Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, May 01 2009:
The World AIDS Orphans Day was observed at Kangla Hall here today under the joint aegis of the SASO, MNP+, DPU and Sneha Bhavan.
The observance was graced by MACS Project Director (Technical) Kh Pramodkumar, UNAIDS State Coordinator H Sushilkumar and Director Social Welfare S Saratkumar as chief guest, guest of honour and president respectively.
Giving keynote address of the function, SASO general secretary (Y Sachikumar said that for every 15 seconds every child is losing one of their parents across the world due to AIDS.
At present, there are 25 million children in the world who have lost either their mother or father or both because of AIDS.
Millions of these children have been unable to get their square meals a day.
They don't have homes and they are being denied the right to education.
Under funding from GFATM Round 6, HIV/AIDS Alliance is targeting to provide certain benefits to 4200 children and their families by 2011 across the country under its Chaha programme.
Under the same initiative, MNP+, DPU, Sneha Bhavan and SASO have been implementing Chaha programme since 2007 in six districts of Manipur��Ukhrul, Bishnupur, Imphal West, Imphal East, Thoubal and Chandel.
A total of 1749 children were provided assistance under the programme till March this year.
Out of these children, 45.7 percent have lost either father or mother due to AIDS.
Another 11 percent have lost both parents, Sachikumar said.
Saying that the basic objective of observing the World AIDS Orphans Day was to draw attention of the general public and the media towards the plight of the HIV/AIDS affected children, he said that it was also aimed at invoking the Government to take some concrete measures to avert social ill-consequences that may result as an off-shoot of the present economic woes and other problems being faced by these hapless children.