DAILEKH: Manasara Baduwal, an HIV-infected hailing from Rakamkarnali, who was driven out of her house a year ago, has been living a miserable life in a solitary hut on the Karnali Highway.

Driven out of her own house, she went to her maternal home longing for family and friends but was again chased away from there.

In her desperate search for a shelter, finally, she found a hut along the Karnali Highway, far away from home and family members.

Manasara was kicked out of her home when her only son and husband succumbed to HIV/AIDS a year ago. “They beat me and forcefully expelled me out after my son and husband died,'' she lamented.

“After that I went to my maternal home but I was asked to leave. Now I have nowhere to go except this solitary hut,” she lamented.

She describes her life as full of curse having to live with the killer disease and mourning the death of her only son and husband at the same time. Worse, the social stigma of HIV and AIDS has added insult to injuries, for she found no one to comfort her.

Jala Majhi, 40, of the same place, narrates a similar story. She said, ''I feel so bad when the society accuses me of prostitution.'' She informed that her husband transmitted her the HIV. “I am facing the punishment of my husband's sin,'' she said, as tears roll down her cheek.

Meanwhile, a dozen HIV-infected women of the area has formed an organisation called 'Karnali Plus'. They have been holding a meeting once a month.

HIV-infected Praja BK, a local resident, informed that though seven HIV-infected students have been studying in local schools of Rakamkarnali, nobody had assisted them.

Ganesh Majhi, a member of a social organisation working for the welfare of the HIV-infected, said most of the women of the area could not go to VCT centre for their blood test, due to their poor economic condition.

Chief of Rakamkarnali sub-health post Geharaj Khanal said that the number of HIV-infected is likely to rise in the area. He said that the problem is compounded by poverty, which he said was hindering the locals in getting their blood tested.