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In the eastern Indian city of Kolkata, coffee shop breaks HIV stigmas

The Arab News reported, Kallol Ghosh, an Indian citizen, once he founded Cafe Positive in the eastern city of Kolkata, he had one goal in mind: To give those he employed a sense of purpose and improve their standing in life.
It said that Ghosh’s cafe is run exclusively by young people living with HIV. He told Arab News: “For me, Cafe Positive is not a restaurant but a movement."
“HIV positive people suffer from lots of prejudices on the part of the society and people like us find it difficult to adjust with them, and the idea of cafe is an attempt to give these people a sense of purpose and acceptability in the society.”
He opened the cafe in 2018, inspired by a trip to Frankfurt, Germany, where he visited a restaurant run and staffed by people with HIV. While Cafe Positive remained mostly closed during COVID-19 lockdowns, now it is back on track, and Ghosh, a 56-year-old activist who also runs a shelter for HIV-infected children, is planning to expand the business.

“They need employment, and the cafe is an attempt to give them standing in life,” he said. “I plan to open 30 more cafes across India to create larger awareness about HIV positive people.”
The Indian Ministry of Health estimates that more than 2.3 million people in the country are living with the virus, which attacks the body’s immune system. More than 150,000 of them are minors. Most of them receive antiretroviral treatment, which is provided for free by the government.
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The therapy decreases the total burden of HIV in affected people and maintains function of their immune systems. But the drugs may have side effects, especially in children, which Ghosh says increases the likelihood that they miss school days.
He added: “It is important that after 18 years we provide them some skill development programs."
At his cafe, they get a chance to become independent. One of his seven employees, Deb Burman — name changed as Indian law protects the privacy of HIV-positive persons — has been working at the cafe since it opened.
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The 20-year-old earns more than $150 per month, which allows him to make a living in Kolkata, feel accepted and have hope that in the future he will settle down “as a normal human being.”
He said: “For me the cafe is a hope and I feel happy that I have been working here. The cafe runs fine and lots of people come here, and they enjoy coffee and burgers here. The customers know that we all are HIV-positive. This acceptability is important for us.”
As Ghosh plans to open more Cafe Positive outlets across India, his initiative is welcomed both as an inspiration and a means to community empowerment.
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“This cafe in Kolkata should motivate entrepreneurs in other cities to create similar facilities,” said Jayana Kalita, author of “I am HIV Positive, So What?” — a book that narrates the story of Pradipkumar Singh, an HIV-positive Indian athlete who fought stigmas and became an international bodybuilding champion.
He added: “While I believe that the society at large is now more aware of HIV per se and the hardship this community faces is less compared to the scene a decade back, a lot still needs to be done to make life easier for these people. They don’t need sympathy but social acceptance.”
Source: arabnews
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BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).
Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.
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