Community group members are given basic training in handing out information for prevention of HIV/AIDS and community home based care. On a daily basis, those female volunteers improvise instinctively and adapt to the situation in hand. During home visits they give medicines, food and water to the sick. In group meetings, they are called on for advice on any number of issues. The women trust them to talk about any of their health concerns. “We provide support and care among each other and to others”, explains

The excluded are heading a health movement

Of the many services that the group offers, is follow up on community members. With a 50 percent unemployment rate, many have been forced to seek work in India. These people are at high risk, explains Kamala Malla, President of the Suryoday Women Empowerment Organization : “we are now able to keep track of any person returning to the community from India, get their medical records, take them for testing and follow up with them as per the results”.

These activists are local people. They live the local culture and speak the language – not only words but they have a deep appreciation of local customs. The caste system in Nepal means there is a hierarchical structure with categorization and discrimination. For instance, the lowest caste, the untouchables, are not allowed to use the same drinking water sources, nor are they allowed to enter the house or kitchen of people in higher castes.

Help is not always welcome, initially

The community home-based care givers work relentlessly even though during their information sharing visits, some people get upset and angry, as if the visit were a personal attack.