Basnet of Gorkha Municipality-15 has the responsibility of rearing three grandsons as both of her son and daughter-in-law died of HIV/AIDs. She has lost her smile since her son died of HIV/AIDS some seven years ago. The daughter-in-law died followed the husband four years later. She could not sleep for months. But her tragedy did not stop there. A year after the death of her daughter-in-law, the AIDS virus claimed her second grandson.
Santa Kumari is now worried whether the remaining family members would also leave her. Basnet had never heard about the disease, which has taken away all happiness from her life. “The death should rather have would rather have taken me away than my son, his wife and my middle grandson,” bemoaned Santa Kumari.
Santa Kumari now lives with her elder grandson Kishor, 17 and youngest one Kismat, 13. Unfortunately, Kismat also has HIV. She said that her son contracted HIV/AIDS while working in India. Her son had started visiting India after the birth of his first son. He transmitted the disease to his wife and the two sons were born with AIDS.
Fund set up for orphaned minor
All that Santa Kumari has is a small home at Gorkha Municipality-15, a small field and a goat. Her two grandsons Kishor and Kismat are enrolled at Shree Rastriya Secondary School nearby. Kishor is a ninth grader and does all household chores in the morning before going to school. Providing fodders to the goat, cooking meal and caring for the grandmother and the younger brother are is routine work.
Kishor is worried about the deteriorating health of his ageing grandmother. “There is no one at home in the afternoon even to bring her some hot water,” said Kishor. He informed that his younger brother Kismat also helps him with household chores. The fact that Kismat also has HIV quite upsets Kishor and the grandmother.
“Losing parents at this age is unbearable. Even my brother is infected. It would better to die than living like this,” Koshor said sobbing.
What adds to the wound of the family is the social exclusion. While some locals already know the family history, some others are yet to know. “However, we hesitate to explain people how our parents died. Once they learn about it they start hating us,” said Kishore.
According to Santa Kumari, her grandsons ‘do not need to pay fees in school’ however it is still expensive. The boys get some support from donors for stationery items and uniform. Even though some organizations have been giving assurances to support the children, the grandmother ‘does not know what will happen of them in future.’ “I am all the time worried about these boys!” said Santa Kumari.
