Living with HIV has not hindered Ivy* from living her life as a single mother. She only discovered she had the virus in her when she became pregnant with her firstborn. The virus was contracted when she was in a relationship with her ex-boyfriend. After ending that relationship, she married another man whose child she bore. Luckily, her daughter did not inherit the virus, therefore she was a healthy baby.
Upon finding out about Ivy’s HIV condition, her husband began accusing her of being unfaithful and refused to accept his daughter as his own. The marriage became abusive as he accused Ivy of contracting the virus after marriage. Due to the constant battering and verbal accusations towards her and her daughter for years, Ivy eventually decided enough was enough.
Ivy soon moved out with her daughter. Living alone as a single mother separated from her husband, Ivy depended on her own two feet to raise her daughter. She got herself a job that paid the bills. Yet, she had to rely on her credit cards to sustain her living. Her medical expenses were high as she was constantly sick and needed treatment for her weakening immune system as a result of the unyielding virus present in her body. So dire was her situation that she did not have enough money to undergo the periodic blood tests required to monitor her health, as they were expensive for her even at the government hospital. Furthermore, she had to pay for her now 10-year-old daughter’s series of preventive medication to ensure that she did not contract the virus.
Ivy made her visit to AKPK to restructure her credit card owings. Through AKPK’s counsellors, Ivy even received information about the Malaysian AIDS Council to get further advice on medical subsidies and financial help. With ease of payment through the AKPK’s Debt Management Programme (DMP), she has been able to afford her medical bills and gain peace of mind as she no longer received harsh calls from debt collectors. Through AKPK’s assistance, Ivy has since been able to concentrate on bringing up her daughter as she periodically settles her accumulated credit card debt. It may take a few years, but by being constant and on time with her restructured payments via DMP, she will be free from credit card burden slowly but surely.
*The names specified in these stories have been changed to protect the identities of the individuals involved. These success stories are meant to merely provide information on AKPK's services and lessons on money management.