House of Hope is located in Pune, a city of nearly four million in the West Indian state of Maharashtra. Pune is known as the “Oxford of the East” because of its many universities and colleges. It is the second capital of the state, after Mumbai, which has a population of about 18 million people. Pune also has one of the fastest growing industries in southern Asia.

Maharashtra was one of the earliest states to be affected by HIV/AIDS in India. With a prevalence rate greater than five percent of its population, Maharashtra has one of the highest HIV rates in the country. In the city of Mumbai, one thousand people are thought to be infected daily with HIV.

In 2004, it was estimated that 280,000 people were infected with HIV in the city of Pune. Mumbai and Pune are also both known for their large number of CSWs.

Currently, there are only a few NGOs (non-government organizations) in the city of Pune that are tackling the HIV/AIDS issue. Recently they were promoting the issue in the city and they try to create awareness and understanding among the people. Only three of these organizations have housing for HIV positive women or children.
Although some provide social workers, there is no organization with a holistic approach towards providing care and restoration for victims of HIV.