Sothing W.A Shimray
The Morung Express
He deals with one of the most dreaded disease the world have ever known, yet, it gives him the joy of working with the people affected by it. His name is synonymous with drug addicts, HIV/AIDS at Ukhrul yet; people love him and look at him with hope. Wungpam Kasar, 47, Coordinator of El Shaddai Resource Centre’s (ESRC) Ukhrul Drugs & AIDS Programme (UDAP), an NGO, spends most of his time giving care and support to the people and families affected by the killer disease.
Son of a poor village pastor, Wungpam Kasar knows the misery of being poor. His father’s word inspired him to work with more dedication for the up-liftment of the poor and those who suffer. Sometimes his meager monthly salary would not even last a few days in his efforts to help the poor families affected by HIV/AIDS. Driving his rundown diesel jeep, assisted by his wife Ruth Kasar, 40, and his staff , Wungpam goes around visiting families like ‘a good Samaritan’ distributing vitamins and antibiotics apart from giving care and support through counseling in his office. Lucy (name changed on request for the sake of maintaining confidentiality), a mother of two daughter whose husband died 2 years ago due to HIV/AIDS says ‘I know I am a HIV/AIDS positive person, but after meeting Wungpam and his team I know how to live each days with hope as God wants me to live’
As Coordinator of ESRC, Wungpam launches different programs such as Wife Support Group, Mother Support Group, School Watch Club, Yarnao (age grade) Drugs and AIDS Program, Servant hood Bible Study Group etc to check the spread of drug abuse and for the support and care of people living with the pain of AIDS in Ukhrul. “The more I work for them the more I get the sense of satisfaction that I am working for the cause of humanity” say Wungpam.
Ukhrul has a high sero positive rate, and while the government spends lakhs of rupees every year to fight the menace but it hardly penetrates to those who really need it. Most of the fund has been siphoned off midway by selfish politicians and bureaucrats.
“If only the government can give a bit more attention for the affected persons, than, surely there would be many more smiles in the world. Government knows Hospice (a small special clinic) is indispensable at Ukhrul ,but ,never take the programs seriously, Anti Retroviral drugs is never made available at Ukhrul, yet, they (government) keep on recording Ukhrul District as the District with the highest sero positive district” rues Wungpam. Yet, Wungpam never flinches a moment but continue to trod the path in his small way to help the sufferers. That is why he is looked up as ‘giver of hope’ by people living with the trauma of AIDS. Even his staff considered him as a gentleman of hope. A.C Horeiwon, a nurse in ESRC, testifies: “He is always approachable and patient, and with him we also found the joy of working for the people living with AIDS”. Felix Luikham, a patient in ESRC says “with Wungpam and ESRC I know God loves me, but for him I may never have known the wonder of God’s love and the hope that I am having today”.
Nine years of working with the people living with the trauma of AIDS and their families has indeed changed Ukhrul for the better. Inspired by him, Ukhrul has now seen many youngsters following in his footstep.