Srirenjan Chaudhuri
While several families have been torn by the HIV virus, this one has been re-united and provided muscle by it. Widowed and HIV-positive with three young children, all HIV-positive as well, Lata (name changed) has been accepted back by her family after 16 years despite her current predicament.

A year ago, the world seemed to have caved in for the family. Her husband, a factory lorry driver, had tested HIV positive. Subsequently, Lata and their three young children, too, tested positive. His two elder children were kept with a relative, while the rest took shelter in the home run by the Freedom Foundation for HIV positive people.

Freedom Foundation Executive Director Ashok K. Rau says, "The husband succumbed to infections about seven months ago and Lata was left shattered with her three children - aged 9,7 and 3. We liaised with his company and they agreed to give some financial assistance and clear his dues such as the PF amount."

It was during one of the visits to the company's office about two months ago that one of Freedom Foundation's staffers overheard a young man from Ahmedabad enquiring about a family.

It happened to be the family of Lata, who was depressed and ill at the Freedom Foundation home The Freedom Foundation staffer found out that the man was her younger brother and had come to know from the company's Mumbai headquarters that the family had moved to Bangalore. He and his family had lost all contact with his sister after her marriage 16 years ago. He was now employed in the Indian Air Force and was posted in Gujarat.

The reunion of the brother and sister had all the inmates of the home in tears. "We had to explain the status of the family to him," says Mr Rau, and he replied that being well placed in life now, he would like to take responsibility of the family. The children and their mother, though, had to continue staying in the Freedom Foundation home as the latter was continuously ill as a result of her HIV positive status, which allowed opportunistic infections to sneak in.

A few days later, back to his station, the brother had sent out word to other relatives about the family's whereabouts. While some have written, others have called and spoken to Lata. A few of them will be visiting her later this month. He also sends money to the Freedom Foundation to cover all expense. As Mr Rau puts it, "This is an absolute miracle. Even more amazing is the fact that Lata, who had been falling seriously ill every now and then, has been in good health for the last two months, obviously strengthened by the knowledge that she is not alone."

The children have also begun going to a school nearby, fees all paid by a mamaji they never knew of till a few days ago.

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