SOULBATH PEACE FOUNDATION OFFERS A HAND TO HIV POSITIVE WOMEN IN INDIA
Redefining Positive Women- Towards Sustainable Living
HIV Positive Women around the world have been portrayed as victims who need help. PWN+ network has identified that their need now is to move beyond this through hope to making a living and celebrate it. Soulbath Peace Foundation was invited to help PWN+ make this transition by working on policies, their vision and values.
Often in life when we reach crossroads, we realize that there is a deep desire to choose a new path, –A road less taken but when you believe, and start moving, the goal unfolds itself. PWN+ through the last 12 years has been helping women to learn and educate themselves about options available to help them cope a life with HIV. Kousalya their President has realized that the organization and vision now needs to move beyond merely coping to living and celebrating. This journey of transformation began with helping the country leaders in PWN+ to understand the psyche of the positive woman and with Hope transformation processes help her discover her uniqueness in life thus creating sustainable livelihood options for herself and her family.
As HIV positive women move through this cycle of guilt, anger, resentment and shame, the impact is on themselves, their husbands and their immediate families resulting in denying themselves of opportunities that help them move beyond this phase. This also includes medication and working for livelihood. Soulbath Peace Foundation previously has very closely worked with HIV+ men, women and children to understand this need and help them to help themselves. A sustainable process that begins inward and drives the outcome towards more stable families living with HIV/ AIDS.
Often in life when we reach crossroads, we realize that there is a deep desire to choose a new path, –A road less taken but when you believe, and start moving, the goal unfolds itself. PWN+ through the last 12 years has been helping women to learn and educate themselves about options available to help them cope a life with HIV. Kousalya their President has realized that the organization and vision now needs to move beyond merely coping to living and celebrating. This journey of transformation began with helping the country leaders in PWN+ to understand the psyche of the positive woman and with Hope transformation processes help her discover her uniqueness in life thus creating sustainable livelihood options for herself and her family.
As HIV positive women move through this cycle of guilt, anger, resentment and shame, the impact is on themselves, their husbands and their immediate families resulting in denying themselves of opportunities that help them move beyond this phase. This also includes medication and working for livelihood. Soulbath Peace Foundation previously has very closely worked with HIV+ men, women and children to understand this need and help them to help themselves. A sustainable process that begins inward and drives the outcome towards more stable families living with HIV/ AIDS.
Through an inner contemplative process during the session Soulbath Peace Foundation facilitated PWN+ form their new vision, values and goals towards developing a sustainable livelihood option. Developing the individual and human asset at an organization level to move towards helping the next generation understand and contribute effectively was the main purpose of the program. Currently the life of HIV+ moms are driven through shame, anger and guilt and this affects the next generation as regular outbursts in the family, more opportunistic infections setting in and not valuing their bodies. Low self esteem prevails in children and sometimes they are left to infer information that comes from society in a deformed perspective.
To help the HIV+ woman and her family move beyond this emotional crisis, Soulbath Peace Foundation facilitated a journey into understanding sustainable livelihoods as an immediate outcome moving into a healthy spiral. Soulbath Peace Foundation would help PWN+ develop into an organization that is wholesome through many stages this year and this is another leap in that direction. Through a very long time there are many individuals who have identified this need about sustainable solutions that are needed in today’s society. But never before has the need become an urgency that this moment and this urgency is towards the positive woman valuing herself and then reaching out to collaborate with society wholeheartedly.
When a mother values herself, her body, then her life is more stable emotionally. This is the most important need for a HIV+ positive woman than ever before – to stand up for herself from within – an inner wholesome journey begins.
“Yes, you will attain your destiny, but only if your desire is burning enough. And that quality of desire only happens when it emerges directly from your soul. Remember- If you have a song that your soul desires to sing, prepare the stage today to sing it out loud!”
- Sri Raj Bhowmik
To help the HIV+ woman and her family move beyond this emotional crisis, Soulbath Peace Foundation facilitated a journey into understanding sustainable livelihoods as an immediate outcome moving into a healthy spiral. Soulbath Peace Foundation would help PWN+ develop into an organization that is wholesome through many stages this year and this is another leap in that direction. Through a very long time there are many individuals who have identified this need about sustainable solutions that are needed in today’s society. But never before has the need become an urgency that this moment and this urgency is towards the positive woman valuing herself and then reaching out to collaborate with society wholeheartedly.
When a mother values herself, her body, then her life is more stable emotionally. This is the most important need for a HIV+ positive woman than ever before – to stand up for herself from within – an inner wholesome journey begins.
“Yes, you will attain your destiny, but only if your desire is burning enough. And that quality of desire only happens when it emerges directly from your soul. Remember- If you have a song that your soul desires to sing, prepare the stage today to sing it out loud!”
- Sri Raj Bhowmik
TESTIMONIALS - What PWN+ Board Members felt through the Transition
There are 3 stages for HIV Positive women. Victim is where she begins her life with fear, tension and anger. But life does not have to end that way. She should be capable of looking after herself and be stable – living a good quality of life. After a decade of PWN+ with 200% success in reaching out to the positive women in states and districts, now it is time to move forward towards changing life towards a sustainable livelihood. PWN+ goal, vision and value have to focus on women to live an independent life & living that life with dignity.
Lily – Manipur
I learnt all about living a life that is sustainable and is possible. My first understanding was about my own self. How much I can give myself and therefore my family. The Mandala was like a prayer – So peaceful, I can do this even with my family. The new plan and vision looks hopeful and I am confident. I feel more supported now.
Amudha (Bangalore)
It was a good experience. I got lots of ideas of how I can help other people to help them move beyond fear & sadness. My confidence grew about implementing this in my own community. I hope to be more useful now. I am thankful to Soulbath Peace Foundation for the learning.
Bindu (Kerala)
Initially I was wondering why I was a part of this meeting as I work in the field. Today I find it relevant completely. I feel my skills have sharpened and there are many ideas now I want to carry back to implement
Padmavathy (Tamil Nadu)
Through this workshop I have discovered myself. And through that I have understood how to help another woman who is victimized to rise up, empower herself and become independent. I am inspired to just begin now. Before every one else I realized that I need to be perfectly independent and I know I can.
Lakshmi (Delhi)
In the last 3 days our thoughts have been different – however today I find there is a harmonization. I have experienced the power of doing anything from the heart and the transformation that is the outcome of it through these 3 days.
Seetha (Uttaranchal)
In these 3 days I learnt Patience. It helped me understand different people and where they come from. The interactions were personalized by all the participants as I could see each person involving from their hearts deep down. The questions that everybody was asking showed that they were really feeling it inside. So far from childhood, I never understood how to love anything because nothing belonged to me. This workshop intensely helped me realize to love myself. I am changed now and it has helped me love something and that’s when the purpose unveils itself. I have aspired for these changes for a very long time. But I didn’t know how to make it happen for PWN+. I didn’t sleep last night as I was so much involved. Today now I feel relaxed and the vision is now more wholesome. My deepest desire is wellbeing of women but this I have understood after this long journey and this is our focus from now. When we give ourselves fully and truly we can then give back to others the same way. This can influence the lives of children and families. This is a sustainable way of living life and goes beyond HIV. This is universal and today I can see how this movement fits in to a larger wholesome role of a woman who is independent and happy.
P. Kousalya (President, PWN+)
(Event compiled by SPF Volunteers)
There are 3 stages for HIV Positive women. Victim is where she begins her life with fear, tension and anger. But life does not have to end that way. She should be capable of looking after herself and be stable – living a good quality of life. After a decade of PWN+ with 200% success in reaching out to the positive women in states and districts, now it is time to move forward towards changing life towards a sustainable livelihood. PWN+ goal, vision and value have to focus on women to live an independent life & living that life with dignity.
Lily – Manipur
I learnt all about living a life that is sustainable and is possible. My first understanding was about my own self. How much I can give myself and therefore my family. The Mandala was like a prayer – So peaceful, I can do this even with my family. The new plan and vision looks hopeful and I am confident. I feel more supported now.
Amudha (Bangalore)
It was a good experience. I got lots of ideas of how I can help other people to help them move beyond fear & sadness. My confidence grew about implementing this in my own community. I hope to be more useful now. I am thankful to Soulbath Peace Foundation for the learning.
Bindu (Kerala)
Initially I was wondering why I was a part of this meeting as I work in the field. Today I find it relevant completely. I feel my skills have sharpened and there are many ideas now I want to carry back to implement
Padmavathy (Tamil Nadu)
Through this workshop I have discovered myself. And through that I have understood how to help another woman who is victimized to rise up, empower herself and become independent. I am inspired to just begin now. Before every one else I realized that I need to be perfectly independent and I know I can.
Lakshmi (Delhi)
In the last 3 days our thoughts have been different – however today I find there is a harmonization. I have experienced the power of doing anything from the heart and the transformation that is the outcome of it through these 3 days.
Seetha (Uttaranchal)
In these 3 days I learnt Patience. It helped me understand different people and where they come from. The interactions were personalized by all the participants as I could see each person involving from their hearts deep down. The questions that everybody was asking showed that they were really feeling it inside. So far from childhood, I never understood how to love anything because nothing belonged to me. This workshop intensely helped me realize to love myself. I am changed now and it has helped me love something and that’s when the purpose unveils itself. I have aspired for these changes for a very long time. But I didn’t know how to make it happen for PWN+. I didn’t sleep last night as I was so much involved. Today now I feel relaxed and the vision is now more wholesome. My deepest desire is wellbeing of women but this I have understood after this long journey and this is our focus from now. When we give ourselves fully and truly we can then give back to others the same way. This can influence the lives of children and families. This is a sustainable way of living life and goes beyond HIV. This is universal and today I can see how this movement fits in to a larger wholesome role of a woman who is independent and happy.
P. Kousalya (President, PWN+)
(Event compiled by SPF Volunteers)