PLHIV Stigma Index in Nepal

fund grant given by NAP+N. Subsequently, Binita registered her NGO. Today, herNGO’s membership has grown to more than 200 women and children. Married toShyam now, and raising their children from both their first marriages, she adviseswomen who do not know their HIV status, “Get tested. Don’t rely on your husbandalone. Protect yourself.”She is happy about this transformation in her life. “Before I knew that I was HIVpositive,I was purely a housewife,” she says. “Now I am out of the house, and thefounder of an NGO that provides services to women relating to reproductive healthand HIV and AIDS. I was ignorant before. But now I can advocate, raise awarenessand help others.”Binita has seen the power of organizing the community and that of collective voice.Her organization reaches its target audience through outreach and awarenessprogrammes as well as through referral cards that are left at public places by womenwho have accessed the NGO’s services. Binita emphasizes that disclosing her statuspublicly was critical to her success. Her example has galvanized other women toemerge from the “hidden” population of people living with HIV and AIDS.Chapter 7HIV Testing, Disclosureand Treatment50 51