Binita Basnet, a 7 year old girl, was admitted to MSPN (a centre that treats children with HIV) in 2008 when she was 2 years old. She is originally from a small, rural village in eastern Nepal, around 350km from Kathmandu. Binita has been infected with HIV virus from birth as her mother Balkumari is also a carrier.
When Binita’s mother was 10, her parents sent her to another home to work as a servant. When Balkumari turned 17, she met a man from India who frequently visited Nepal. They got married without the consent of their parents. 4 years later, she gave birth to Binita. Binita’s father has been estranged from the family for 5 years, and they do not expect to see him again.
Binita’s life has been tumultuous over the past 5 years. As MSPN only offers temporary support, every child gets discharged from the centre once their health status becomes stable. Binita has been readmitted on several occasions for further treatment.
In spite of Binita’s recovery, she and her mother Bulkamari have faced significant challenges each time she got discharged from the centre. I previously met Bulkamari and Binita through MSPN, and also through MSP Era – an organization which supports those that are HIV positive. Bulkamari participated in an MSP Era income generating training program for mothers. Bulkamari wants to provide a safe and healthy home for her daughter; although she requires financial assistance, her goal is to become self sufficient and run her own small business. However, she faces several obstacles: they have no family support, as Binita’s father is no longer in contact with the family, and her grandparents are unavailable. The rural community are reluctant to help them, due to the stigma attached to HIV carriers.
Binita has been admitted to a government school in Kathmandu and has to pay NRs 200 every month to attend. In addition, they have to find finances to cover her basic needs, such as rent, food and clothing. Bulkamari cannot afford to cover these costs herself, and is appealing for her child's future.
Your support will be highly appreciated!
For further details, please contact:
Ms Ranju Pandey, Email: info.mspera@gmail.com