A family of 4 (including 2 teenagers) committed suicide in Namakkal - What went wrong?

What went wrong?
In the recent incident in Namakkal district, a family committing suicide due to HIV and AIDS was a shocking instance to many, especially the agencies working in the field of HIV and AIDS. 
http://www.ndtv.com/article/south/aids-afflicted-couple-two-teenage-children-commit-suicide-in-tamil-nadu-502698
As a center working with children and adolescents living with and affected by HIV and AIDS and their care takers, we had a small group discussion with young volunteers (HIV infected and affected adolescents) and women living with HIV. We first discussed on the causes and then the solutions one can do prevent such instances in the future, the discussion points are presented below;

Causes:
1. Self stigma
The fear of being stigmatized and discriminated by the community is the strongest reason .
 “though I am aware of the transmission routes,because of the moralistic connotation they link HIV with I still fear how my neighbors will treat me and my children after knowing my HIV status”.
2. Lack of adequate information about living positively and early disclosure:
There should be more focused information built during the counseling process and disclosure process should be encouraged to the first person diagnosed in the family; in this case the man and counseling should be given to the family as a whole.
3. Lack of Awareness in school:
Awareness is only around the transmission routes and not the care of people already living with HIV. Information are mostly fear based and hence stigma is strong against people and children living with HIV.

Solutions:
1. Meaningful support groups of people living with HIV and young children:
This helps people living with HIV and children to meet others like them and that builds confidence about living with HIV.This further helps in breaking the self stigma of each individual as being in the support group makes you feel more accepted.
2. Counseling should cater to the family as a whole:
Family counseling is essential,even if the children are not infected it is important that they also have the right information about HIV and that helps them support their parents better.
3. Counseling should encourage disclosure :
The first person tested in the family should be encouraged with skills on disclosure which can prevent new infections or early treatment for the other member in the family.
4. School Awareness should be around de-stigmatising HIV
Current information provides knowledge on HIV ,but information that encourages support towards people living with HIV is important .

“I am living with HIV, but I am scared to share my status to my friends in schools ,because the information they have is very moralistic and fear based”.

Buds of Christ is running special support groups for adolescents living with HIV, adolescents who have lost parents to HIV and widow mothers living with HIV in Namakkal. During these meetings, adolescents living with and orphaned are empowered to live life with dignity and respect. Many young people are now volunteers in sharing their testimonies to other children affected like them.

Stay in touch with us, and be part of living life positively....

Popular posts from this blog

Confidence Building Camp for Orphan Adolescents

Image
What is Buds N Colors Camp? Buds N Colors camp is for adolescent children orphaned and affected by HIV and AIDS in the HIV high prevalent Namakkal district in Tamilnadu. The aim of this camp is to share love, build hope and strengthen faith to live life with dignity and courage. Why this camp? Adolescents living with HIV find it hard to set higher goals due to the fear that dominates their emotions. HIV has affected their self –image causing a severe low self esteem. Our experiences from the previous camp have shown, given a space for the adolescents, they emerge as leaders of hope and change for others like them. Who are the participants at Buds N Colors Camp? This camp is exclusively for adolescent children who have lost one or both parents to HIV and AIDS in the age group of 12 to 18 years. Around 40 adolescent children will participate in this camp What is the uniqueness of the camp? This camp provides opportunity for creating peer buddies among ...
Read more

Nothing is impossible for those that BELIEVE – Bharathi has scored 408 in 10th public exams amidst difficult circumstances

Image
It is another joyous moment to share that our children have excelled in their 10 th public exams and going beyond the limitations and challenges once again. The experiences of these children, especially widow headed households face the pressures of early marriages; or stopping education and sent for work to support the family income. In addition if they are the most backward caste in the community, they are often discriminated by other members in the community. Bharathi has put her dream path, possible challenges and how she would overcome them  Bharathi is from the most backward community and living with her widowed mother. She has one elder sister who eloped and got married to a boy from the neighbouring village. Bearing the stigma of run-away sister, widowed mother’s daughter and the caste discrimination, along with severe power cuts that lasted up to 12 hours in a day, Bharathi as young as 14 years took these obstacles as milestones to prove her capacity and bring a ...
Read more

Educating Children Enabling Independence

Image
“Education is for improving the lives of other and for leaving our community and world better than we found it.” Buds of Christ organised Education support program for boys and girls on 7 October 2021. 16 children from class 9 th to 12 th participated and received school bags and notebooks.   The event started with a moral story on Being Focussed on the Vision for life shared by Mr. Jeyapaul Director of Buds of Christ. Following that Communication skill was taught to children as part of Life Skills Education.   The reason for Buds of Christ to enhance the skills of children on Life skills goes with the quote that “Education is not just about going to school and getting a degree. It’s about widening our knowledge and absorbing the truth about life".   This was followed by life experience sharing by the Program Chief Guest Ms. Kaleeswari, Commercial Assistant from TamilNadu Electricity Board.   She shared her life history and motivated the children to be eager for stu...
Read more