A mother to children with HIV. Profile of Noori

[Guest guest]

A mother to children with HIV

Thursday November 29 2007. PRIYAMVATHA P

CHENNAI: Harassment by stepmother, confusions about sexuality,

commercial sex work, jail life, testing HIV positive and getting an

award in recognition for social work, 58-year-old S Noori has seen it

all.

Noori, a transgender, was the third person in Tamil Nadu to be

diagnosed HIV positive in 1987. While doctors said Noori would not

survive for even three years, here she is managing the affairs of the

South India Positive Network (SIP+), which has three thousand members.

Struggles started for Noor Mohammed in Ramanathapuram at the age of

four after the death of his mother. His stepmother did not give him

even one peaceful night. Later, he also had to face abuse by an uncle

for behaving like a girl. After being tied with thorns to having hot

jaggery poured on him, Mohammed could not take it any more.

He came to Chennai at the age of 13, worked and went back home at

18. " My stepmother fixed a marriage for me and I ran away to Mumbai, "

explained Noori. However, she admits that it was lust and money that

drove her to take up commercial sex.

In between, she was arrested in a case and had to spend a few months

in the Chennai Central Prison. But the real shock came when Noori

went voluntarily and took the HIV test and was declared positive.

" I did not come out of my house for many days. But I made up my mind

to quit commercial sex work because I did not want to spread the

virus to others, " explained Noori.

Then her real journey started. During the days, when even medical

practitioners feared to touch people living with HIV/AIDS, Noori was

their nurse in the government hospital. From cleaning wounds to

providing funeral services, Noori was there for everything. By then,

she had also adopted four children and started living with them as a

family.

After working in several NGOs, Noori started SIP+ to provide

counselling and care to persons living with HIV/AIDS. She also runs a

home for children living with HIV/AIDS.

Noori, who has studied only up to class III, has travelled to 21

countries. Last year, the Tamil Nadu Government honoured her with an

award for her work in the HIV/AIDS field.

Now, Noori lives with her children and grand children and is

preparing her youngest daughter to study social work. All she has to

say is: " If you are HIV positive. Do not worry. We will not simply

die. But will live and achieve. "

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