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Fighting the stigma of HIV in India

Kousalya. "I did not like my father's sister's son, but I was compelled to marry that boy. I didn't even like to see him, but we were married. He was a lorry driver. After I became ill and tested HIV Positive. I discovered that both my husband and his family knew that he had HIV before we were married. I left my husband (who) is now dead and began to learn about HIV in Madras. I go to the villages and talk to the girls about STDs and HIV. I want to be a testimonial to others. I am working with the virus, I am healthy and happy. I want to do something for women who are infected like me. I tell everyone to have their future hasband tested before they marry. In my village, men know about their status, they marry and they die. After some time the girls will be alone. They will be thrown out of their in-law's family. Their mother's family won't be able to afford to look after them. They'll be suffering like anything. I must do something for those girls."

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Fighting the Stigma in India
Kousalya. "I did not like my father's sister's son, but I was compelled to marry that boy. I didn't even like to see him, but we were married. He was a lorry driver. After I became ill and tested HIV Positive. I discovered that both my husband and his family knew that he had HIV before we were married. I left my husband (who) is now dead and began to learn about HIV in Madras. I go to the villages and talk to the girls about STDs and HIV. I want to be a testimonial to others. I am working with the virus, I am healthy and happy. I want to do something for women who are infected like me. I tell everyone to have their future hasband tested before they marry. In my village, men know about their status, they marry and they die. After some time the girls will be alone. They will be thrown out of their in-law's family. Their mother's family won't be able to afford to look after them. They'll be suffering like anything. I must do something for those girls."
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