By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR/GOPALPUR: HIV-positive children who grow up in institutions like ‘Shraddha Sanjivani Child Care Home (SSCCH)’ in Odisha’s Gopalpur in Ganjam, have got a major boost after 5T Secretary VK Pandian held an interaction with them on the 14th Foundation Day. Pandian was earlier served as Ganjam Collector and earned good name for his humanitarian work.
The senior IAS officer urged upon kids to work hard to reach their goals and urged them to remain passionate about study. “#5T Secretary to CM, V K Pandian interacted with children of Shraddha Sanjeevani Child Care Home, Gopalpur during 14th Foundation Day of the organisation,” MoSarkar 5T tweeted@MoSarkar5T.
SSCCH was established on December 21, 2007 to provide shelter to HIV-positive destitute children of Ganjam district, the most AIDS-prone region of Odisha. It is being managed by the Ganjam district administration. Till now, around 80 HIV-positive children have enrolled in SSCCH and more than 41 of them are residing there currently. The rest left it after attaining 18 years of age or were taken back by their surviving parents.
Eeven if property rights are give to these children through legal measures, they are not be able to enjoy it as they are mentally not accepted by their parental families. So, the management of SSCCH feels each such case has to be dealt with separately, and legal aid has to be provided to ensure parental property rights to these HIV-positive children when they grow up. 5T Secretray’s interaction has raised a ray of hope for them, sources added.
