Brighter Future addresses another need.
Since 2006, when Brighter Future started working for children and mothers with HIV/AIDS, we realised that the virus impacted on many facets of their lives. Brighter Future developed a strategy to address the problems that we encountered. In those days there was no medicine to slow down the disease. We could not help all the children who were infected. Most of the under two year old children died. Brighter Future decided that we would take 12 children who had no one willing, or able, to care for them. We had three beds for very sick children who were literally dying. As demand increased for places at our first home, Prem Nivas, we appealed for funds to build more homes, Karuna Nivas in 2009 and Thompson House in 2012. We decided that we must find these children before they were beyond our help and this led to the Finding and Feeding project at Narasannapeta in Srikakulam District. From 2009 we actively searched villages for people who were sick with HIV/AIDS and helped them to survive by enabling them to get anti-retrovial treatment. Many HIVpositive people were dying of starvation as the drugs do not work on people with malnutrition ( protein and vitamin deficiency) so Brighter Future started providing emergency food rations to them so that they did not die of starvation. Some of our ladies have to live entierely on this monthlyparcel of rice, soya, wheat flour, peanuts, lentils and oil.
It was also why we embarked on building The Pickford Memorial Hospice for HIV mothers and children. Somewhere they could both get nursing, respite or palliative care as circumstances dictated. These days we find that men are surviving longer with HIV treatment so we offer them hospice places too when they become very ill.
In the Indian traditional joint family system a wife moves into the husband's family home. Grandparents, parents, sons and their wives share a house. When the husband has died of HIV and its often of its co-infection TB, the widow is blamed for his death as the method of transmission is often not understood. She is evicted, with her children ifshe has them, from the joint home. She becomes homeless. The women who are widowed find that they may no longer be able pay landlords for accommodation as they have no income, or insufficient income from jobs like washing dishes, or agricultural labouring, and that on days when they are not too sick to be able or be chosen to work. Some widows are already pregnant with a potentially HIV+ child when their husband dies. Such women need a roof over their heads, and treatment for themselves and their baby, before it is born, to try and lessen the passing of the virus to the baby in the very process of giving birth.This need was the reason for the new Sunshine Mother's home at Shanti Nivas.
Faye and her mother, Lyn, came to open the new building on 11th March.
(It was 90% completed as there was still some electrical work to finish and a few things to make the home ready for the first residents.)
We were so amazed at the difference at Shanti Nivas. It is slowly turning into the children's village that Victor envisaged and it's so inspiring to see the effect that Brighter Future is having on so many children's lives.
Sunshine House was easily recognisable as it is painted bright yellow!
It already has a lovely, welcoming feel to it. The house will house 10 women at a time. All of the women are HIV positive. Some have been ostracised from their village because of the virus, some widowed and some sexually abused, so this home will provide a safe place for them to spend their pregnancy and the early months with their newborn. Thanks to the medical facilities on hand, the women here will be provided with the appropriate medication to ensure that their baby is HIV free ,which will change the lives of future generations dramatically.
There was a beautiful opening ceremony which saw 125 guests enjoy a prayer led by by the local pastor, the cutting of the ribbon and a delicious lunch.
Mum and I moved in our first house guests, and as tradition dictates, enjoyed a tasty meal with them in the new building!
We admired the plaques dedicated to our top fundraisers who have swum in open water. run 10K races, completed tough mudders and even stripped naked for cheeky calendars to help raise money for this project.
Our next appeal is to raise funds to furnish the house and make it a home with the simple things that we take for granted.
It was also why we embarked on building The Pickford Memorial Hospice for HIV mothers and children. Somewhere they could both get nursing, respite or palliative care as circumstances dictated. These days we find that men are surviving longer with HIV treatment so we offer them hospice places too when they become very ill.
In the Indian traditional joint family system a wife moves into the husband's family home. Grandparents, parents, sons and their wives share a house. When the husband has died of HIV and its often of its co-infection TB, the widow is blamed for his death as the method of transmission is often not understood. She is evicted, with her children ifshe has them, from the joint home. She becomes homeless. The women who are widowed find that they may no longer be able pay landlords for accommodation as they have no income, or insufficient income from jobs like washing dishes, or agricultural labouring, and that on days when they are not too sick to be able or be chosen to work. Some widows are already pregnant with a potentially HIV+ child when their husband dies. Such women need a roof over their heads, and treatment for themselves and their baby, before it is born, to try and lessen the passing of the virus to the baby in the very process of giving birth.This need was the reason for the new Sunshine Mother's home at Shanti Nivas.
Faye and her mother, Lyn, came to open the new building on 11th March.
(It was 90% completed as there was still some electrical work to finish and a few things to make the home ready for the first residents.)
Faye has written this account of the day.
"The house opening ceremony was amazing! As always we received the warmest of welcomes: Mary made us shalwar suits to wear for the occasion and we were met with garlands of flowers. When we drove into Shanti Nivas there was a welcome banner awaiting us a sea of smiling faces saluting us with "Hello Sister and Aunty"!We were so amazed at the difference at Shanti Nivas. It is slowly turning into the children's village that Victor envisaged and it's so inspiring to see the effect that Brighter Future is having on so many children's lives.
Sunshine House was easily recognisable as it is painted bright yellow!
It already has a lovely, welcoming feel to it. The house will house 10 women at a time. All of the women are HIV positive. Some have been ostracised from their village because of the virus, some widowed and some sexually abused, so this home will provide a safe place for them to spend their pregnancy and the early months with their newborn. Thanks to the medical facilities on hand, the women here will be provided with the appropriate medication to ensure that their baby is HIV free ,which will change the lives of future generations dramatically.There was a beautiful opening ceremony which saw 125 guests enjoy a prayer led by by the local pastor, the cutting of the ribbon and a delicious lunch.
We admired the plaques dedicated to our top fundraisers who have swum in open water. run 10K races, completed tough mudders and even stripped naked for cheeky calendars to help raise money for this project.
It was such a special day which we will always remember and the highlight was, without doubt meeting and moving in our first HIV free baby, Rebecca.
Isn't she just precious!
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| Faye with baby Rebecca |
We look forward to working alongside Brighter Future to ensure this home changes as may lives as possible."
Our next appeal is to raise funds to furnish the house and make it a home with the simple things that we take for granted.
