My Journey to Becoming a TB CHAMPION

My name is Tulasha Limbu, and I’m from Pathari, Sanischare in Morang district. I used to work in a hotel and helped my sister run her beauty parlor. Life was going smoothly until 2022, when everything changed: I fell seriously ill and I found out that I had Tuberculosis (TB). After a month of treatment at a nearby public hospital, one day, the DoTs Focal person invited me to a TB Club meeting. I was curious about how it could help me, so I decided to go. The first meeting was an eye-opener. It was attended by other people with TB and their families and was organized with the help of Pathari Sanischare municipality and BNMT. They shared a lot of useful information about TB, like how to treat it and ways to reduce stigma. Listening to others talk about the discrimination they faced because of TB made me realize I wasn’t alone. The TB Club became a place where I could find comfort and share the struggles of dealing with TB. With their support, I decided to raise awareness about TB and fight the stigma in my community. I started attending monthly TB Club meetings. After my treatment, I began educating my neighbours and community members about TB. I emphasized the importance of support and understanding in the treatment process. Joining BNMT’s CHANGE TB project helped me expand my awareness raising efforts in the communities. One of the proudest moments of my journey came on World TB Day. The Health Office of Morang and other stakeholders recognized me as a TB Champion. It was such a huge validation of everything I had been through and all the work I had done. I felt so grateful to BNMT for giving me a platform to share my story and make a difference. Now, I continue to advocate for TB awareness every day, determined to eliminate the misconceptions and stigma surrounding TB in my community.