Touching story of a woman who was on the verge of a suicide

[Rituu B. Nanda]

(Yet another story from Uncle Houlai, a village headmaster from Molvum village in Northeast India. A strong ACP advocate he has taken the approach far and wide to several villages. Uncle Houlai gave me a sheet of paper in which he had written this story. Please can you post it for me, he said. I promise to post the stories myself once I get a computer. So here is Uncle Houlai narrating his story.)

There is a village only 1.5 km from Molvum. There was one unmarried girl, Bani*. Because of her ill health, the doctor asked her to take blood test and she was found to be HIV positive. Hearing the news she was so upset, she felt shame, she could not bear the pain. She thought that the society will make her a laughing stock as there is social discrimination, social stigma for the positive people. She thought that she was a girl and became positive means she has a bad character. So she dare not face the society and the community.

At last one night she thought of doing suicide by taking poison or hang herself whichever was possible. Luckily on that particular evening I happened to visit their village to organise an ACP seminar. She came to know of the seminar and its relation with HIV. She happened to attend the seminar. At the seminar, I told the villagers that there was no difference between positive and negative people. When you know you act. Because positive can also live 80 years if positive people can take care of his or her health, negative can also live 80 years. After the seminar was over she called me to her house. There she confessed about her plan for committing suicide.

I consoled her and give more knowledge about ACP. How she can take care of her health and she will get facilities. She was comfortable and lived very happily . Now she has become one of the voluntary workers at her village.

* Name changed

[Taufiq M.A.]

Dear Rituu,

what the great story in there!!
please sent my regards to her!!

keep up the good work and fighting for HIV/AIDS epidemic!!

warm regards,
Taufiq M.A.

[loi Kirui]

Thats an encouraging story that needs to be shared with others people who might be in the same situation as Bani's. If Bani would not have reached through ACP seminar maybe she could be dead by now. Lets always work by inclusion of everybody in teh society. Thanks for good work Rituu.

[Dewi Rahmadania]

very touching rituu..,please teach me how to write this beautiful stories,,
send warm regard to her,,and also uncle H..,
luv,,