Positive Transformation

A story of Local Response by Bina Pokharel of UNAIDS Nepal

Social volunteers against AIDS (SoVAA) were active in Achham under the project ‘Social Movement against AIDS’ of Save the Children. Mathura was reached by SoVAAs who helped her to understand HIV and that she could live for a long time and take care of her children if she cared for herself.

Mathura Devi Juawar is an illiterate woman from a rural district called at Achham. Achham is a district with high incidence of HIV due to the seasonal labour migration to cities such as Mumbai and Delhi. Mathura found herself to be HIV-positive along with her husband in 1997. After the death of her husband in 1998, she was alone to take care of her three children.

People in Achham were of the opinion at the time that HIV is transmitted through the smoke of the dead body of a person who is HIV positive when he or she is burned. In this context she confined herself to her house. She was thinking that her life was finished.

With the SoVAA’s effort and follow-up, Mathura also became a SoVAA. She was a good speaker and had leadership qualities. She built up her confidence. The desire to do something for the positive single women of her community led her to the level where today she runs a CBO called "Sunalco Bihami” (Golden Morning) serving 1100 WLHIV and their children, advocating for their rights to services, care and support at local and national level.

Thanks to the good work of SoVAA, Mathura has become a national leader. She has got the "Mohila Shakti Award” for her work.

We need to recognise the skills and competencies of the community people and we need to harness that talent with our support.

Here is a video clip of Bina telling her story.