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 SEPTEMBER 2006 — "When I lost my husband to AIDS, I felt immense uncertainty. I was hopeless and helpless," recalls Habiba Akter, an outspoken advocate for PLHA in Bangladesh. "A widow at age 25, my dreams were shattered. At that time, there were no peer-led support groups. A physician at the hospital was a great support, but I realized that he may not always be available to do the same for others. So I joined an NGO and started working as a voice for people affected by HIV and AIDS."
There was no looking back for Akter. Together with other PLHA, she formed the Ashar Alo Society (AAS), a support and advocacy group. Today she is its Executive Director. "AAS raises PLHA issues collectively and is changing the lives of affected individuals and families," notes Akter. "When people join AAS, they no longer feel alone. The collective we instills hope and a desire to think and live positively. AAS makes a difference within families and communities. With assistance from AAS, PLHA can disclose their status to loved ones and receive acceptance and support." Founded in 2000, AAS has grown from a staff of four in Dhaka and a membership of ten to a staff of 19 serving almost half of the country's 658 identified PLHA and more than 750 family members in six cities in Bangladesh. Akter's efforts have resulted in the mobilization of human and financial resources. "In the past, I thought the government would never acknowledge or address the needs of PLHA," she says. "I feel a sense of accomplishment because now it has started to consider care and support issues." Ashar Alo Society has worked with FHI since 2002 to provide care, support, and treatment to PLHA and their families. FHI works to reduce stigma and discrimination and to prepare communities to accept and support PLHAs with compassion, tolerance and sensitivity. Photo: Habiba Akter, the Executive Director of Ashar Alo Society (Tara O'Day)
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