From helping HIV+ positive women to feeding people with vulnerabilities–top social stories of the week

The story of Vanlalruati Colney is one that begins in despair and ends in hope. Addicted to drugs as a teenager and diagnosed as HIV+ at the age of 20, this Mizo woman has made it her life’s mission to help other women in the state living with the disease.

She founded the Positive Women’s Network of Mizoram (PWNM) in 2007, an organisation that organises advocacy and awareness programmes, and provides medical support, rehabilitation, nutrition, legal counsel, counselling, and employment opportunities to HIV+ people.

One of the first women in Mizoram to publicly declare her HIV status, Coley emphasises that being diagnosed with the disease is not a death sentence. “The disease can be managed if diagnosed early and treatment starts on time and continues regularly. Don’t be afraid to approach your counsellor or doctor at any time. Be open about how you feel and talk to your peers. There’s life after an HIV diagnosis. Be brave and understand you deserve to be happy,” she says.

Read all about her story here.

Helping the specially-abled

Flight Lieutenant Bhaduria started C.L.A.W Global (Conquer land, air, water), a social impact venture aimed at rehabilitating people with disabilities through adventure sports. Started in 2019, the organisation has dealt with different kinds of specially-abled people, including people with paralysis, visually impaired people, and amputees. 

In 2019, the team of eleven started its first programme–‘Operation Blue Freedom’, which aimed to provide specially-abled people with more opportunities to engage in adventurous activities and thereby improve their physiological and psychological being.

Feeding those in need

In the last six months, Mohammed Dasthageer along with 14 friends—all of whom are delivery agents with Zepto, Swiggy, and Zomato—have used their earnings to feed almost 500 people with various vulnerabilities, in partnership with NGOs across Chennai.

“It started as a birthday plan for my daughter’s first birthday in March this year,” says B Silambarasan, Dasthageer's friend and a Zepto delivery agent. "I wanted to throw a party at home when Mohammad suggested we instead celebrate by feeding people who don't get to eat a festive meal all that much," the 25-year-old says. 

Besides Silambarasan, Dasthageer’s friends—Aravind Natesan and Semmairaj—started the food drive with 35 kids and young adults with hearing and speech impairment at the Sathana School for the Deaf in Kelambakkam, Chennai.

Meanwhile, in other socially relevant news…

Sweet success

Many rural schools have problems getting the children to attend school and not drop out. The mid-day meal scheme has been highly successful in attracting children to school and increasing their attendance. A school in Naregal town in Gadag district of Karnataka has gone one step further.

According to a report in the New Indian Express, the primary school in the town has now added sweet dishes to its mid-day meals. Since the last two years, this addition has seen attendance clocking a 100%.

The report adds that apart from rice and sambar, one sweet is included as part of the meal. This could be payasa, groundnut holige, laddu or other varieties. These are provided with the help of donations from town residents.

Named Amrit Bhojan, this initiative will hopefully be the sweet deal for the school’s 307 students to remain in school.