Dear Friends,
It has been ages that we have not updated the Friends circle about what has been going on with Shanker Foundation Darjeeling Network of Positive People. Your solidarity and support at the Positive HAAT 2014 has enabled the organisation to continue supporting people living with HIV/AIDS in the Darjeeling Hills as there has been no other fund support to the Network. For those who have just been included in the email list, Shaker Foundation DJNP+ is the district level network of HIV Positive People linked with the state, national network and international networks. SFDjNP+ provides care and support services to positive people; protects and promotes rights of PLHA and reduces stigma through awareness campaigns. In addition to its regular activities SFDjNP+ worked towards enabling the members to access subsidised food under the Antodya Anna Yojna. This has been an amazing action where government scheme was accessed in the Darjeeling Hills while sensitising the department for client confidentiality and working out a methods of approval as members apply for the card. Photographs of some of the cards are attached, names blocked for confidentiality. Likewise, under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act schemes members are being given work acknowledging their immunity compromised status in the work environment. The continuing awareness and linkages with the department is enabling these positive action and we express our gratitude to the departments and officials who have gone out of their way to create and enabling environment for PLHAs in Darjeeling. Children infected and affected by HIV were given one time education support by Samudai Swastya Siksha Samity, a big thank you. Medical support has improved with District Nodal Anti Retroviral Treatment Centre in Darjeeling and link ART Centre in Kalimpong. Access to ART has improved but regular stock at times is a challenge and so is Opportunistic Infection Treatments. CD4 count testing is still a challenge.
Acknowledging the increase of members of SF and need to decentralise, DK took proactive action and further strengthened the Kurseong team by registering the Kurseong Network as a sub-divisional network(registration certificate attached). He has campaigned and got the network an office in the Kurseong Municipality. At this juncture it is noteworthy to mention that DK was the one to crack the Antodaya Anna Scheme in Kurseong first which enabled Darjeeling and Kalimpong to follow suit. Likewise Poornima in Bijanbari has been doing great work in extending care and support to members far flung in the community, this means her, walking hours on end to reach them. Her linkage with the Block office has meant access to the MGNREGA work for members. Both DK and Poornima are open about their status thus have named them here. Countless are those who have their status undeclared and work tireless for meaningful involvement of people living with HIV/AIDS in the Darjeeling Hills.
This year in Darjeeling, the fund raising event Positive HAAT returns on World AIDS Day;https://web.facebook.com/
Postive Haat is a fundraising event to support families living with HIV in Darjeeling. We accept donations of new and used items which will be resold at Chowrasta on December 1st. This year there will be fresh baked, fried and cooked food too. 9 bands will be busking at Chowrastha and Rink Mall for 2 days as part of the fund raising event. Positive HAAT 2014 enabled Shanker Foundation to continue their much needed work and this year too your support is needed to continue making a difference to lives of our community members. The Positive HAAT is taken forward by Shanker Foudnation and Friends of Shanker Foundation, a collective of individuals contributing their resources to protect and promote the rights of PLHA.
We look forward to your solidarity, support and seeing you at Chowrastha or Kurseong on World AIDS Day Dec 1 2015. Kindly pass the word around actively.
Yours sincerely
roshan
