HIV/Aids and Children in India
Around 90% of all children living with HIV acquired the infection from their mothers during pregnancy, birth or breastfeeding. A pregnant woman can transmit the virus to her foetus through their shared blood circulation, or a nursing mother can transmit it to her baby in her milk.
In many cases in India the infants or new born also get infection through blood - via blood transfusions or needle sharing from mother to child.
Children are being turned away from schools, clinics and orphanages because they or their family members are HIV-positive. AIDS in India has been a taboo topic for years, and to a large extent it remains so today.
In recent years the central government has become more involved in raising awareness of AIDS and taking steps to prevent and contain it. The photos show a home in Hyderabad, funded by the local community, providing food, medicine and schooling. The facilities are rather basic.
The Children.
Very pleased to see their photos on the laptop.
The Children.
More photos.
Say Cheese.
Always ready for the camera.
The Children.
At Home.
My Visit.
I did not have much to give out, had some colouring books.
The Children.
My Visit.
Also had some balloons.
The Children.
The Children.
The Children.
Balloons are much more fun than colouring!
The Children.
Outside the Home.
The only place we could do our work was on the street outside.
Inside the Home.
There are between 15-20 elderly ladies living in the same home.
The Crown.
Was meant to be a dog but did not work out as I planned!
The Children.
The Children.
The Children.
All these photographs are taken by the children.
Balloons.
Not so easy especially the knot.
The Children.
The Elderly.
Home is also a refuse for Elderly Women.
Pens.
Top up your pencil cases with pens, pencils and colouring pencils.
The Children.
So happy to have a visitor over.
First Prize.
Winner of the colouring competition.
The Children.
The Children.
The Boys.
Boy's group photo.
Outside the Home.
Notice in background, sleeping arrangements for the Elderly.
Group Photo.
Dr. Jyothi also pictured.
Group Photo Again.
Second attempt.
Time to go.
When are you coming back? What the children were all asking!
Losing a parent is terrible for any child, but children living in India who lose parents to AIDS face unthinkable hardships. Not only have they watched their parents die, but they are stigmatized for having been associated with HIV and AIDS and are often forced to fend for themselves and their siblings. The result is that a growing number of helpless children are facing a cycle of abuse, neglect, stigmatisation, malnutrition, poverty and disease.
Therefore Joy Home for Children has introduced an out reach support programme to help these children.
It is very difficult to monitor funds when donating to an external organisation due to there being so many needs, you can not be sure that the money would be spent on the children. So Joy Home out reach support programme purchases items for which there is most need.
For further information, please visit:- www.charityforchildren.co.uk
