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GOMA: The Leader to make difference!
Ten years before frustrated with life, Goma had never thought to appear as a silver lining in the life of thousands of people but today her life has become a source of inspiration for others.
Participating actively and leading women's groups in the fight against HIV&AIDS, Goma has been a source of inspiration to many Nepalese women. She is also infected by HIV&AIDS since past 10 years. Having HIV infection she faced many challenges and misery thereafter. In the close connection of an organization working for children she slowly learned to read and write. Later on she was sent her to Karuna Bhawan, an organization working for HIV where she got a new life. She also joined school afterward in Karuna Bhawan. There she
found many people like her, similar in age and which made her comfort to go to school.
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She then started to participate in various HIV&AIDS programs and doing works for the rights of infected people besides getting education. She mentions, though society ignored her that time she kept fighting for the rights of HIV infected people. However, she was stigmatized by many and she also reminds of care and support by other at the same time. "Until, marginalized women like us do not come forward and fight for our own right society will hold us back", she vigorously puts her voice. To move ahead she believes in own potential. At the moment she is involved as a member in an NGO called Shakti Samuha from its establishment period which works in support of infected women.
While working there she met Senior Theme Leader of Action Aid Nepal (AAN) who was looking after HIV&AIDS issue. After a long discussion Goma in support with AAN and Shakti Samuha took an initiative to establish Positive women's group in Kathmandu, at a time when such groups of women were almost non existent.
At present she is the president of the organization and she also represents the CCM of Nepal as the CCM members. She says,? for the rights of HIV infected women and children, infected women should take the leadership to amplify the voices and concerns that have been made invisible by the society and increasing stigma and discrimination." Further she says, in the beginning there were only two members to work with her and were uninformed about HIV&AIDS at that time. In the joint venture of organizations working in HIV&AIDS issues, she thought that she will be able to get cooperation. Her grief is that no one came forward to support but again she firmly went on with her plans. she remembers,?.there were really hard times when some time she used to think to give up what she was doing. She adds, "However I had a conviction to make change happen, I took the challenge and now I think we have shown the strengths."
Meanwhile, Sachet Sanchar Manch supported Shakti Milan Kendra with various discussions and suggestions. "Manch helped us to tackle almost every problem and they are countless", says Goma. Action Aid helped with financial matter and Manch kept the motivation on us. Today the working area of Shakti Milan Kendra has prolonged, there are 24 infected women involved in the organization. According to her, it is hard to look after all the members but the active participation of women has inspired them to keep up the work. Due to various training programs, communication with different people she feels as her will power has grown stronger. She wants other women to get opportunities to develop their capacity and get involved in solid movement for infected people.
In the leadership of Goma Shakti Milan Kendra has been performing works like awareness raising and training about HIV/AIDS in collaboration with other organizations in 10 carpet factories of Bhaktapur, Lalitpur and Kathmandu districts. Street plays on HIV/AIDS, providing education opportunity for 10 children born from infected mother, medical treatment and ARV for members are other activities she is actively involved in. Recently the organization has also established a shelter with 6 beds. She said for developing leadership skills among other members there are trainings running. Though, reached where she stands now, she still has comments on not getting the support from other organisations as she has expected. There is no hope from the government side but support from the non government side does not seem to be ready yet. Except Action Aid and Save the Children Norway we have not received any help from third, says Goma. Further she added, everyday infected girls and women come with their problems and we also want to support them but due to resource constraint one is forced to overlook things.
Goma is also disappointed with so called mainstream women's rights leaders in the country, she says, "they call us in their programs to share our feelings, but most often we are excluded in their programs and meetings. Most of the feminist groups even don?t talk about our issues, we are invisible even within so called mainstream women's community and one can imagine our context in a male dominated society. However in a very positive tone she says, "it is also our time now to engage with such women's movements groups and make our voice heard." She adds, " well we have done something, I am happy with what I am doing and I feel good when I find other women and children who were having hard times, are happy now. Their smiling face gives me extreme sense of satisfaction. However the fight continues for a long walk and we want support and solidarity."
(Source: Sachet Sanchar Manch, Translated by Kamana)
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