Saluting Geetha who is determined to see her daughters realise their dreams.....

Geetha, 36 years, mother of three girls was married when she was 16 years old. Even though she was a bright student in her class, her parents arranged her marriage to a lorry driver. Though she was upset that she could not pursue her dreams her marriage was a happy one as her husband was loving and caring towards her.

After 12 years of marriage, when she was 28 years old and her third daughter was five years old, her husband died of AIDS. Geetha was immediately tested for HIV and was found positive. All her dreams of family and children just fell out of place as she imagined her three children dying due to AIDS.

Hope of living came back when she learnt her three daughters were negative, but the fear of bringing up her three daughters engulfed her and it was then her brother consoled and brought Geetha to her mother's place. While she was at her mother's place she started visiting agencies for support and came to know about Buds of Christ. She learnt about HIV through the women's support group and committed herself to work for the cause of children affected by HIV and AIDS.

Slowly she took the courage of managing her life independently and has been able to put her three daughters in good  schools. When her oldest daughter was 15 years marriage proposals came in, but she stood firm by her daughter saying that "I do not want her to stop her studies and become like me, I want her to move forward towards achieving her dream and will stand by her against all odds".

Geetha has been an inspiration to many widowed mother with daughters in standing against early marriages and encouraging the daughters towards  higher studies. Her eldest  daughter is active volunteer of  Buds of Christ in helping young girls like her through peer counselling and support groups.


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