CHAHA means a wish in Hindi launched in 2007 with support from Global Fund. This child centered, community based care and support programme aims to reduce HIV related morbidity and mortality in children and in adults, and addressing the impact of HIV, through right based approach, it builds the capacity of the community to take action and to demand and access various government progammes.
Divya Disha is the implementing agency responding to children affected and infected by HIV/AIDS in 23 mandals of Rangareddy District in Andhra Pradesh from July 2007. This programme is supported by Alliance India and the Technical support is by LEPRA society.
The services offered are as follows:
· Health and medical care – increase access to health and medical care including primary health care, immunization, early identification of HIV status for children and treatment and follow up for ART.
· Supplementary Nutrition support – includes nutrition demonstration, counseling and nutritional supplements to children infected and affected by HIV.
· Educational support – includes enrolment in formal and non formal schools. Support in school supplies if required tuition to all age groups and linkages of skill building or vocational training for children more than 14 years of age.
· Psychosocial support –within the programme, periodic need based counseling is provided by trained counselors to children and families through one to one interactions and home visits.
· Income Generation – activities have been made an important part of the CHAHA intervention to help affected families to become economically independent.
· Household support – in emergency situations, the household support is provided to the families which include one or more of these – travel to hospital, funeral expenses, diagnosis, expenses on medicines, clothes, grocery and other emergency supplies.
Divya Disha has been able to reach out to 404 children both infected and affected till date, and also have built capacities of 200 families in Rangareddy district.
There has also been regular sensitization meetings with key stakeholders – the youth groups, self help groups, village elders group, the elected leaders of the area like the surpanch, Mandal Parishad president etc.
Apart from the above, there has been advocacy meetings and networking with the community, various line departments of women and child welfare department, education department, health department, ICTC’s, PPTCT’s and the local dispensaries and private clinics and positive people networks and the local NGOs.
There are also children support groups formed, this group consists of both children infected and affected other children, this group meets twice a month, and there regular activities like the life skill education programme, an outing, picnic, competitions in drawing, painting, singing, dancing etc.
We celebrate all the important occasions like the children’s day, Women’s day, World AIDs Orphans day, World AIDS Day and all the National celebrations and the local festivals.
