A Widow's Way - the Story of Kavita (13 images)

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  • kavita (name changed) cutting thorny trees to be used as firewood. she has to cut evryday such trees from the adjoining places so that she can use it as firewood to cook food. kavita an HIV+ widow has to support herself and her 3 children and so works from 5am till 10pm doing household chores as well as working in fields to earn monthly income which doesnt go beyond 250rupees($6.18). she has to travel once every month with her HIV+ daughter to Sangli for ARV drugs and her journey cost her 180 rupees($4.45) leaving her with very less money to run her house.

  • kusum preparing dinner after coming from her field. she works non stop from morning 5am to night 10pm

  • Kusum combs hair to get her middle son Ritesh for the school in the morning as eldest daughter Sheetal finshesh her breakfast and will be next in line to get ready. Ritesh is not tested for the HIV since he is not fallen sick and hates to go to the dactors so she is not bother to test him for HIV.

  • kusum prepares breakfast of her youngest 5 years old son Sudhir which comprise of one roti (indian bread) with the goat milk

  • Kusum dries clothes in the morning before going to work in the field as a daily labourer starting her day from 5 am in the morning without any help she has to finish all the daily chores of her house.

  • kusum filling water from a field. she has to collect and carry 2 pots of water and walk for almost 7-8kms everyday in the mornings and evenings to use for her day to day chores. there is no definite source of water so she goes distant places or where people dug holes to store water. she boils drinking water as being HIV+ she has to take proper care.

  • kusum working in a cotton field as a day labourer where she earns 25 rupees($0.61) as a daily wage which is less than a dollar. kusum an HIV+ widow has to support herself and her 3 children and so works from 5am till 10pm doing household chores as well as working in fields to earn monthly income which doesnt go beyond 250rupees($6.18). she has to travel once every month with her HIV+ daughter to Sangli for ARV drugs and her journey cost her 180 rupees($4.45) leaving her with very less money to run her house.

  • kusum gets exhausted while working and takes a short nap on the field. being HIV+ she gets exhausted as she is on toes from morning 5am to night 10pm. She knows that she has to rest properly and eat nutritious food to live longer but has no financial support and so no choice as she has to look after her 3 children.

  • kusum shows her daughters HIV+ report. she does wonder what will happen to her children after her. Kusum 's main proirity in life is her Childrens, their health, studies and livelyhood even if she has to work everyday from morning 5am to night 10pm irrespective of taking care of her own health.

  • kusum an HIV+ widow travelling with her daughter Sheetal 11yr old whos also an HIV+ to go to Sangli civil hospital for the ARV drug. they have to travel once every month to Sangli for the ARV drug by State transport bus changing 2 buses and travelling 3hrs one way. Kusum earns less than a dollar a day without any surity of getting work everyday thus earning 250rupees ($6.18) maximum for a month in which her one trip to Sangli for ARV drug sums upto 180rupees ($4.45) leaving her with not enough money to sustain for a month.

  • kusum's x-ray is being checked by Sangli civil hospital's doctor. Kusum has to travel once every month with her 11yr old daugter Sheetal who's also an HIV+ to Sangli hospital to get them both checked and take the ARV drugs. they have to travel 3hrs one way changing 2 buses in order to reach the hospital shelling more then half of her monthly earnings.

  • kusum preparing dinner after coming from her field while her youngest son Sudhir sleeps hungry waiting for food.