Infant India: an NGO for HIV affected children

CHILDREN who are born with HIV or AIDS have weakened immune systems and multiple severe health issues that can shorten their life spans and worsen the condition of their lives. These children are in need of proper nutrition, medication and lifelong monitoring and care to make sure that their health is as good as it can be given their health condition. But for children who are from disadvantaged backgrounds whose families are too poor to afford regular medication and treatment, the children’s health and futures are affected.

 

For families with children with HIV or AIDS, quick and constant access to medical care is of the utmost importance. But underprivileged families cannot afford regular appointments, medication, consultations, treatments or other therapies that are required. These children suffer as a consequence and the effect on their lives is devastating and leads to suffering and death. In most cases, the parents of these children also have HIV or AIDS and when these parents succumb to the disease, the children become orphans. 

 

This makes an unfortunate situation worse. Even though underprivileged families cannot always afford treatment for their HIV-positive children, their presence in their children’s lives provide some form of hope in the minds of the children that there is someone there for them in their darkest moments. But when these parents pass away from HIV or AIDS, it leaves the children in a worse situation than before and overnight, they become vulnerable to discrimination and abuse by people who want nothing to do with them or those who want to exploit them. 

What happens to orphaned children?

When an infant or child with HIV or AIDS is orphaned, these children are kicked out of their homes, pushed out of their schools and often end up on the streets – a dangerous place for children. There are no opportunities for these children to take care of themselves or improve their lives and since they are unprotected on the streets, these children become victims of crimes such as child labor, child begging and even child sexual exploitation and trafficking. Even though these children have HIV or AIDS, people still exploit them and destroy their lives. 

 

Infant India is an NGO for HIV affected orphaned children that provides a home, regular and nutritious food, antiretroviral (ARV) medication, medical attention and treatment, education and a childhood filled with hope for the future. The aim of this Maharashtra-based NGO for HIV positive children is to give each child who is suffering with the disease a life filled with happiness, opportunities and possibilities for a long and prosperous life. For the founders of Infant India, this mission is a personal and meaningful one. 

 

The founders of Infant India are Datta and Sandhya Bargaje. Decades ago, Datta Bargaje was working as a lab technician in a hospital when he came across two HIV-positive blood samples of a mother and her eight year old son. He went about his work and within two weeks of receiving this sample, he learned that the mother had died of her disease, leaving her young son orphaned and alone. He went home, talked to his wife about it and in almost an instant, the couple decided to find out about adopting the child. 

How this NGO for HIV positive children came about

This experience is what led Datta and Sandhya Bargaje to realize that there are other children who are HIV positive and need care. Together, they decided to start an NGO for HIV affected orphans in 2006 called Infant India in Beed in Maharashtra. The NGO for HIV positive children was founded in their own home with seven children. In time, this number started to grow, so, the couple rented a small hall to shelter and care for the orphans. Both Datta and Sandhya Bargaje left their full time jobs to dedicate their lives to the children in their care. 

 

19 years later and the NGO for HIV positive children is now taking care of 60 orphans who have no one else in the world to care for them. But the NGO for HIV affected children does so much more than care for the children until they are adults. Once the children grow up, the founders of Infant India also make sure that the young adults do not spend their lives alone. The founders arrange marriages for the children to ensure that their lives are full and complete. For around 50 of these couples, the good news is that more than 30 children were born HIV-free and completely healthy!

 

Support this compassionate NGO for HIV affected children

Infant India is an NGO for HIV positive children that provides more than medical care. The organization is a home and a family for HIV affected children who have lost everything in life. When you support this NGO for HIV positive children, you help Infant India transform the lives of children whose lives would otherwise be lost to HIV/AIDS. The education, skills training and personal guidance given to the children also helps them develop the confidence and motivation to reach for the stars and achieve their dreams. To support Infant India:

 

Support Infant India

 

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