Goa, July 5 -- SHASHWAT GUPTA RAY

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PANJIM: Life has been very cruel for 68-year-old Radha (name changed) from Vasco. First she lost her husband to HIV-AIDS in 2008. Then she realised that her husband had infected her. If this dual shock weren't enough, she also had the added responsibility to raise two young daughters, who thankfully were not infected.

She toiled hard all her life to support herself and her daughters, who are married now. But her challenges haven't ended. She doesn't have any work and is dependent on her daughters, who occasionally support her with groceries and other basic necessities.

"I rely mainly on a widow pension of Rs 2,500 per month, which is insufficient to meet my daily living expenses, med...