Sometimes when I consider what tremendous  consequences come from little things . . .     I am tempted to think . . .    there are no little things.

It is indeed a joy to be able to communicate to you, our friends, through this newsletter. Last month, the response to the newsletter was very encouraging. I am happy that we of different cultures, religions, nationalities, ideologies, are united by our commitment to development of the underprivileged and are passionate about a society we dream of - where equity and justice prevail. I am glad to say that my ideas are increasingly finding expression through the work of CHARDEP, as are the thoughts and dreams of CHARDEP’s members, staff and friends.

Ms. Sivakala, a HIV +ve mother receiving was present during CHARDEP’s staff meeting and is here seen receiving milk powder and other necessities from  Ms. Germinal, Field Worker.  

There is one issue deserving of our deepest sympathy, which I wish to share. It concerns the plight of innocent women infected with the HIV virus by their husbands or through blood transfusions that are ending up destitute, despised by their families, shunned by friends and society and lacking the wherewithal to provide for their children. Sadly enough, though we live in times when the needs and rights of women are much spoken about and programmes are designed to address even remote injustices perpetrated on women, these women are committed to the shadows of ignominy and poverty.

We at CHARDEP have devoted much time and effort to understand this problem and were able to design a project where these women and their children are taken care of and the women; through skill trainings and careful assistance become self-supporting. We await financial support for this project. Meanwhile, we are providing succor to twelve women regularly in the form of milk powder, provisions, medicines, clothes and assistance for the children’s education. This is a small initiative, but seeing the spirit behind this work, I feel that this little beginning will definitely have tremendous consequences.

It would be apt to tell you about the particularly tragic story of a beautiful woman, which would point up the various problems women with HIV face in our society. Her name is Sivakala and she is 32 years old. Her husband, who had been promiscuous, and had lost both him and their daughter to AIDS seven years back, had infected her. Her family saw her HIV status as a threat to the family’s standing in society and cast her out. Since then, she has been struggling to feed herself and seldom was able to afford the nutritious food required by people living with HIV infection. She was lonely and after five years of such a life, married a person who also is HIV ‘+’ve. Sivakala was very particular that no children should be born out of their union, and was naïve enough to believe her husband when he said that he was taking certain tablets for contraception. When it was confirmed that she had conceived, her husband promptly absconded.

Sivakala knew the risks the child would be facing, but still decided to have the child. When she was admitted in hospital for delivery of her child, no member of her family visited her; neither was anyone willing to sign the papers that would allow doctors to deliver the child by caesarean section. “Tell the doctors to give her an injection that would kill her” was what they literally said. Amidst this confusion, the child, a girl, was born normally. At the time of writing, it is yet too early for the tests that would determine whether the child has been infected or not.

Such incidents are very sad and discouraging. Of course, CHARDEP or any like minded organisation can take care of such women and their children. But then, what about the Sivakalas of tomorrow? Do they all have to go through such humiliation and suffering? It was Thoreau who said, “For every thousand hacking at the leaves of evil, there is one striking at the root.” May God grant that CHARDEP does not end up among the numerous agencies, which fight the myriad manifestations of social evils, but is among the few that work to root out what is hypocritical, selfish, and evil in society.