Asia’s First HIV-Positive Staff-Run Cafe

Asia’s first café run by HIV-positive staff members reinforces opportunities for many. The ‘Café Positive’ was started by child rights activist and founder of NGO ‘Anandaghar’ — Dr. Kallol Ghosh in the bylanes of Ballygunge, located on Lake View Road in Kolkata, and is run by seven HIV-positive teenagers.

The Café, with its tagline “Coffee beyond boundaries,” aims to break the taboos/stigma, and bust the myths and stereotypes concerning HIV, thereby generating employment among HIV-positive individuals.

The idea of the café was inspired by Dr. Ghosh after visiting Frankfurt where he witnessed an HIV-positive staff-run café. However, he also conveys his struggles behind this startup as most of the landlords were reluctant to lend the grounds to HIV-positive people.

Initially, the Café was started in Jodhpur Park in Kolkata in 2018 which was later moved to its present premises.

“It is the first café in Asia that is run by HIV-positive people. The main motto behind this café is to make these HIV-positive boys self-reliant so that they can earn their livelihood. In most of the cases, landlords were reluctant to give their spaces after knowing HIV-positive teenagers will work there. We are planning to start more cafés so that more employment can be generated for HIV-positive people,” says, Ghosh.

“We have faced mixed reactions from the visitors. Many of our customers are regular visitors. There are regular footfalls of flying customers. As a part of our duty, we explain to them about the HIV-positive staff. Some choose to sit and have a cup of coffee while some go away. We accept that with a smile,” says Ritama Ghosh, a volunteer of Café Positive when asked about visitors’ reactions to knowing that the staff members are HIV-positive.

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Nevertheless, the café provides a livelihood for all those suffering from the societal burden of HIV, allowing them a better opportunity for a positive life.

Source-Medindia