Date:20/07/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/20/stories/2008072059530800.htm

Andhra Pradesh

A ray of hope for the HIV positive

K.M. Dayashankar

K. Nanda Kishore

JAGTIAL (KARIMNAGAR DT): “My parents died of AIDS last year because of their mistakes. I thought of committing suicide as we three sisters became orphans. But the REACH (Rural Education and Community Health), a voluntary organisation, has given us a new lease of life,” said 15-year-old Mounika (name changed) of Gundlapalli village of Mallial mandal.

This girl is now spearheading the movement for creating awareness among the rural poor about AIDS.

She also runs her family and educates her two younger sisters by rolling beedies in the village.Flaying his parents for acquiring the disease and transmitting it to him, Raju (name changed) studying in ninth class in Jagtial town said that they died because of no proper medical care.

“Thanks to REACH, I am regularly consuming my Anti-retroval therapy (ART) tablets and am living happily,” he said. The REACH, a non-government developmental organisation (NGDO) working actively to stop the spread of HIV in the Jagtial division, has come as a ray of hope for children infected with HIV and children who lost their parents because of AIDS. As part of the World Bank project called ‘CHAHA’ (to keep children happy), the REACH enrolled as many as 135 children including 30 HIV positive children and provided for their well-being.

Providing support

They provide psycho-social counselling to children and parents, they give food and medical assistance to the children, provide them education, take care of orphans by sanctioning self-employment schemes and give financial assistance to the families.

REACH executive director and radiologist Dr K. Nanda Kishore told The Hindu on Friday that the Jagtial division is highly infested with HIV positive cases. “I was moved by the plight of AIDS patients and children becoming orphans,” he said.