Care and Support 50 HIV+ Orphan Children in India

The Covid-19 Pandemic is affecting many at a large level and here in the care and support programme of Buds of Christ, the focus of work in the last two months have been in providing with right information, providing masks to stop the spread of the virus and provision of the essential items to maintain good health of children and their care takers. As most of the care-takers, widowed women and grand parents work as daily wages laborers; the lock down measures of the government to control the spread of pandemic had heavily affected the income of the family. The fear about the virus was also prevalent that affected the confidence of our children and young people. Buds of Christ first raised correct awareness about the Covid-19 to the young volunteers and leaders of the organization and also the ways to protect themselves from the infection through online meetings and personal calls. Nutritional packages were distributed to 105 families in the last two months with the support of volunteers, and the small children shared field staffs and the testimonies of hope and joy over the support.

One widow mother having a 12 year old son also living with HIV and working as daily wage worker expressed that the support helped them to maintain the health of her son and herself. As the lock down was announced suddenly she was not prepared and did not have money to buy the essentials. The support has helped them greatly during the lock down period.

We did not have any money, nor food items at home. As there was no transport facility we could not go out anywhere, but thanks to the volunteer who delivered the nutritional package this has helped me to prepare food and support my granddaughters said aged grand mother of two little orphan girls

I could not go for work, my income supports my aged mother and my daughter. But due to lock down, there was no income. This nutritional package was a great boon and more happier, when the volunteer came home and delivered it. - widow mother living with HIV

Looking at the news and some of the information shared through social media I was so scared but now after the session I got clarity and now I am able to even educate my family too – a volunteer after the training session on zoom on managing Covid-19