YCB India - Youth Club of Bejjipuram

“Children Healthy and Happy for All” is being supported by Vasavya Mahila Mandali, Vajayawada with a key objective to improve Home and Community based Care and Support Services to children living with HIV and AIDS (CLHA) and Children affected by HIV and AIDS (CAA) and enable interventions which keep them with their parents or extended families. The overall goal of the programme is to reduce HIV – related morbidity / Mortality in children and address the impact of HIV on children. Alliance India is one of the three principal recipients of global fund round 6 along with NACO and PFI. VMM is the second recipient and we are getting support from them.

The program was launched on 1st June 2007 in Srikakulam urban and Rural, Amadalavalasa Urban and Narasannapeta Rural and operating a population of 3.23 Lakhs. Formally it was inaugurated by Sri G. Kishan, Joint Collector / FAC Collector in Srikakulam and many District Officers were present on the occasion. So far 242 target families were identified during door to door visits of the Out Reach Workers with the support of key persons in those locations. 49 CLHAs and 433 CAAs were identified and among them 45 CLHAs and 297 CAAs were registered as per the scheme guidelines.

The following supports were given to the target children and their families.

01	Nutrition Support	283 Children

02	House Hold Support	321 Families

03	Education Support	154 Children

04	Opportunistic Infections Treatment	42 Children

05	Foster Care	04 Children

06	Income Generation Activities	50 PLHA Families

07	ART (Pediatric)	45 Children

5 Children support groups were formed involving 140 children. Nutrition Demonstrations were conducted for target families to impart them skills in preparation of low cost nutrition food with locally available food materials. Sensitization programs were conducted in all areas to create awareness among all sections of the society and to ensure their cooperation to CLHAs / CAAs.

Local resources were also mobilized with the support of public representatives and Officers at Village and Mandal / Municipal Level. Cultural teams were promoted developed positive speakers among PLHAs and CAAs and they spoke on many occasions on their cause.

CHAHA Project

Vasavya Mahila Mandali (VMM), Vijayawada

Healthy and Happy Family

PREAMBLE	Amjuru Raju is 3 year old CLHA and living with her mother Mrs. Sujatha in Jaggayyapeta village of Amadalavalasa urban, Srikakulam Dist. Amjuri Ramu and sujatha lived in the same village 5 years ago along with their parents. They got married and let their life peacefully for a period of 2 years. At the time of marriage Ramu did not have any bad habits and illegal contacts. He was a washer man and visiting neibhouring villages as a part of his profession. After 2 years he got illegal contact with a women and slowly put her wife away from him and lived with the woman whom he had illegal contact. But Sujatha did not lose her faith on him and waited for his arrival. After some time Ramu fell ill. But he was not cared by the women with whom he had illegal contact. At that time Sujatha brought to her home and provide him the necessary treatment at the cost of her assets. After some time he died without knowing his status. She was pregnant at that time her husband died. After delivery both mother and child were tested positive. The villagers did not extend any kind of support to her due to social stigma.

THE INTERVENTION	CHAHA Project staff approached Sujatha and learnt her story. Psychosocial support was given to her and after that she was given household support. Project staff conducted sensitization making with the village elders and women groups and seek their support in favour of her.

THE IMPACT	The villagers gradually understood the problem and empathetically supported her. Now she is living happily doing her washing profession in the same village along with her 3 year old son. She is getting 50/- -100/- per day. Recently we referred her ART centre for CD4 testing on February 2009. She has 816 CD4 count and child have 1057 CD4 count. Now they are living very healthy and happy with the sincere efforts made by CHAHA Intervention.

ART ADHERENCE

THE PREAMBLE	Killamsetti Ramya Krishna is 11 Years Old, She is studying 7th Class. Both parents died with HIV/AIDS. At first she felt very sad and depressed. She has 10 year old sister, and she is studying 6th class. Both the sisters are Orphans. Relatives from mother side were not taking care of them. Father side relatives are taking care of them. Increasingly both the sisters suffering with the fever cough, and motions regularly. At that time they were tested. Ramya Krishna was tested Positive. The second one is not positive. Grand parents worried about the child. At that time we identified the family through the One to one and Group Meetings. Her Grandfather met the staff and shared their feelings and their child status.

THE INTERVENTION	Then Our CHAHA Staff went to her house and gave the counselling. Then immediately referred the ART Centre. She got more than 500 CD4 count. She was not eligible for applying ART Medicines. But she regularly goes to school. Then we identified the mal nurshment and their economical status is very poor. We registered under CHAHA Project on 22.10.2007 and gave the Nutrition and House Hold support to the children and their family. Increasingly Ramya is not taking care of herself. Recently she was very sick because she is not taking regularly food. So she is suffering with the More OI s. We referred her for OI treatment and then also we referred to ART for CD4 testing. Now her CD4 count is 250 and also she is very weak. So the doctor put her under ART Medicine. Initially she had side effects. Her Grandfather more worried about her. Then Counsellor gave the counselling on the side effects and ART Adherence. Then counsellor followed her regularly.

THE IMPACT	She is habituated to ART Medicines. Now she is very healthy and happy. We are continuously giving her Nutrition support. Now her grandfather got pension support with the efforts of CHAHA Staff. Now she is regularly going to School and continuing her studies.