By Anu John | Project Coordinator
PROPOSAL FOR FUNDING: FREEDOM FOUNDATION
Background:
Freedom Foundation was started in 1992 by (late) Karl Sequeira and Dr. Ashok Rau in the year 1992 and registered as a Charitable Trust (Indian Trust Act 1882) in 1993 to bring about an innovative and pioneering paradigm shift in the way issues related to substance abuse and the HIV/AIDS sector were being addressed in India. Freedom Foundation has been the pioneers of HIV/AIDS & Substance Abuse interventions in India, especially in the area of comprehensive care & support in; Freedom Foundation is credited to have set up the first comprehensive Community based comprehensive care and support center in India at Bangalore and is recognized as a model by NACO (Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of India) and other national and international agencies. Freedom Foundation has worked with many organizations /partners who have supported the work over the years.
Currently, the foundation is focusing on its pioneering initiative of providing comprehensive care and support for orphan children living with HIV and AIDS and developing an ecosystem of care givers:
Freedom Foundation’s work in the residential facilities for the children stems from the belief that “No child needs to sacrifice the quality of life to an illness.” We strive to deliver and uphold the fundamental rights of the child within the family, community & institution. The Right to Life, Protection, and Health & Education form the four pillars of this intervention. This is achieved through 3 vertical components of:
The residential care program aims to provide a protected residential environment, wholesome nutrition, healthcare, education & livelihood to HIV infected orphan children enhancing both the longevity & quality of life, starting an independent life and becoming productive citizens of the community. The community program focuses on supporting the care givers families in the community who then mitigate the risk of orphan hood for these residential children once they go out to face the world.
Problem Statement:
India has the third largest population infected by HIV in the world, with the maximum burden falling among key populations within India. Complex and pluralistic health systems such as India's, comprises of a mix of multiple systems of medicine, players (private and public), and models with tremendous heterogeneity in terms of capabilities, capacity, quality, and orientations. Overall, while several vertical programs for HIV/AIDS exist, the preventive, promotive and primary health care systems (horizontal foundation) are weak, fragmented, and not customer centric. The system is also inadequately adapted to meet the dual burden of diseases due to COVID pandemic.
HIV infected/affected children are highly vulnerable as they are more likely to be victims of abuse, exploitation & deprivation of fundamental rights thereby resulting in extreme and prolonged psychological distress. Children and young people who are immuno-compromised or have pre-existing medical conditions are at higher risk for severe illness from COVID 19. The orphans with HIV are one of the worst affected in this pandemic as they suffer from preexisting immuno-compromised status (HIV), need additional care and protection including awareness, socio emotional support and disease management.
Role of Freedom
In Freedom, the children who are orphaned and HIV+ve are provided with all that is necessary to experience a relatively normal childhood. All children are provided with the fundamental concept of “a house and family atmosphere” all educational, nutrition, medicine, counseling, extra circular activates and other social needs etc. for the children and care givers (community families). The age group of the children are from 4 years to 19 years. Freedom Foundation started focusing on OVC (orphan and vulnerable children) in the context of HIV/AIDS way back in 1996. The Foundation has specialized facilities at Bangalore and Hyderabad that care for HIV positive abandoned orphans.
Currently, Freedom Foundation supporting the care and support centers for orphans living with HIV/AIDS at Bangalore and Hyderabad are facing a child centric humanitarian crisis as the existing funders (small companies, individuals) have either halted funding due to the financial slowdown or have redirected their funding to COVID related causes only. As all of our children and care givers suffer from preexisting immune compromised status (HIV) they all are highly susceptible to covid 19, and are in need of additional protection and care.
Target Beneficiary:
30 orphans living with HIV/AIDS at the residential facility at Bangalore and Hyderabad, 40 orphans living with HIV/AID in the community and approx. 60 caregivers nurtured by the foundation over the years to care for these when needed support.
Total impact- 130 orphaned HIV +ve children living with HIV/AIDS.
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