CARE adopts 101 children
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, February 02, 2011: With the help of the people, CARE Ukhrul has been literally acting as surrogate parent to 101 children living with HIV in Ukhrul district by providing educational and nutritional support.

Out of the 101 children, 58 lost their mothers and are being looked after by their fathers only.

39 children are being looked after by their mothers only having lost their fathers.

But four children have lost both parents.

The Citizens Alliance for Realistic Empowerment, better known as CARE Ukhrul is an NGO with its head office located at Viewland Zone II, Ukhrul town.

In addition to providing various other services, CARE Ukhrul has also been extending educational and nutritional support to children living with HIV.

Notably, the NGO doe not receive any internal or external funding to take up this noble programme of extending educational and nutritional support to the children.

The NGO only sought assistance from the people of Ukhrul town.

The NGO launched its programme since last year under which 50 children are given educational support while nutritional support is extended to 51 children.

Talking to The Sangai Express, chief functionary of the CARE Ukhrul, Leisom Chingrin said that the number of children living with HIV at Ukhrul town has crossed 300.However, CARE Ukhrul is able to extend aid to only 101 children.

"If the people of Ukhrul extend greater assistance to the NGO, we can provide more aid to the children", Leisom said.

The NGO is extending educational support to the children by paying their school fees and providing school bags.

Nutritional support includes provision for rice, dal and sugar.

"CARE Ukhrul is not an NGO exclusively dedicated for welfare of children.

But the gravity of the situation at Ukhrul town where the issue of children living with HIV is alarming, we focus our attention to these children", Leisom Chingrin said.

Of the three children who have lost their both parents and are being looked after by their grandparents, two are living with HIV, Leisom said.

In addition to providing educational and nutritional support, CARE Ukhrul has been organising advocacy programmes in schools located in and around Ukhrul town about HIV and the issue of children living with HIV.

The NGOs has been working to remove discrimination and stigma attached to such children.

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