Shelter for HIV Orphans

Nature Of The Project:

Providing a safe and secure shelter for HIV positive orphans to make them responsible citizens of the world.

 

AGE for shelter: 0 till eighteen years.

Age for imparting skills: 14 till 25 years.

Abstract:

There is an increase in the number of HIV positive orphans and most of them are on Anti Retroviral Therapy (ART/ARV).The ARV Regimen has to be closely monitored and the therapy sustained with good nutritional support.

WAG- CHELSEA with support from The Clinton Foundation and a Faith Based Organisation (FBO) provides nutritional support to a limited number of children.

The Clinton Foundation through the Government of India provides Free ARV to the children. WAG- CHELSEA’S children were the very first children in India to get this medication directly from Mr Bill Clinton and Mrs Sonia Gandhi on November 30, 2006.WAG CHELSEA supports a limited number of children for education and professional skills & because of financial constraints.

WAG- CHELSEA provides a shelter for 11 children in its Community Care Centre (CCC) BUT this not the environment in which a child should be kept because the CCC looks after HIV positive patients suffering from Opportunistic Infections of various kinds. This exposes the children to infection and to an atmosphere of sickness and death.

Hence, the need to provide a Shelter for these children who come from the marginalized sections of society.

Problem Statement:

The first HIV case was identified in 1986 in India after that infection has spread over to all states of the country. Now in 2008 infection has risen to 2.5 million in the country. According to WHO survey it is estimated that two lakh children are infected with the virus in India, on average daily at least 3 - 4 children are infected or affected by HIV virus.

Infected those who are born with the virus. Affected are those whose parents and siblings are infected with the virus thus effecting these children in a sociological way.

Globally, HIV infection in children accounts about 6, 40, 000 new infection per annum.

In India, the vulnerability of the young population is at on all time high.

HIV infection amongst older children and adolescent occurs mainly through practice of high risk behaviour such as unsafe sexual practices and injecting drug use. There is also a segment of vulnerable children who are at risk of getting HIV due to various types of abuse.

The impact of HIV on children will be mitigated through welfare agencies providing nutritional support, opportunities for education and vocational skills.

Children are precious to a nation. A Healthy child is a healthy nation. But they must be provided with Comprehensive Care and Support Services.

The NGO has provided very limited services in this area because of financial constraints.

 

Proposed Action Plan for Care and Support Services

The comprehensive care and support services includes:

Nutritional support:

This is one of the vital services extended to children, who need support due to poverty in the family and poor nutrition status and especially for those living with HIV and on treatment. The support can secure a minimum of two square meals a day.

Educational support:

This component will support the children who due to their poor health status are unable to attend school, or alternatively drop out of the school because they are expected to look after the ill members of the family by not only nursing them but earning a living too.

Psychosocial Support:

This support will provide counseling services to children, parents, care givers and Family members to help them cope with the stress and take better care of themselves and the children at risk of HIV infection. The beneficiaries will be counseled on the HIV prevention methods especially on Abstinence and Being Faithful (A and AB).

Skills development:

Special skills will be imparted, which will help children in pursuing a career. The skill development service will include training in computer, photography, automobile repair, mobile repair, typing and cooking.

Recreational support:

This component provides children infected and affected with HIV/AIDS with an opportunity to enjoy their childhood. This promotes an environment for children to interact with each other and learn from their peers on facing the challenges of life.

Medical Support:

The organization will support the medical component of the children and their families through private and Govt. agencies. Children and adults who are HIV infected will be and have been linked up with Govt. Free Anti Retroviral treatment program and Life saving drugs.

If you would like to support this project please contact us with "Support for Shelter for HIV Orphans" in the subject line.

An Inclusive co-ed residential school for 250 children living in the community in difficult circumstances and HIV and AIDS orphans

India, after China and Africa, is home to the largest number of children in the world, unfortunately, next to nothing is being done for these children.

Amongst these children we have a section of HIV Positive (HIV+ve) orphans and their siblings from the economically marginalized sections of society.

We work in eight selected slums of North East Delhi and we have identified 425 children who are affected by HIV. Of the 425 children, mercifully, only 58, to date, are HIV +ve. This we believe is the tip of the iceberg.

Thanks to the Clinton Foundation Paediatric Initiative, free anti retroviral (ARV) drugs are available in India for HIV +ve children. The Clinton Foundation also provides nutritional support to these children and we find that with this support, these children are doing very well physically, mentally and emotionally. They are expected to live long into the 20s.

We already have children into their 15th year of life who have a very good quality of life BUT these children are living in an atmosphere of family care, love and opportunity. The HIV +ve orphans and their siblings have No family support, nor is the community economically empowered to adopt or look after them. There is no one to monitor adherence to ARV, ensure good nutrition, education and very few of these children can be accommodated in the already overcrowded schools in India.

We believe HIV orphans must become productive and responsible members of society. They must live with honour and respect and not depend on acts of whimsical charity. Therefore they MUST be given excellent education and not mere literacy. They must be equipped with skills to pursue a career in a competitive world. These children have a right to equal opportunity.

Investing in young children is a wise investment and perhaps the most productive investment society can make. This will ensure strong foundations for Global development. Disadvantaged children fail to reach their developmental potential because of poverty, poor health, nutrition and deficient care. These risks when suffered early are particularly harmful to the architecture of the brain which is so critical to learning, health and behaviour. It effects the child’s long term success.

Proposal

Protect ourselves against disease and poverty through education

We propose to set up a boarding school for 250 HIV +ve children and their siblings to provide a caring, loving and supportive family atmosphere PLUS a world class education to equip these children with confidence and skills to compete in a fiercely competitive world. Quality education to ensure gender parity will also contribute powerfully to reducing poverty.

The School will follow the Indian Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) syllabus. The School will provide an EDUCATION and not mere literacy.

The school will encourage and support children to follow professional careers in medicine, engineering, teaching and other disciplines.

The school will have a ten bed Infirmary for children who fall ill.

Learning begins before birth and does not wait till kindergarten or primary school therefore the school will have an intervention for about- to-be - mothers.

If you would like to support this project please contact us with "Support for Inclusive Residential  School" in the subject line.

 

For children, these opportunities are like wishes which can be fulfilled only through your partnership.