This article was written in 2009 while I was working for World Vision Cambodia.
HIV and AIDS patient finally
gains long-dreamed acceptance
Sokheoun, 35-year old farmer almost
committed suicide after confirming that she has the dreaded HIV and AIDS, which she
got from her philandering husband. She changed her mind after thinking of her
children and moved on to divorce her husband after finding out that he has
another woman.
Sokheoun’s life became unbearable for her having HIV and AIDS. She became very skinny and has to close a profitable food store selling pork-rice soup because her customers stopped going when they learned she has the disease. Even her own family abhorred her and was afraid she will transmit it to them.
Sokheoun cries and shares, “Whenever I cooked food, nobody wants to eat it because they thought it is dirty and could infect them. Even my mother detested the food I cooked; I was so depressed and hopeless in life, I decided to ask help from neighbors and my family to build a separate house for me. It is not even a house, just a small cottage where I lived with my two children.”
“My life became like a living hell. My family and everyone in the village were scared I will spread the disease. When I thought of ending my life, I was also reminded of my children’s future. I want them to have a bright future and spend life with them longer,” adds Sokheoun.
Things changed when she went for blood testing at World Vision’s Ksach Kandal Area Development Programme (ADP) and got support for anti-retroviral treatment, along with other HIV and AIDS awareness campaigns that the ADP launched. The HIV and AIDS project of ADP promotes awareness-raising to all villagers within communities to stop discrimination against HIV and AIDS patients.
“World Vision gave me a new life with all the support provided to me and my son, SengHong Visal, 14 year-old. He became a sponsored child. The staff always supported and took good care of us. I still hope for a cure of HIV and AIDS in the future, she further adds.
Now, life is much better for Sokheoun and her family because villagers were educated about HIV and AIDS and does not treat her as an outcast anymore. Villagers have become friendly and helpful to Sokheoun as discrimination on HIV and AIDS patients gradually simmered down. Sokheoun said, “I I am not scared to open up my condition to others anymore because even those who shunned me in the past have now accepted me. I am not angry or bitter because it is just normal for people to get scared especially if they do not really know the facts about the disease. They just need to be educated to understand”, she explains.
Sokheoun concludes, “With all the support I get from World Vision, my community and family, I am more confident of my son’s bright future”.
Hers is a story that echoes the challenges those HIV and AIDS patients around Cambodia and the world. With a little help from families, communities and concerned groups, life could be much better and filled with hope.
Sokheoun’s life became unbearable for her having HIV and AIDS. She became very skinny and has to close a profitable food store selling pork-rice soup because her customers stopped going when they learned she has the disease. Even her own family abhorred her and was afraid she will transmit it to them.
Sokheoun cries and shares, “Whenever I cooked food, nobody wants to eat it because they thought it is dirty and could infect them. Even my mother detested the food I cooked; I was so depressed and hopeless in life, I decided to ask help from neighbors and my family to build a separate house for me. It is not even a house, just a small cottage where I lived with my two children.”
“My life became like a living hell. My family and everyone in the village were scared I will spread the disease. When I thought of ending my life, I was also reminded of my children’s future. I want them to have a bright future and spend life with them longer,” adds Sokheoun.
Things changed when she went for blood testing at World Vision’s Ksach Kandal Area Development Programme (ADP) and got support for anti-retroviral treatment, along with other HIV and AIDS awareness campaigns that the ADP launched. The HIV and AIDS project of ADP promotes awareness-raising to all villagers within communities to stop discrimination against HIV and AIDS patients.
“World Vision gave me a new life with all the support provided to me and my son, SengHong Visal, 14 year-old. He became a sponsored child. The staff always supported and took good care of us. I still hope for a cure of HIV and AIDS in the future, she further adds.
Now, life is much better for Sokheoun and her family because villagers were educated about HIV and AIDS and does not treat her as an outcast anymore. Villagers have become friendly and helpful to Sokheoun as discrimination on HIV and AIDS patients gradually simmered down. Sokheoun said, “I I am not scared to open up my condition to others anymore because even those who shunned me in the past have now accepted me. I am not angry or bitter because it is just normal for people to get scared especially if they do not really know the facts about the disease. They just need to be educated to understand”, she explains.
Sokheoun concludes, “With all the support I get from World Vision, my community and family, I am more confident of my son’s bright future”.
Hers is a story that echoes the challenges those HIV and AIDS patients around Cambodia and the world. With a little help from families, communities and concerned groups, life could be much better and filled with hope.
-Ends-
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