Little Stars are Our Children Courageously Living with HIV and AIDS
Yes
it’s another little star group of children coming together to learn and to also
share their love with each other. These children are children living with HIV
who are below 14 years and are on treatment. As most of them belong to the poor
economic condition and their care takers are not educated, the information
about their health and treatment is less among them and often result in casual
attitude towards treatment. It is through the Little Stars support group
meeting, the information is shared to the children so that they adopt positive
living. In addition, these meetings also help them to experience the love of
their peers more freely without the fear of stigma and discrimination.
The sessions are
planned to include health related topic, life skills session and a value based
education. Different techniques are used to engage the children and also help
them learn information faster.
The little stars
is organised every month at Tiruchengode and Salem that includes song time,
life skill session on understanding their ideal person and making right choices
of the Ideal person, value education from Thirukural on the qualities of an
Ideal person through puppet show and session on HIV and AIDS basics and
understanding the health monitoring blood tests reports.
The Super child of the
month award was given to children whose medical reports show good immune level
and good weight gain to encourage other children towards maintaining good health.
In addition, we also celebrate birthday cake cutting for children who celebrate
birthdays in that month and this gives a special feeling, as most of the orphan
children in rural families do not celebrate such occasion in their families.
At the end, the
children also shared their feedback;
“I now got
detailed understanding of how HIV transmits” – a 12 year old girl living with
HIV
“I often worry
about going to the hospital for check-ups and especially for blood tests, but
now I know these blood tests, help me know my immunity level and I am happy my
CD4 is more than 1000 now”.-13 year old orphan boy living with HIV
“I feel more
happy, because I was awarded the super girl for having CD4 2000, Hemoglobin
level is 16mg and will always maintain the level”. - 13 year old orphan girl
living with HIV
“I felt very
happy for my sister who cut the cake with her friends as her birthday is in
July” - a 8 year old orphan girl living
with her grandparents