Date:28/07/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/07/28/stories/2007072850990200.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Helping them think positive

P. Samuel Jonathan

NGO strives to improve quality of life of HIV-afflicted

SFIRD ties up with global organisations to lend financial aid
Conducts CD4 test and Anti Retro Viral therapies

NIZAMPATNAM (GUNTUR): Poverty, ill health and a sense of betrayal from her own family were staring at 25-year-old Govindamma when HIV-AIDS claimed the life of her fisherman-husband at Nizampatnam one and a half years ago.

When the disease claimed the life of her only son too, the flicker of hope in her life extinguished. Confronted by domestic abuse and an indifferent society, she had little to choose from.

Tsunami effect

It was then she came across a group of volunteers from the Society For Integrated Rural Development (SFIRD), a non-governmental organisation. With a financial assistance of Rs.5,000, she was able to procure a couple of buffalos. The financial independence gave her new strength to lead a normal life. Scores of fishermen families in the port town of Nizampatnam and surrounding villages share her plight.

For families whose lives were ravaged by the tsunami in 2004, the after effects were equally challenging and shattering. Deprived of livelihood, the men ventured out far into the deep seas, leaving the families for days. The separation from families led the men to seek sex outside marriage, becoming vulnerable to sexually transmitted diseases. “We found that there were at least 40 HIV positive cases during a survey in 2005. The figures are increasing, prompting us to launch work here,” said director of SFIRD Ravi Pradeep. Taking the help of international donor organisations like the Lutheran World Relief Fund and the ActionAid, a team of dedicated workers sought to give the lives of HIV positive men and women a new meaning.

The men and women were registered at the local Voluntary Counselling and Testing Centres, where regular CD4 counting tests were done to assess the progress of the disease. Anti Retro Viral therapies were given enhancing their quality of life.

The families were given financial assistance ranging from Rs.2, 000 to Rs.5, 000, by which they were able to procure cattle, sewing machines and set up coin boxes and lead an independent life.

With the help of the ActionAid, the organisation had been distributing monthly provisions of high nutritional value, which included 7 kg of rice, 2 kg of finger millets, bengal gram, groundnut, oil and dal.

“The winds of change are beginning to blow here. We hope to expand our activities further,” Mr. Pradeep rounded off.