HIV in a family acts much in the same way as canker on a tree. It appears in one place and slowly begins to affect others, eventually girdling and consuming trunk, branches and twigs. Children of parents with HIV may have to bear the sociological and psychological burdens of the disease. The burden gets heavier if it is a girl child in a single-parent home with extremely modest means.
Recently, 77 girls, all children of HIV+ parents, assembled at a hall in Anna Nagar. Though these girls were scarred in mind, their future seemed secure. Each of them has found donors to sponsor their education and meet their other requirements, thanks to being under the care of CHILD, a non-profit organisation that works to provide residential and educational facilities to those living with HIV.
The project – I Support a Girl Child – celebrated its fourth anniversary on June 24, where the children met their donors.
Senthil Kumar, founder trustee of CHILD, says the NGO acts as a bridge between the donor and the beneficiary. The donor sponsors the entire year’s educational fee and other requirements of the child. “We have long-term donors for some children and if a donor is unable to continue the sponsorship, we find other donors for them,” he said.
The children stay with their parents/guardian and receive educational support, as in most cases, the parents are unable to work. The organisation also helps in providing livelihood support for the HIV-affected parents.
“In most cases, the children have only one living parent. The State government offers free treatment at government hospitals and also provides some financial support every month. However, that is hardly enough for them to make both ends meet. We found that the children, especially the girls, are left in utter distress and denied their right to education and a decent life. Unemployment of parents forces the children to work in the harshest and unsafe conditions. We wanted to change the quality of their life and hence, this project,” he says.
According to Senthil, Chennai and Tiruvallur districts have about 2,000 families living with HIV. The physical deterioration apart, the families are also fighting stigma in the community, which puts them under psychological distress.
“The only way we can fight against this discrimination is by educating the children and bringing them out of poverty,” he says.
During the event, the children took to the stage to thank their donors and shared how the initiative has given them the confidence to come up in life and hope for a better future.
Out of the 77 sponsorships, 60 are being funded by Bhoomika Trust, another non-profit organisation in the city. The NGO, which primarily works towards providing disaster relief and rehabilitation, also provides educational assistance to children from underprivileged families.
Aruna Subramaniam, management consultant and trustee of Bhoomika Trust, says they decided to support the cause to put the focus back on the people living with HIV.
“They have been ostracised by their communities. Though a majority of the children are not affected by the disease, the stigma continues to haunt them. Education is their only hope for a better future and to live with respect in society. We reached out to CHILD and offered to raise funds through donors. Within two days we managed to find donors for 60 girl children. We want to take the number to 100 next year,” she says.
The organisation will work to improve their lives through education, healthcare and infrastructure support. Aruna hopes the dropout rate will reduce if children have access to better education.
“Sustainability is another issue we are trying to tackle. The children need continued support and we are working to find long-term donors so that the education is not interrupted.”
