Provide healing support to 100 HIV+ children

Today, I want to share the story of a 19-year-old girl who grew up in a small rural village. She completed her 10th standard and, due to difficult family circumstances, chose to pursue a diploma in technical education. Today, she works as an apprentice in another town, far away from her home.

Stepping into a new world is not easy for any young girl. For her, the journey was even harder. She is living with HIV. She lost her father at a very young age. Her mother, who never went to school, works as a daily wage laborer. Life had placed many burdens on her shoulders early on, yet she learned to carry them with courage.

We (Buds of Christ) first met her when she was in the 8th standard, when we began a support group at the government hospital. She came to our attention because she was not taking her medication regularly. Though she knew it was lifelong treatment, she had not taken it seriously because she looked healthy. Only her mother and grandmother knew about her and her mother’s HIV status. To the world outside, she appeared normal and smiling.

When you see her, she always wears a beautiful smile and carries herself with confidence. But deep within, like any young person, she had fears and confusion. Her mother, being illiterate and dependent on others all her life, had faced rejection and discrimination from her in-laws after her husband’s death. She finally returned with her daughter to her own father’s house.

Later, a widower lured her mother into a second marriage. She left her daughter behind and went with him. From then on, the girl lived with her grandfather. When she reached puberty and was studying in the 10th standard, her grandfather arranged a marriage for her without knowing her HIV status or the risk of transmission.

This is where her courage truly shone. At just 14 years of age, she called the child helpline and reported the planned child marriage. When the authorities visited, she boldly disclosed her HIV status. She later told us, “My grandfather will not understand, and my mother is not with me. This was my only option.” We were deeply moved by her bravery. She did not freeze in fear. She thought clearly and acted wisely to protect her future.

Because of this incident, after her 10^th she joined a diploma course in technical education. Around the same time, her mother returned after facing violence in her second marriage. I watched this young girl become a mother to her own mother. She did not accuse her or question her choices. Instead, she took her to hospitals and ensured she received medical care.

A few months later, her mother left again for the same man. During this period, the girl entered her second year of diploma. Her teacher wished to meet a guardian, and we represented her. From then on, she began to trust us deeply and started sharing her dreams and fears about the future.

Toward the end of her diploma, her mother returned once more, this time determined not to go back. She was unwell, and the girl lovingly cared for her. Soon after, this young woman completed her studies and received a good job opportunity with decent salary—but it required her to move out of town.

She hesitated at first. Her mother had only recently returned, and she felt responsible to stay. But this time, she chose differently. She said she would not miss the opportunity that had come her way. She knew that staying back in the same village would limit her growth. With courage, she stepped into a new future.

It has now been three months since she started working. She supports her family, saves for her future, and returns to our centre to encourage younger children. She tells them that circumstances, illness, or where they are born do not define who they can become.

From her life, I learned a powerful lesson: It is not where you come from, but who you realize you are, that truly makes the difference.