Why tell people? It's nothing to be proud of

Why tell people? It's nothing to be proud of

- Jessica Novia

Nestled in a quiet corner of Thomson is a residence with a spacious garden in the back.

Here, the Catholic Aids Response Effort (Care) charity - a member of Catholic Social Organisation, Caritas Singapore - operates a shelter for homeless PLHIV, and has provided a safe haven for more than 100 men since 2002. The shelter can house up to 20 people at a time.

Paul (not his real name) is one of ll current residents there.

A slight man with a buzz cut, the 68-year-old has lived with HIV for more than half his life.

When he was in his 20s, he worked odd jobs - such as at a petrol kiosk and as a painter - and never stayed in one job for more than a few months.

"I was a womaniser. When I was young, all I thought about was partying and clubbing. Carefree life lah, that time," he says.

One day in the late 1980s, he suddenly fell sick with a high fever.

Rashes developed all over his body and spread rapidly. He went to a clinic and then to a hospital, where he had a blood test. A few days later, he was asked to return.