Case Study

In India, more than 2.4 million people live with HIV/AIDS, facing not only the threat to their health but also the stigma of society’s rejection. Often, they are not considered part of Indian society. Facing discrimination in their daily lives whether at work or school, they are limited in where they can turn for support and care.

ACCEPT, an organisation with a name that reflects its mission, provides a temporary “home” for those HIV/AIDS patients who have nowhere else to go. The hospice centre was founded by Mr. Raju Mathew, a seasoned international businessman who returned to his home country after living in the US for 14 years. Compelled by compassion to support the sufferers of HIV/AIDS, he initially started ACCEPT out of his own home.

ACCEPT also employs a sustainable approach to increase the number of patients it can serve over time. Mr. Mathew realises the centre “cannot be a permanent solution” and should only be considered as a short-term remedy for immediate medical attention, counselling and spiritual hope. For the long-term, he believes his patients should be living with their family. To realise this approach, he trains the families of the patients on how to care for them once they leave the centre. For orphans living at his centre, Mr. Mathew actively encourages adoption among community members and the Indian Diaspora.

Over 550 HIV/AIDS patients have received treatment at the centre, both as in-patients and out-patients. Although running a hospice centre has been emotionally and physically draining, Mr. Mathew said that “what I am doing today is far better than what I was doing before, making money and earning profit for the rat race is not worth it. Seeing people’s lives change is very meaningful and supports my relationship with God.”

Treating Those Turned Away Elsewhere

In 2005, ACCEPT opened a tuberculosis (TB) facility to treat the highly contagious HIV/AIDS patients with TB who are rejected elsewhere. To support the operations of the TB centre, Legatum granted US$22,000 to cover the administrative costs for the first year. Nearly 300 TB patients received treatment and over 600 families learned to care for their loved ones.

Leadership

Raju returned to his home country to make a difference in his community. He sought those shunned by society and provided a place where they could be treated and counselled. Through his effective efforts, the Karnataka State Government has joined his cause by providing funding.