BEYOND HIV - EVERY CHILD DESERVES A FUTURE

 

A call to stand alongside children and young people 

affected by HIV in Tamil Nadu

1. The progress and the unfinished work

Tamil Nadu has made significant progress in HIV prevention, testing and treatment. Yet thousands of children and young people continue to need sustained support to live healthy, secure and fulfilling lives.

According to the National AIDS Control Organisation’s India HIV Estimation 2025 Technical Report, Tamil Nadu has an estimated:

·       165,971 people living with HIV

·       2,691 children under 15 living with HIV

·       6,747 young people aged 15–24 living with HIV

These are modelled estimates, not direct headcounts. The report also indicates a substantial decline in estimated new infections since 2010. This progress is encouraging, but children already living with HIV still need care, protection, education and opportunities to thrive.

2. What are children and young people facing?

For a child living with HIV, life involves much more than taking medicines and attending hospital appointments.

Some children have lost one or both parents. Others depend on grandparents or caregivers who are ageing, unwell or struggling to earn a living. Financial hardship can affect nutrition, transport, education and continuity of care.

As children grow into adolescence, new questions emerge. They want to understand their health, build friendships, make decisions and imagine their futures. Some may not yet understand why they take medicines every day. Others may carry fear, confusion or shame because of the way adults speak about HIV.

Young people need accurate information, trusted adults, confidential support and opportunities to meet peers who understand their experiences. They also need educational guidance, life skills, career preparation and the confidence to pursue relationships and ambitions without being defined by their diagnosis.

Treatment keeps children healthy. Relationships, protection, education and opportunity help them build a life.

3. What Buds of Christ is learning

Through its NALAM Child Development Centres in Salem and Tiruchengode, Buds of Christ works alongside children living with HIV and families facing multiple challenges.

Our experience has taught us that every child’s journey is different.

One child continued taking medicines faithfully but began asking why he needed them. His question reminded us that children need more than treatment routines; they need age-appropriate conversations and adults who can guide them with honesty and compassion.

In another experience, a caregiver who initially struggled to support a child’s treatment gradually learned through counselling and encouragement. The child became more engaged and confident.

We have also seen how a young person who feels lonely or rejected can begin reconnecting when someone listens without judgement and helps them feel that they belong.

These experiences reinforce a simple belief: when we support the child, strengthen the caregiver and create a safe environment, we give the whole family a better chance to thrive.

4. What we are doing?

Buds of Christ believes that every child affected by HIV deserves comprehensive, family-centred support.

Our priorities include:

·       Health and treatment: Helping families understand treatment, attend appointments and sustain healthy routines.

·       Caregiver support: Creating opportunities for parents, widowed mothers and grandparents to learn, share experiences and strengthen their caregiving skills.

·       Emotional wellbeing: Providing safe spaces for children and adolescents to express themselves, build friendships and develop confidence.

·       Education and life skills: Supporting school continuation, learning, career guidance and preparation for adulthood.

·       Family resilience: Connecting eligible families with social protection, financial literacy and appropriate livelihood support.

·       Dignity and inclusion: Challenging stigma and ensuring that children are accepted and protected in their homes, schools and communities.

Achieving these priorities requires long-term collaboration among families, health services, schools, government, NGOs and committed supporters.



5. How can you make a difference?

Your support can help Buds of Christ stand alongside children and families beyond the hospital visit.

You can help us:

·       Strengthen caregiver support groups and adolescent peer-support activities.

·       Support children’s education, nutrition and participation in developmental activities.

·       Improve access to counselling, life skills and age-appropriate health education.

·       Assist vulnerable families in accessing available social protection and support services.

·       Help young people prepare for higher education, skills training and independent adulthood.

Every contribution matters not because children living with HIV should be viewed with pity, but because every child deserves the resources and opportunities to realise their potential.

We invite donors, foundations, CSR partners, well-wishers and community supporters to join us in building a future in which children and young people affected by HIV can live with dignity, confidence and hope.

Our shared commitment

Tamil Nadu has demonstrated that sustained action can reduce HIV transmission and improve access to treatment. The next step is to ensure that children and young people also experience the benefits of progress in their daily lives.

At Buds of Christ, we believe that children should not be defined by HIV, family circumstances or financial hardship. They should be known for their abilities, dreams and potential.

Let us move beyond HIV from treatment to wellbeing, from isolation to belonging, and from vulnerability to opportunity.

References

1.    National AIDS Control Organisation, Government of India. India HIV Estimation 2025: Technical Report (2025).

2.    Tamil Nadu State AIDS Control Society (TANSACS). Official website and M&E and Surveillance information.


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