World AIDS Day: 5 NGOs working for people with HIV/AIDS

WORLD AIDS Day, observed annually on December 1st, serves as a global reminder of the ongoing fight against HIV/AIDS. In India, World AIDS Day is marked by a range of activities aimed at raising awareness, promoting prevention and supporting those affected by the virus. NGOs play a crucial role in these efforts, working tirelessly to educate communities, reduce stigma, and provide essential services – highlighted on World AIDS Day. 

In India, where an estimated 2.1 million people live with HIV, World AIDS Day is a platform for NGOs to conduct awareness campaigns, distribute educational materials and organize testing and counseling sessions. These initiatives which are highlighted on World AIDS Day aim to dispel myths, break down stereotypes and encourage regular testing for early detection and treatment.

This World AIDS Day, we can see that NGOs also extend their support to individuals living with HIV/AIDS, addressing their medical, emotional, and social needs. These NGOs play a vital role in ensuring access to antiretroviral therapy, offering counseling services and advocating for the rights of those affected. Through their outreach programs, these organizations contribute significantly to reducing new infections and improving the quality of life for individuals living with HIV/AIDS in India. As the world comes together on World AIDS Day, the collective efforts of NGOs in India underscore the importance of a united front in the global fight against HIV/AIDS.

This World AIDS Day, here are 5 NGOs helping people battling HIV/AIDS: 

Palawi

Palawi, spearheaded by the NGO Prabha Hira Pratishthan, serves people grappling with HIV/AIDS in Maharashtra, a state with alarmingly high prevalence. Over its 18-year journey, Palawi has become a pioneer, focusing on systemic change for individuals living with HIV/AIDS. In response to Maharashtra’s grim distinction of recording the highest HIV-related deaths in 2018-19, Palawi emerged as a vital initiative offering comprehensive solutions. At the heart of Palawi’s endeavors is a residential care home catering to 110 HIV-positive orphan children that provides emotional, educational, social and medical support. World AIDS Day is an opportunity to support Palawi as they address the holistic well-being of these children, creating a stigma-free environment and ensuring they receive the care they deserve.

Palawi goes beyond immediate care, incorporating skill development programs for HIV-positive women and older children, aiming to enhance livelihood opportunities. As the number of children under Palawi’s care has steadily grown, the NGO envisions expanding medical and educational facilities, ensuring that every vulnerable HIV-positive child receives the essential components of a dignified life—education, healthcare and social development. Palawi’s unwavering commitment reflects a determination to leave no child behind, emphasizing the right to education, health and well-rounded development, irrespective of their HIV status. To support Palawi this World AIDS Day, you can donate here.

Kolkata Rista

Kolkata Rista stands as a transformative force in the realm of LGBTQI advocacy, particularly within the transgender community, many of whom struggle with HIV/AIDS. Operated by members of these communities, the NGO’s initiatives are deeply rooted in an understanding of the ground-level experiences of exclusion and marginalization due to gender and sexual diversity. Initially focusing on health, particularly HIV/AIDS interventions, Kolkata Rista has evolved into a comprehensive force in healthcare, including tuberculosis initiatives within the transgender community. The organization has successfully collaborated with governmental and international partners, recognizing that vulnerability to HIV/AIDS is linked to broader societal marginalization.

Beyond healthcare, Kolkata Rista has made significant strides in addressing gender and patriarchy issues, tackling domestic violence, advocating for the right to education, and supporting families in extreme poverty. World AIDS Day is a chance for donors to support the NGO as they emphasize collective deliberation and action, working with stakeholders, police and administrative offices to create an enabling environment that champions the realization of rights, minimizes stigma, discrimination and violence against the transgender community. With concrete expertise in organizing workshops and sensitization programs for high-level officials, Kolkata Rista stands as a force for positive change in the lives of LGBTQI individuals. To support Kolkata Rista this World AIDS Day, you can donate here.

Alliance India

Founded in 1999, Alliance India is a pivotal NGO dedicated to battling the HIV epidemic in India. Alliance India is committed to fortifying sustained responses to HIV, safeguarding rights and enhancing health outcomes. With a focus on complementing the national program, the NGO builds capacity, offers technical support, and advocates for the strengthening of community-based HIV programs, particularly for vulnerable populations grappling with the epidemic. India faces significant challenges, with women and children constituting 44% of those affected. The NGO aims to prevent HIV transmission through targeted programming and awareness campaigns, provide care by educating those living with HIV/AIDS about available treatment options and empower vulnerable communities by building vocational skills and supporting access to income generation opportunities.

With a strategic network of 360 care and support centers across the country, Alliance India ensures that communities, especially women and girls, have access to information, guidance and support. World AIDS Day is an opportune time to support the NGO as they boldly envisions ending AIDS in India by 2030, striving for zero new infections, zero AIDS-related deaths and zero cases of discrimination. Through its comprehensive pan-India response, Alliance India is dedicated to building healthier communities and contributing to the global goal of eradicating HIV/AIDS. To support Alliance India this World AIDS Day, you can donate here. 

Desire Society

Desire Society is a non-profit voluntary organization dedicated to the health development and well-being of children affected and infected with HIV/AIDS in India. Operating in Hyderabad, Bangalore, Mumbai, Noida and Visakhapatnam, the NGO’s primary objective is to provide institutional care homes for children abandoned and orphaned by HIV/AIDS, addressing the significant challenges posed by HIV stigma and discrimination. Desire Society plays a crucial role in providing medical attention and school admissions for these vulnerable children, who often face red flags due to their HIV status. With no cure for HIV/AIDS and limited lifespans for affected children, DESIRE Society is committed to offering a better lifestyle and meeting their basic core needs.

Focusing on mother-to-child transmission, Desire Society emphasizes the importance of HIV awareness and government intervention. World AIDS Day is a time to come together and help NGOs like Desire Society establish institutional care homes in five cities, treating HIV-affected children equally and providing them with the care, nutrition, medical attention and private schooling they need. With 300 enrolled care home children across five city locations, the NGO’s holistic approach reflects a significant impact on the lives of these children, ultimately extending their lifespan and improving their overall well-being. To support Desire Society this World AIDS Day, you can donate here. 

Sharanalayam

Sharanalayam cares for underprivileged children in India who often live in slums or are born to parents engaged in professions like begging or sex work. These children, many of whom have HIV/AIDS, face the harsh reality of abandonment and neglect, often leading to a life of destitution or anti-social activities. Sharanalayam, a not-for-profit charitable organization, is dedicated to changing this trajectory by providing a holistic haven for these children. The NGO focuses on shelter, food, education, health and hygiene for children of sex workers, HIV-infected and affected children, orphans and those born into begging families. Sharanalayam has become a sanctuary for its 200 residents, all of whom attend school. 

Over the years, Sharanalayam has witnessed success stories, with children evolving into engineers, nurses, lab technicians, chefs and other productive citizens. Sharanalayam’s vision extends to those infants abandoned at bus stands, railway stations and temple steps, as well as orphans grappling with the loss of their parents. World AIDS Day gives us a chance to support NGOs like Sharanalayam which, with its unwavering commitment, has become a loving home for nearly two decades, even caring for abandoned HIV-infected and mentally challenged children. The organization’s impact is not just transformative; it’s life-changing, providing a secure and nurturing environment for those society has forsaken. To support Sharanalayam this World AIDS Day, you can donate here. 

Lend your support to NGOs this World AIDS Day

NGOs in India leverage World AIDS Day to advocate for inclusive policies, pushing for comprehensive sex education and anti-discrimination measures. They collaborate with government agencies and healthcare providers to strengthen the healthcare infrastructure, ensuring that HIV/AIDS services are accessible to all. This World AIDS Day we can explore NGOs that organize community events, bringing together diverse groups to foster understanding and support. Through their outreach, NGOs not only raise awareness but also work towards destigmatizing HIV/AIDS, encouraging open conversations that are crucial for prevention and support. World AIDS Day serves as a poignant reminder of the ongoing battle, highlighting the indispensable role NGOs play in shaping a compassionate and informed society.

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