Bettering Lives in India

Shekhar Mathre

Lodge Owner, Mud Island, India

Amid the coconut palms, mimosa trees, and tangled lianas along the curved oceanfront, Shekhar Mathre's clients come to his hideaway "love lodge" on the beach to rent rooms by the hour. "We get 40 to 50 couples in here every day, and maybe a quarter of them use my condoms," said Mathre late one morning. "That means I make more money helping people avoid babies and AIDS."

It wasn't always this way, however. Despite the huge increase in HIV/AIDS infection in Mumbai, none of the Indian government's prevention programs focused on the high-risk sexual activities in the area's many popular beach lodges an hour outside the city. Then, several years ago a DKT salesperson started selling Zaroor condoms to these "love lodges" and now Mathre protects his clients while feeling good about his higher profits.

"Two years ago, almost no one used condoms here," says Mathre. "Now, I have a lot of clients who ask me if I have a condom first, then they ask me if I have a vacant room." Quietly, Mathre adds the cost of the condom to their bills.

Along with Zaroor condoms, DKT brochures about HIV/AIDS began arriving. "I thought you could only get it from blood transfusions or from being close to sick people in a hospital," Mathre said. "Now I know."

And so do his customers. Mathre leaves DKT's HIV/AIDS literature near the door for his customers to take as they enter and leave the lodge.

And do Mathre and his wife use Zaroor condoms too?

"Of course," he responds with a look of self-confidence. "We can't afford more children, and no one can afford AIDS." He taps the side of his head as another breeze blows in from the beach. "I'm a smart businessman all the time," Mathre says. "All the time."