On the Path to Becoming a Doctor
Despite living in a family that is constantly plagued by HIV, 14-year-old Ritu has chosen action over sorrow. After losing her father to HIV and seeing her younger brother and mother living with the illness, Ritu decided that she would be the one who would bring about a change. “I want to fulfill my mother’s desire by becoming a doctor so that I can help needy people who cannot afford treatment.” Despite being HIV-positive herself, Ritu will stop at nothing to achieve her goal.
Outside of academics, Ritu leads a very full life. She has a passion for sports, especially volleyball, and she enjoys participating in school sports competitions. Ritu is a firm believer in the power and influence that women can have in the world. She plans on continuing her quest for education, knowledge, and helping those in need until her voice is properly heard.
Despite her best efforts, good education is costly and she needed financial support in order to achieve what is deeply ingrained in her heart. She and her brother are part of the adolescent program at Shalom, which is where Ritu’s deep love for education and her eagerness to be a doctor first came to light.
Ritu’s mother, Geeta, is currently unemployed, and they live at the mercy of their extended family. EHA’s Shalom Delhi Project staff have been helping them with regular visits by the home-based-care team and providing them with food hampers, but enrolling Ritu in the educational assistance program has come as the greatest blessing to the family.
The Shalom team’s desire is that as they support and empower Ritu, she will continue to find her own voice and seek to transform the lives of those around her.