ahmedabad it is a challenge to your conscience would you go to a shop which is manned by hiv positive patients or would you prefer to stay miles away from ita simple question which may have many ducking but amdavadis will soon be faced with this choice as hiv patients are throwing the gauntlet at them saying that if the city cares for them let the citizens show ithiv persons will soon open shops selling handicraft products and food items to fight the stigma associated with the disease they are afflicted withafter living in the shadow of aids for many years shaun thomas name changed a former textile worker and his family are determined to stay positive in all respects they are filled with hope that life is not hurtling down a dark tunnel with no end they hope to get customers who would buy their products knowing they have been made by hiv persons and yet are quite sure that the products they are buying are not contaminated with the virusthis is a dream some 800 hiv people are nurturing whether their dreams can turn real would be evident soon in the form of two shops in sabarmati and bapunagar the project is being implemented by them with the help of an ngo aadharthomas recounts in 2005 my wife and my young daughter were detected hiv positive and i lost my job it was a difficult period but now we are striving for a dignified life and these retail outlets will be a step in that directionaadhar activists say the idea would be expanded if the two shops do good business decorative dandiyas earthen lamps candle stands snacks torans handstitched clothes and greeting cards all designed and made by hiv patients and their children will be on sale here thomas and his spirited friends are already visiting corporate offices business houses organisations and individuals to promote the products during the festive season our confidence is up because a restaurant which we run in bapunagar has been doing good business but at this new outlet we would prominently display that the shop is run by hiv people said an aadhar volunteer