Monamma's life history is a wonderful example of the tenacity of the human psyche and the great reviving powers of good counselling. Two years ago, she was married and happy. But within three months of her marriage her mother-in-law died after a long fight with cancer and unable to cope with his mother's death, Monamma's husband hung himself from a tree next to his mother's grave. All this was too much for Monamma and she succombed to an attack of tuberculosis of the spine.

This only added to her woes and her health deteriorated to such an extent that she lost the use of her legs, making it difficult even to care for her day-to-day needs. Her mother and sisters tried all kinds of medication with no result. They finally took her to a government hospital in Mahaboobnagar. The doctors there examined her and declared that she would not live long.

Monamma came home ready to die. Ms Mogulamma, a paraplegic social worker of Commitments, found her in this condition and along with the project coordinator brought her out of her untidy surroundings. She patiently sat with her for days on end, counselling her continuously about how much life she had ahead of her. Initially there was no response from Monamma, but with timely medication and perseverance and tender care she began to recover.

Today, Monamma is an activist with the local Sangam at Gundumal. Nobody would think she had ever been severely disabled in her young life -- she is healthy and walking normally. Now she works as the caretake and baby-sitter at the neighborhood centre. Though the other members of the Sangam have told her that she need not consider herself disabled, she refuses to leave the Sangam and continues to work for the cause of the disabled in the village.