want to take recourse to unethical means.

So inspite of the odds against us, we have come together to form SHGs to earn our livelihood'', Bala, who herself has also lost her husband to HIV/AIDS even before their now 9 years old son was born.

Bala lives along with her son and mother-in-law.

Besides, the daily struggle of survival, HIV-Hep-C co-infection is another problem that Bala is facing today.

Premila of Unit and Apunba SHG pointed out that doctors have always been advising people living with HIVs to eat good food, sleep well, take adequate rest and not to worry over any thing so that we can live long .

But the mind of WLHIVs who have lost their husbands and do not have even the money for auto or rickshaw fare for going to RIMS or JN Hospital to take ART medicines is full of worries .

'' We have to think about keeping the hearth burning and education of our children.

So how we are supposed to think of taking a banana, an apple and a glass of milk every day'', she questioned, and added that ART medication without proper nutrition is more injurious to health.

Premila lost her husband in 2006.Out of three children born, one had died.

It was only after the death of her husband that Premila came to know of her HIV status.

However, after her in-laws threatened her against going out the house and revealing her HIV status that she come to her maternal home along with the two surviving children.

'I have to live and earn money for the sake of my children', Premila said.

Another participant, Anita, explained that Unity and Apunba, Radiance and Unique are SHGs formed under Kripa Society.

The Society provides the training as well as the materials required for manufacturing the items.

''At first we were not sure how the public would react and whether there would be any taker of our products.

But all these gone after looking at the public response'', Anita said, adding this has given them a new courage and hope.

All the WLHIVs who are participating in the expo are also unnimously in their complaint over alleged denial of due benefits under the Family Benefit Scheme and MOBC.

It may be noted here that in accordance to the report of Manipur State AIDS Control Society, there are in all 31,972 people living with HIV in Manipur till March 2009.Out of this, 8033 of them are women and 2000 are children.

The expo being organised jointly by All Manipur Anti-Drug Association and National Asian Expo at the BJP office complex , Keishampat would continue till October 10 .