[procaare] HCC:Post Conference discussion -47

[Insight Initiative Team <insight@hdnet.org>]

HCC: Post Conference discussion - 47
- HDN Key Correspondents/Rapporteur Team,Thailand
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An Extraordinary Woman

Many NGOs have been represented at the 5th HCC and many of them are doing amazing work and
involve extraordinary people. This is the story of just one of those people, Priya Dias
who works for the NGO Positive People in India.

Priya's life has not been easy. Her parent's died when she was two years old and she was
brought up in an orphanage. She attended a Catholic school were one of the priests tried
to rape her when she was 16 years old. Her husband died of AIDS four years ago and she is
now alone bringing up her six-year-old daughter. Priya tested positive for HIV four years
ago.

She went to the doctor who diagnosed her HIV infection for help after her husband's family
rejected her. The doctor offered her employment doing domestic chores for Rs.300 per month
(US$ 6). Priya refused - this was nowhere near sufficient to raise a child, let alone
survive herself.

Priya found employment through Positive People, an NGO set up by PLHA in Goa, India. She
works in HIV counseling, providing home care and in HIV education. But she still faces
many problems. She finds most encouragement through reading her Bible, and knowing God
will never leave her. Sadly her experience of the church has not been so good. She told
her priest of her HIV status during confessions, after which the priest revealed the
information to her family without her consent.

It is hard to find any bitterness in Priya as she tells her story. Her ability to forgive
is astounding. After the 5th HCC Priya is planning to set up a hospice for PLHA's. She has
already obtained accommodation, linen and a number of other essentials. She hopes to raise
money locally to cover running costs.

Priya's story demonstrates the power of humanity, for both good and harm. I asked Priya if
she would mind me using the information she had shared in an article. She replied that she
did not mind at all. Her own words sum up much of what we have heard in Chiang Mai, "If we
don't speak up, we will all lose out."

HDN Key Correspondent Team
Rapporteur Team
E-mail: correspondents@hdnet.org

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The Insight Initiative Project is managed by Health & Development Networks (HDN) in
collaboration with the Thailand Red Cross Society, the World Health Organization and the
Royal Thailand Government, with financial support from AusAid and UNAIDS.

For more information about this project (the 'Insight Initiative'), visit the HDN website
at: http://www.hdnet.org

Fifth International Conference on Home and Community Care for Persons Living with HIV/AIDS
Chiang Mai, Thailand - 17-20 December 2001
Website: http://www.hiv2001.com


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