Let them laugh, I don’t care…!!!

Media plays an important role in everyone’s life. But the 39yr old Aruna, from the rural outskirts of Palakkad never thought that media can make a tremendous change in her life. Eight years back, when her husband Ponnunni (44) died of AIDS, she was left all alone in life with the HIV virus that her husband passed on to her. People stopped using the public tap which Aruna used. They drained the pond in which she bathed; the road which she used to walk was frequently disinfected by putting chlorine. Her mother Anandavalli, a school teacher was the only person who supported her. Now things have changed, nobody bothers if she takes bath in the pond or not. She goes for marriages and meetings, people find pleasure in sharing some moments with her. And now she says, “thanks to media….” With smiles..!!
“Yes, my life has changed. Now I can go anywhere I want. I’ve learned to ignore people who always ask me sit in a corner and cry as I am a widow. Now-a-days nobody has a problem in giving me shake hands or using the water cooler from which I drank water.”- Aruna says. Before, people were afraid of talking to her since they thought that HIV is a contagious virus. After media has taken its role in giving proper awareness about HIV/AIDS, its causes and mode of spreading etc…, people have started being kind and helpful to the victims. Aruna never used to go out few years back. Her mother took care of dropping and picking up her children from school. But, after joining “Prathyasha”, an organization of the HIV victims, Aruna has changed in many ways. She now works as a team to solve the issues and problems faced by the victims everywhere. If somebody asks her about her children’s blood report, she has it ready to show that they are not the carriers of the HIV virus. Aruna takes medicine twice daily and now she’s extremely healthy that she can do any job she wants to. She gives counseling to the victims and makes them overcome the situation and live like others.
In her white and white sari with her pleasing smile, she goes to everyone who need help and conduct AIDS awareness campaigns and workshops in schools and colleges. All that she’s striving hard is to eradicate the stigma towards the HIV victims in the society and to give them a chance to live.