$0.00 Name: Hasina Banu Birth Date: Unknown Title: A Foolish Girl In a Paper Bag I heard the story of A Paper Bag Princess, from a caregiver. It was the same story of my life, only difference was the princess of the story was so strong and empowered that she had the guts to reject the prince and started her life afresh. But here I the foolish girl was abandoned by my prince after he gifted me this incurable disease. The person with whom I left my home, parents and leaving behind a very comfortable life turned out to be an imposter, I trusted him blindly when he promised to marry me but instead he used to bring his friends along and forced me to serve alcohol and to dance in front of them. I had to please those men almost every night. I felt so naked even with clothes on! One day I felt sick and no one was around so I cried out for help and fortunately a police car was passing, they rescued me and sent me to a hospital and there I was diagnosed. I did not have any idea what was the meaning of HIV+ but this much I knew that I am going to die soon. I pray to God to grant me enough time and strength so that I can unmask that man before I die. Kolkata, India           ID: ST-IND-HA-0008 Name: Parvati Khan Birth Date: Unknown Title: Betrayal I was abused by my stepfather when I was a teenager. When I got married, once I felt sick and had to do some blood tests. That was the time when I was diagnosed as HIV. My husband and in-laws abandoned me so did my parents. I became homeless and made the local railway station my home. After a couple of days the police arrested me and put me in a women’s shelter home where I am receiving treatments and attending the tailoring classes. I would like to make an appeal to the mothers, please do not abandon your child in case she has to go through my kind of situation. Was it my fault? Kolkata, India          ID: ST-IND-PA-0009 Name: Baby Sen Birth Date: Unknown Title: For a Bottle of Milk     Diagnosis: age 17 When I became a mother at the age of 16, I realized there was no food for the child. My husband’s factory was closed and we had no money left. Our dependent in-laws and the Two of us survived on charity food three times a week. But the baby had to starve most of the time as I did not have any breast milk to feed him. Our neighbor used to work in a city, she convinced my husband to allow me to go with her and she would fix a job for me. Every month I would send the money and after a year I would come back. Since there was no other option so I went with her and she took me to a big city and sold me to a brothel owner. When I realized it was too late. I tried to resist in vain. There I had to entertain 3 to 4 men every night and that was how I got infected with this disease. Once there was a police raid and they sent me to Kolkata because I am a Bengali. I do not know whether I will be able to see my child at all before I die. Kolkata, India          ID: ST-IND-BA-0010 Name: Asha        Birth Date: 1994 Title: Greedy Tongue    Diagnosis: age 15 I was very greedy from my childhood days. I always envied my friends who were rich. I liked to have good clothes, cell phone, rich boyfriend with a car, etc. Everyone cautioned me about my greediness but I did not listen to anybody. On the contrary, I was looking for an opportunity to run away from home to a big city and become a movie star. When I was in grade 9, I saw an advertisement in a newspaper for an audition. I had stolen money from my dad’s wallet and a gold chain of my mom’s and took the first train to that city. I met a lady on the train and became friends: she shared her food with me. When I woke up I saw myself in a dimly lit room, there were some men with cameras and women also. My clothes were torn and I felt terrible pain in my abdomen. I did not know for how long I was with those men as I had no clue where I was. When I became very weak and felt dizzy all the time they brought a doctor who advised them to transfer me to a hospital. There I was told that I was pregnant as well as HIV+. Since I had no place to go they sent me to a shelter home where I have been staying now. I tried to commit suicide by consuming rat poison. I survived but lost my child. Kolkata, India ID: ST-IND-AS-0011 Name: Champa       Birth Date: 1989 Title: Why Me?   Diagnosed: age 20 When my father left my mother, she was 30 years old with 4 kids. Being the eldest one, I understood how difficult it was to arrange food, clothing and school fees for all of us I had to drop out from school and started working as a maid to an elderly lady in a nearby house. They used to have a lot of guests. Most to them were good barring one uncle who used to give me chocolates but I did not like his eyes. Once all the family members went to a wedding and no one was there except the old grandma and I when that uncle dropped by. That night he abused me more than once and next month I missed my period. No one believed me, they all blamed me and my mother was helpless. She went to a social worker in our area and that lady arranged for a shelter home for me. I was only 15 years old any my body was not ready for a baby and I had a miscarriage. I bled like anything when the doctors advised for a blood transfusion. One of the bottles was contaminated with HIV and that was how I got it. Now I am 20 years old and I am not scared of dying because I think I died twice before, once when I was abused and then when I was diagnosed. But at times I feel lonely, alone and away from my mother and my family. What was my fault? Kolkata, India  ID: ST-IND-CH-0012