AIDS Orphans are leaving their own villages

[Abraham Mutluri]

Due to AIDS, children are becoming AIDS Orphans. They lost one or both parents due to AIDS and facing many problems in their homes, villages, from the family members, neighbors, relatives and other community members. As we know the major issue is Stigma and Discrimination. Still it is there in the communities where NGO's are not working. Due to these reasons HIV affected families are leaving that village and migrate to other village where their relatives and family members are there.

In my observations most of the time children are loosing their fathers due to their habits like alcohol, gutakas etc... After death of the father mother become head of the house and goes to daily wage for the livelihoods, to feed the children. The mothers (young widows) are getting problems from mother in laws, sister in laws and other members in same family. Mothers (young widows) not have platform to share their sorrows and joys with family members because of stigma and discrimination and less respect. They are not getting the properties also. So mother migrates to their mother’s villages where she has hope to share sorrows with parents and continuing their livelihood with the support of mother and other relatives. Due to this reason children are also leaving their own village.

Some times after death of both parents the elder child become head of the house and go for the daily wage for the livelihood. Due to security and livelihood reasons they are also migrate from their own villages and living with maternal grand parents at other villages. Some times adoption is also one way to leave their own villages.

With my own interest I interacted with few children who leave their own villages. They told that they loosing their education, friends, relatives and emotional attachments of house which they live with their parents. They have interest to go back their own villages because they have feeling that is their own village, own house is there and friends and relatives are also there for them. When they live in the same village and house they feel emotional attachment with their parents who died with AIDS. This is also good for them for their psychological wellbeing and accesses their own properties where they have in their own villages. Organizations are also not focusing on this issue because of the security reasons and Budget. But when I interacted with children I felt it is the emotional issue of the children.

With Regards

Abraham Mutluri

Andhra Pradesh

[Taufiq M.A.]

Dear Abraham Mutluri,

I really agree with your story / opinion Brother!! I realized that orphans child got a lot of consequences of the situation. I knew about how they become getting a lot of problem in their village. I think it is the topic that should be focused now from us and of course the government also.

Let we watch together how orphans child being survive in their own village!!! Hopefully they not get Stigma and Discrimination anymore!!

Warm Regards,

Taufiq M.A.

[Bobby Zachariah]

Dear Abraham and Ye Win,

Thank you for sharing your heart and the initiatives that you are making.

Abraham, you shared that these stories of discrimination are happening mostly in locations where NGO's are not working. Have you seen instances in which the communities touched by NGO's share their stories with their neighboring communities?

In one of the communities that I had visited in South India, the young people shared that their 'next step' was to visit the next villages where their friends live. They would like to see that stigma reduces in those villages too.

Responses like this can go beyond organizational priorities, budgets etc.

Regards.

Bobby

[Ye Win]

I strongly agree for that blogs. I am now working with Orphans and Vulnerable Children affected/infected by HIV/AIDS in Myanmar. According to my experience, the OVCs had mostly suffered psychosocial problems and nutritional problems. So we are trying to improve their psychosocial status mainly by creating OVC self help groups. Other social events like forum and workshop are the ways to improve the status. Thanks for sharing good experience.
Have a nice day
Ye Win
Muse, Myanmar