During her first and second pregnancies, her HIV tests were negative.

She said: 'When my husband found out I had HIV, he didn't want me. Only when he learnt about the disease did he apologise, and became nice and supportive.

'But we didn't have sex for a year, and I told him to go to other women for sex.

'Then, I remembered that I was still his wife, and I cannot be selfish just because of my condition.'

When we asked about their current sex life, she said it is 'enough to keep him from other women'. They always use protection.

She initially ignored treatment because she didn't want to face up to the truth.

A year later, she said that she suffered from infections, and was hospitalised. She added that she had bruises all over her body then.

Before coming to Singapore, she worked as a chambermaid in an Indonesian hotel, where she met her husband.

She gave birth to their two children in Indonesia and married here in 1998.

Her husband earns about $1,200 a month as a security guard and they live in a rental flat.

She works at the Patient Care Centre, earning about $400 a month making bead jewellery.

Other patients there make handicrafts like cards and baskets of ribbon flowers.

She said her treatment costs $535 a month, of which $335 is subsidised by a charitable organisation.

Amy said she is happy now. During the interview, she smiled warmly and sounded optimistic.

She attributes her happiness to her closeness with her children, and she does not want their relationship to be affected by her condition.

She said her children are top students.

'I want my family to be happy. I want to be a good wife and a good mother.'

'Even though have I get up at 5am everyday, I'm not tired looking after them.

'Even though I am sick and poor, I am happy.'

This story was first published in The New Paper on Nov 3, 2008.