The idea of HOPES was conceived in 2004, when a group of 10 PLHIV came together with the intent of addressing the stigma and discrimination faced by the community in Greater Hyderabad district. This was the first time in the state of Andhra Pradesh that a group of PLHIV collectivized to advocate for the rights of the community. Driven by our own experiences of having faced stigma and struggled through the challenges of living with HIV, we shared the goal of providing a better quality of life for the PLHIV community by creating a sense of belonging and togetherness.
Awareness about and access to Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) treatment and other support services are crucial for People Living with HIV/AIDS. Additionally, we also need to learn to manage side effects and opportunistic infections such as tuberculosis (TB).
The challenges faced by the community, particularly for the poor and the marginalized, are further exacerbated by the HIV related stigma from the family and the society and the structural and economic barriers in accessing healthcare services.
Our first priority was advocating for better health services at the district level through sensitization of the district authorities and the health care staff. By means of mobilizing the community, we worked towards sensitizing them and demanding our right to receive ART services in a responsive, non-discriminatory setting. After 2 years of persistently working for the rights of our community, HOPES was formally registered as a community-based organization (CBO) in 2006 under the Andhra Pradesh Societies Registration Act 35 of 2001 [Registration No. 796/2006].
Currently, 21000+ PLHIV and 3000+ Children Living with HIV/AIDS (CLHIV) are registered with HOPES.