“I used to hear about condoms back then in FM stations. But it never occurred to me that I should use a condom during sex. My clients would sometime promise me more money if I had sex with them without a condom, and for money I would. I did not know much about HIV and AIDs then. There was no awareness among people. I and my friends thought that only male and female contracted HIV and AIDs and that homosexuals and transgender males and females were not prone to it. Once I fell ill and the doctor told me I had Bronchitis and that I needed to go to India for treatment. I went to Gorakhpur and they did all the tests there. I sensed something was wrong with me. I vividly remember that day when the report came out and I could see one from behind the counter that read HIV positive in red block letters. That was 17 years ago. And without any medications. Recently I have started to take medicine and for as long as I live I want to aware people of HIV and AIDs and help those who suffer live there life. Sometimes back, I had read that a HIV positive homosexual had died under a bridge. I don’t want that fate for anyone suffering from this disease. I want them to know that there is help for people like us. One only needs to muster courage to look and face all challenges like I have.”

– Aanik Rana, Dhumbarahi, Kathmandu