Every person in the class is either infected with or affected by HIV, making it hard for them to get jobs. Even family members of HIV patients are often turned down for work. So these students are here as part of a small business training program, to help them create their own jobs. Two students are also being trained to run this program in India and Nepal, passing on the skills they are learning here today from AIDSlink, a partner organization to OM.

The teaching is intensely practical. During four days in the classroom, students role play paying their employees, meeting rent agreements, and buying food for their families at realistic intervals. They learn how to negotiate contracts, keep records, and manage risk. Each day adds a new business concept, like supply and demand, marketing, or wholesaling.

Randomly drawn "life cards" ingrain the lessons more deeply. In the simulation, if you didn't buy enough food for your family, one of your kids is sick and you have to buy food and pay a medical bill. Money you don't put in the bank can be stolen by thieves. The tax man comes. Your street floods. Life happens to you, and you find out whether or not your business is prepared for it.

In this group, on the first day of the simulation, two teams went bankrupt and the third ended with 15 rupees on hand. In the second round, all three teams made more than 2,000 rupees each and averaged more than 1,000 rupees on hand at the end of the fictitious month.

In addition to the training, the students receive a micro loan and launch a real-life business enterprise for one week. One woman sold vegetables. She has two young kids at home to feed. One man made candles. Another sold belts.

On the last day of training, students repay their loan with interest and report on their business experience. The person who made the highest profit margin gets the interest money from the entire class. For this class, it was the candle maker. He plans to invest it back into his business, which he hopes will provide an income for his family for years to come.

Four days in class and a one-week practical is far too short for a complete business education, but for these thirteen people it just might be enough. Enough to give them the confidence and the skills to make a life for themselves, despite their disease and the stigma that goes with it.