India: A ray of hope in Hyderabad

The ‘Asha – hope in Hyderabad’ project provides children whose parents are HIV positive with a temporary home where they can concentrate on their schooling.

Stigma around HIV hinders prevention

In India, people living with HIV are stigmatised and excluded from society. They do not usually receive the medical treatment and support they need. This project provides children and adolescents with appropriate healthcare and psychological support.

Keyfacts zum Projekt

Aim of the project

To allow children and adolescents from poor families affected by HIV in Hyderabad to live a healthy and independent life in dignity.
Target groups

65 children and adolescents affected by HIV/AIDS and living in poverty.
Milestones

Development of residential centres to provide safe temporary accommodation to children and adolescents in urgent need of help. They can go to school and receive the medical and psychological support they need.
Methods

Operating a residential centre with round-the-clock care, providing support with school fees and equipment, as well as catch-up tuition and help with homework

Great stigma attached to HIV and AIDS in India

There is a great deal of stigma around HIV and AIDS in India. People who are HIV positive are shut out of families and society, and face discrimination in healthcare. Even children of HIV-positive parents who themselves are not infected with the disease are often prevented from going to school if people find out about their parents’ HIV status. This significantly affects the children’s chances of getting an education, gaining qualifications and enjoying a financially stable future. SolidarMed works with its local partner in Hyderabad, the John Foundation, to support children, adolescents and parents who are living in poverty and affected by HIV. The project provides them with healthcare and psychological support and runs three homes for particularly vulnerable children and adolescents.

HIV-affected children participate in daily chore assistance at the John Foundation's facilities. MR

Affected children and young people are given access to schooling and vocational training so that they can stand on their own two feet financially in adulthood.

AIDS-affected children from Hyderabad participate in daily chore assistance.

Campaigns in schools, slums and red-light districts about HIV/AIDS and human trafficking also raise awareness among the general public.

Access to a safe space and to education

Children whose HIV-positive parents are no longer able to look after them, or whose parents have died of AIDS, are taken into a residential centre. The centre provides children with medical care and psychological support if they need it. Children from families in financial difficulty receive help to cover school fees, uniform, books and exam fees.

Children and adolescents who have had to drop out of school get the care and professional support they need to be able to complete their schooling. Daily help with homework in three homework support centres is key to the children’s academic success and significantly improves school performance.

Handover of the project

SolidarMed’s local partner, John Foundation, is a large, successful and well-connected NGO. The organisation is currently extending its activities to a third training campus and additional residential centres, and in future will no longer be reliant on SolidarMed’s support. We will therefore continue to support the children and adolescents who are already in school until 2027, after which point we will be withdrawing from this project area.