In January 2004, 11 HIV-positive Nepalese women came together to
forma a support group for women and children infected and affected
by HIV/AIDS. The group chose the name SNEHA, meaning “love and
affection.” It is the first organization of its kind in Kathmandu,
allowing women both infected and affected by HIV/AIDS to come
together to identify and speak out on behalf of their needs.
Gradually, with support from organizations and friends, SNEHA has
taken baby steps to be where they are now. Here are some examples
and steps it has taken from December till date:
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December 2003 – The support group was formed
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December 2003 till date – Monthly support group
meetings are taking place
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January 2004 – 2 days Capacity building for
SNEHA Members on running a support group meetings (supported by
POLICY Project)
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March 2004 – Celebrated International Women Day
by organizing a ‘Fair for the lives of women’ which was done in
partnership with various women from other districts who are
infected & affected by HIV/AIDS
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Registering of SNEHA Samaj – May 2004
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September 2004 - Organized fund raising fair in
St Xaviers to start the treatment fund for HIV infected women &
children (Supported by SAATH group, from St Xaviers College).
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January – October 2005– SNEHA started its
treatment fund. This treatment fund has acted very useful for
infected women and children. SNEHA members have been visiting
Teku hospitals every week to provide support to the needy women
& children infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.
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April 2004 April 2006- Chhiring Doka Sherpa was
nominated as CCM Member and till date has been participated in
the meetings.
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October 2004 – May 2005 SNEHA received a small
grant from POLICY Project to built the organizational and
members capacity of SNEHA Samaj to be able to effectively
participate in policy forums and raise the issues of women.
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July 11 July 16 2004 - President of SNEHA Samaj
participated in "XV International AIDS Conference" in Bangkok.
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June 2005 – till date - SNEHA receive support
from the Base Camp Trek to start a tailoring shop for income
generation activities and is running the tailor shop. Currently
4 infected and affected women are involved in the workshop. For
the raw material SNEHA got support from Sangati Rehabilitation
Center.
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In July 1/ July 5 2005 - Chhirring Doka Sherpa/President
of SNEHA Samaj participated in "Seventh International Congree on
AIDS in Asia and the Pacific"(ICAAP KOBE/Japan) in the
conference Mrs Chirring did presentation about SNEHA.
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July 2005 – December, 2005
On the request of SNEHA Samaj, to further built the capacity of
the infected and affected women in the Districts, SNEHA Samaj
once more received some funds from POLICY Project to implement
the program in strengthening the Networking in the District and
have been implementing the following programs: |
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August 11-12, 2005 – TOT provided to the
facilitators ( infected women) going to the districts to provide
capacity building training to the selected women infected and
affected by HIV& AIDS |
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August 24, 26, 27, and 2005 – 3 days capacity
building training was provided to women infected and affected by
HIV& AIDS in Butwal, Chitwan, Makwanpur, Pokhara and Accham &
support groups formed. Every month, the support groups meet.
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Chirring went on a supervision trip in December
2005 to meet the member of the support group and participate in
their monthly meetings – she was unable to go to Accham.
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September 2005 – June 2006 - SNEHA Samaj has
received fund from Family Health International to run a Care &
support program for women who are in crisis. SNEHA Samaj has 10
beds in the crisis center and has 3 residential volunteers to
look after the women.
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From Sep12, 2005 till October 7, 2005 Chhirring
Doka Sherpa/ President of SNEHA Samaj participated in the 25
days Women Leadership Training organized by CEDPA in Washington
and was the nominated trainee to receive the Ralfs U Stone
Memorial Award. By using this amount SNEHA Samaj created 3
leaders for public speaking. Beside this SNEHA also organized
different awareness programs for adults and community women
regarding HIV.
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June 2006 – September 2006 – Family Health
International has extended Care and Support program.
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Jan 2006 – July 2006 – SNEHA Samaj has received
Fund from UNDP Fast Track Fund for Comprehensive Package for
PLHA with the help of Management Support Agency (MSA) for the
project "Empowering Women as a Care Takers". Under this Project
Sneha Samaj is implementing Fallowing programs.
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TOT training has been organized among 100 women
infected and affected by HIV& AIDS in 5 different districts.
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Mobilized these 100 trainees as a peer educator
for home visit and community sensitization program in 5
different districts.
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"Training to Care Takers" has been organized
for 100 infected and affected family members in Accham district.
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Organized Income generating training/activities
in Accham district to support infected and affected
women/children belongs to lower cast.
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March 2006 – July 2006 – SNEHA Samaj has
received Fund from UNDP Fast Track Fund on "Nutrition for women
living with HIV/AIDS" in SNEHA Samaj crisis center Kathmandu.
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April 4 / April 7 2006 - one of the members of
SNEHA has participated in 3 days "Confronting HIV, As
Tuberculosis and Malaria, An Asia stakeholders Consultation”
Program organized by India Government with the collaboration of
UNAIDS, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, ILO, UNESCO, WHO, CARE
and World Bank |
Besides all these activities, SNEHA has been participating in various
National & International forums to talk about the issues of women and
children infected and affected by HIV/AIDS in Nepal. SNEHA is often
invited to many meeting & events to represent the positive women’s
voices. Also, SNEHA gets a lot of national and international visitors in
the office to learn about its activities and the status of women and
children.
Also, the members of SNEHA have been invited to participate in many
National training to develop their skills.
SNEHA Samaj has provided Care, Support and treatment for142 infected
affected people till June 2006 (111 infected female, 21 infected male 10
infected and affected children). SNEHA Samaj continues to grow stronger
and make a difference in the lives of women and children infected and
affected by HIV/AIDS.
