Perspective - From Advocacy to Grassroots
Friday. 15th December. Open Air Avenue, Pach Building Area, Tadiwala Road Community, Pune.
Celebration of Life
Hans Billimoria, taking the stage, asking the people of Tadiwala to wake up to HIV/AIDS; Malik and the guys from Sahara Aalhad grooving away to ‘Kya Mujhe Pyar Hai; Mike Marshall, talking in faltering Hindi, about collective responsibility and embracing PLWHA; A beautiful woman draped in a purple sari dancing gracefully to ‘Kajrare Kajrare’ while the crowd cheers on; testimonies of courage and hope.
A truly memorable evening came to an end.
Thoughts played around in my mind as I headed back home.
I remembered when I first met Hans, about three weeks ago, he had told me that ‘If you really want to work, work at the grassroots.’ Now I know what he was talking about.
Volunteering on the ‘Wake Up Pune’ Campaign, I have seen a new facet of India’s fight against HIV/AIDS.
For me, the spotlight has shifted from Roundtable Breakfast Events to PuranPoli Dinners at Laxmi Tai’s home in Tadiwala Vasti; from uninspiring speeches by MPs on Targeted Interventions in the country to heart-wrenching testimonies of HIV + people; from big words of false reassurances by the decision makers to small acts of acceptance and compassion by the common man.
40 lakh AIDS deaths was a mere statistic. Now, the death of even one AIDS patient is a tragedy, like the death of a loved one.
‘Transgender’ was just another ‘High-Risk Group’. Now it stands for people whose lives, filled with aspirations, pain, hope and dreams, are as real as yours and mine.
‘Stigma and Discrimination’ were ‘Key Words’ in any advocacy plan for PLWHA. Now I understand the intensity of their impact on lives of PLWHA. These two are more dangerous than HIV itself, for as I discovered, HIV doesn’t kill. ‘Stigma and Discrimination’ does.
Three weeks ago, HIV/AIDS was just one of the many socio-economic problems/public health challenges faced by India. Now HIV is about ME. It is about YOU. It is about US. And neither the govt. nor the NGOs alone, but every one of us has to do something about it.
HIV is REAL. HIV is HERE. And HIV is NOW.
No more Promises. Let our actions Speak.
-- Himakshi Piplani, Volunteer
Celebration of Life
Hans Billimoria, taking the stage, asking the people of Tadiwala to wake up to HIV/AIDS; Malik and the guys from Sahara Aalhad grooving away to ‘Kya Mujhe Pyar Hai; Mike Marshall, talking in faltering Hindi, about collective responsibility and embracing PLWHA; A beautiful woman draped in a purple sari dancing gracefully to ‘Kajrare Kajrare’ while the crowd cheers on; testimonies of courage and hope.
A truly memorable evening came to an end.
Thoughts played around in my mind as I headed back home.
I remembered when I first met Hans, about three weeks ago, he had told me that ‘If you really want to work, work at the grassroots.’ Now I know what he was talking about.
Volunteering on the ‘Wake Up Pune’ Campaign, I have seen a new facet of India’s fight against HIV/AIDS.
For me, the spotlight has shifted from Roundtable Breakfast Events to PuranPoli Dinners at Laxmi Tai’s home in Tadiwala Vasti; from uninspiring speeches by MPs on Targeted Interventions in the country to heart-wrenching testimonies of HIV + people; from big words of false reassurances by the decision makers to small acts of acceptance and compassion by the common man.
40 lakh AIDS deaths was a mere statistic. Now, the death of even one AIDS patient is a tragedy, like the death of a loved one.
‘Transgender’ was just another ‘High-Risk Group’. Now it stands for people whose lives, filled with aspirations, pain, hope and dreams, are as real as yours and mine.
‘Stigma and Discrimination’ were ‘Key Words’ in any advocacy plan for PLWHA. Now I understand the intensity of their impact on lives of PLWHA. These two are more dangerous than HIV itself, for as I discovered, HIV doesn’t kill. ‘Stigma and Discrimination’ does.
Three weeks ago, HIV/AIDS was just one of the many socio-economic problems/public health challenges faced by India. Now HIV is about ME. It is about YOU. It is about US. And neither the govt. nor the NGOs alone, but every one of us has to do something about it.
HIV is REAL. HIV is HERE. And HIV is NOW.
No more Promises. Let our actions Speak.
-- Himakshi Piplani, Volunteer
posted by Volunteer at 6:09 am
4 Comments:
Very nice post, Himakshi. It gave a good view of how life at the grassroots is different from elsewhere, and why it is worth making the effort to get involved at that level.
I hope you will continue to blog your experiences in the future.
The beautiful woman in the purple sari was Siddhi, a proud member of the MSM community, but he loves being called a beautiful woman. Good blog Himakshi! More to follow we hope.
Himakshi, I like the comment what you made about HIV/AIDS, "HIV IS FOR ME, HIV IS FOR YOU AND HIV FOR US."
I recognize many failures to help these people and I think it is not only a challenge for me to help them but it is a task for me to show I am human by helping them and be a part of humanity.
I salute all the colleagues which is working hard with you for showing love in action for all these people who need hope and care. GOD BLESS YOU.
gr8 post hima..yeah write more and link it up to the networking sites. i am gettin ppl to link dgs to their webpages..some way to somehow let ppl actually know wats really going on!
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