Indien: Help for HIV-positive children.

The Freedom Foundation, a non-profit NGO, cares in the project "Diya" for 26 orphans with AIDS and provides medical support for many more children.

Three year old Asha looks up with big smiling eyes. A helper has taken her in her arms and asked her what she can see out of the window. Now Asha smiles broadly and calls: "there is a woman with a girl in her arms". Asha has no mother. She was found as five month old baby at a bus stop. They quickly brought the small crying bundle to a clinic. There the doctors established that she was HIV positive and so she arrived at the Freedom Foundation...

The Indian government focuses almost exclusively on prevention and information regarding HIV-AIDS. Only a few NGOs care for the adults and children who are already infected.
According to the United Nations report 1,700 children are daily infected, above all through their parents. HIV-AIDS is still a major taboo in India. Many people are unaware of any way out and children are needlessly infected – children like Asha. Yet when the parents die of AIDs the children lose everything, their parents, their home, and every form of help. The relatives are often not willing to take these children in. Many children simply remain homeless in their village or are taken to state orphanages. The existing institutions are not in a position to specifically deal with HIV positive children.

The Freedom Foundation has already achieved important pioneer work with such orphaned children. Today the Foundation works in several cities, Bangalore, Bellary, Goa, Hyderabad and Secunderbad, Siruguppa and Udipi. Other centres are being founded. As there were ever more children coming to them, the Freedom Foundation was the first organisation to start shelters for these children, first in Bangalore, then in Hyrdabad/Secundabad ("Diya"). Many schools refuse to take HIV positive children. With legal aid it was possible to find a school willing to take the "Diya" children.

Asha has also been able to find new ‘parents’ and a new ‘home’. She and other children laugh and play and enjoy many happy moments. How long their lives will be, no one can say. What counts however is today.

More information:
>> Report from India, February 2010.
>> Report from India, August 2009.
>> Report from India, August 2008.
>> Report of the Norwegian Waldorf teacher Ellen Fjeld Köttker, July 2006.

Contact

Freedom Foundation
Facility for orphaned HIV positive children
21 Cariappa Road
Bolarum, Secundabad
India

Email: freedomfoundation1(at)rediffmail.com