Liuba sitting next to the social worker, Tat’iana, holding Liuba’s son Kuat.

 

 

 

As we all know, life comes with its ups and downs, its hardships and joys. During times of trouble, some get stuck in the pain, some muster enough strength to look to others for help or hope, and some are met with unexpected empathy and grace.

 

Liuba believed that she could only rely on herself in life. It was understandable, as she grew up without parents, without a family, and in an orphanage that could be likened to a penal colony. Independently, she managed to receive a secondary education, study at a vocational school, and find a job – a job at a company that even offered her free housing.

 

For several years, things seemed to be quiet. She even had enough peace to dream dreams that were not possible when she was just attempting to survive. The company started having difficulties, however, and Lyuba one day found herself both unemployed and homeless. She quickly searched for job ads in newspapers and found a job as a waitress at a café that was located in such a remote location that they offered her housing.

 

At this café, Liuba met the love of her life – a waiter who lived in the area. Seeds of interest grew into mutual love and marriage, and Liuba was happier than ever. Soon, she became pregnant. They were both ecstatic.

 

The nightmare began, though, when Liuba went to an OB-GYN for the necessary check-ups. She got tested for HIV and the results showed up positive. She was infected with HIV. She was horrified. She had been faithful. She was sure that her husband must have cheated on her. The thought that her love cheated on her seemed more terrible than the diagnosis itself. She kept the information to herself for a while, but with much hesitation finally decided to speak with her husband. Furious upon hearing her words, he started blaming her. She tried to turn the rage into a dialogue, but to no avail. He refused to listen to her and refused to get tested for HIV himself. Instead, he decided to tell the owner of the café that Liuba is HIV positive. She immediately lost her job and consequently her housing, and never saw the man again.

 

Homeless and unemployed once again, Liuba went to the regional AIDS center looking for help. After a long consultation with a doctor, she was given the phone number of a social worker from the public fund called Kuat that works with people living with HIV through the USAID Dialogue on HIV and TB Project. The first issue to address was her living situation. The state services for social protection and assistance could not help due to problems with her documents. Tat’iana Liutovskaia, a social worker from Kuat, decided to let Liuba stay at her place. Having a place to live, she started going to an OB-GYN for routine check-ups and receiving antiretroviral therapy. Soon, her child – a healthy boy – was born. She decided to name her son Kuat in honor of the organization that helped her during the most difficult of times. When the person she loved the most had betrayed her, this organization had lavished her with love and care.

 

When her son was one month old, Liuba started thinking about finding a job. During pregnancy, she had become ever interested in the activities of the USAID Dialogue on HIV and TB Project, as she read literature on HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and the harms of drug use. She wanted to help people who were in similar situations as hers. She knew from personal experience how important such work was. As a position opened up for a project under The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, she currently works as an outreach worker, specifically, for teaching injecting drug users about HIV/AIDS and TB. With her first month’s pay, she plans to rent her own place to live. Through the help of the USAID Dialogue on HIV and TB Project, Liuba has regained trust in people and believes that as long as such projects exist, people like she will not be left without support.