Akola District administration’s initiative Makes PLHIV self sufficient.

Akola district has more than 7400 PLHIV.  Most of the PLHIV population came from below poverty line (BPL). Maintaining the livelihood is difficult for these BPL families. It was very important not only to maintain the health of On-ART patients but also to provide the quality of life to all PLHIV. DAPCU identified this and discussed the matter with Honorable District Collector Shri Parimal Singh. DAPCU run the intervention to provide social benefit scheme (Financial Assistance) under the guidance of Hon. DC. Under this intervention DAPCU could able to provide benefit to more than 1200 PLHIVwith the help of PLHIV network through which they received Rs 700 per month from the Collector office. 

Hon. DC’s involvement in the program was admirable. DC has called the meeting of General Manager District Industrial Center (DIC) Shri. Uday Puri,  DPO,  DACO, Residential Deputy Collector and MCED officials to analyze the way to strengthen PLHIV. The outcome of the meeting was positive. It has been decided that DIC will train more than 300 PLHIV for different training programs (garment manufacturing, leather bag manufacturing, seed processing, mashroom manufacturing, mobile repairing, electrical maintenance, etc) and funding for the said training will be provided by DC under DPDC. DAPCU, in coordination with DIC and VNP+ started the first batch of female PLHIV for garment and leather bag manufacturing. During this training it has been taken care that PLHIV not only received the technical knowledge but also get income through small scale industry.

At the end of the training session, DAPCU had arranged the industrial visit for these ladies at garment manufacturing industry at Amravati MIDC. The owner of the industry was so impressed with the concept that he offered the jobs to the interested ladies. Seven of the ladies were found to be interested to join the company.

It was a great challenge in front of DAPCU to continue the enthusiasm of these ladies as they had no sewing machines to continue with this work. DAPCU had arranged the sewing machine for this group with the help of some donors.

Out of these 30 ladies, seven have decided to join the garment industry at Amravati, eight has started their own work and three has started the shop at Akola.