Next on the Delhi tour we visited Naz Foundation, an extraordinary organization focusing on HIV/AIDs. The program include includes prevention, care and advocacy, and is one of the few organizations working on the controversial issue of MSM (Men having sex with Men), since workers in this field can be arrested under an archaic law dating back to British rule. The home cares for 34 HIV positive orphans aged 10 months to 14 years, and is the only co-ed residential facility for children, which allows siblings to stay together and preserve the family they have left. The Hindi Christmas pageant the children put on could not have been more of a touching experience. The kids created this play (including the costumes) with no adult help. One child made quite an impressive Santa Claus costume out of his inside out jacket (red lining on the outside) and pulled apart cotton balls. I will never forget the twelve year old Indian angel in a white dress yelling at Mary (in Hindi) that she would have a son, and Mary saying “that’s impossible, I’m not even married!” But what was most touching was the children’s behavior towards Saima and me. They were incredibly affectionate and without any signs of stigma or shame that they would have in most parts of the world. They urged us to pick them up, one after another. It struck me that these children lack two of the most important things that children need- family and good health– yet they are some of the most happy and loving children I have ever met. We urged Naz Foundation to put this project up on our site, so stay tuned.

And, to end the evening, a wonderful Indian vegetarian meal. So, a very curry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Save to:  

Tags: aids, Children, Christmas, delhi, globalgiving, HIV

This entry was posted on Monday, December 24th, 2007 at 10:02 pm by Stephanie. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.