‘This Is My Last Life.’

A supportive community in rural Malaysia that gives people with HIV and recovering addicts a place to heal.
'This is my last life.'

Set in the rural town of Batu Arang, Malaysia, Positive Living Community (PLC) offers a place of refuge for those shunned and rejected by society.

The majority of residents are HIV patients, and people recovering from drug or alcohol addiction. 

For many, it is a place away from stigma and discrimination, and where residents find shelter, treatment, and social support.

It is also where they hope for a new life.

Many have tried restarting their lives several times over.

In the words of 28 year-old Rakesh, a former alcohol addict, “This is my last life.” And he’s trying to live it for the best.

The journey towards recovery has its ups and downs for sure, as people battle with past addictions, regrets, and hurts, whilst trying to live life anew. 

It is where they take stock of life’s journey to rebuild relationships, and find a way forward.


With sensitivities in mind, pseudonyms have been used in this story.

 

About Positive Living Community

Positive Living Community was established in 1997 in Malaysia to offer shelter and care for homeless persons living with AIDs. Today, it runs four shelters for about 70 residents, a drug rehabilitation programme, and various projects to generate income, such as tea cultivation and farming.

Contributors

Photographer & Writer

Grace Baey