LEPRA Society

Introduction
Achievements
Case Study
Advocacy Meetings
Events & Workshops

Introduction

CHAHA PROJECT:

Children affected by HIV/AIDS – Health and Happiness for All

CHAHA is a Hindi word literary means “a wish”. CHAHA project was initiated in 2007, with the support of GFATM Round 6, the India HIV/AIDS Alliance (as a civil society Principal Recipient) and its consortium of 8 Sub-Recipient. According to 2007 estimates from the NACO, 70,000 children below the age of 15 yrs are living with HIV in India and 21,000 children are infected every year through parent-to-child transmission. Over the 5 years CHAHA project is extending Care and support services to 64,000 infected or affected children by HIV/AIDS and their families (especially women headed households) and is working closely with the stakeholders and Government Ministries to find ways to keep children with their parents or extended families. This is the child centered, community based Care & Support program aims at reducing the HIV- related morbidity and mortality in child and adults and addressing the impact of HIV. CHAHA program aims at empowering the community to identify their needs and provide them the home-based care and support program. Through a rights based approach, it builds the capacity of the community to take action and to demand and access various government entitlements & services.

Goal: To reduce HIV-related morbidity/ mortality in adults & children & address the impact of HIV on children.
Purpose: To improve care and support services to children living with HIV/AIDS & children affected by HIV/AIDS & enable interventions which keep them with their parents or extended families
Program Strategies:

• To improve care and support services to children infected/affected by HIV/AIDS; support interventions which keep children with parents and families.
• To create a supportive environment to reduce stigma and discrimination through community mobilization, sensitization and working with key stakeholders.
• To create a supportive environment for strengthening civil society and institutional capacity building with ongoing technical support.
• To develop information systems and conduct operational research by testing and implementing the monitoring and evaluation tools across all levels of the program.

Project Partner NGOs:

The following are the partner of LEPRA in implementing CHAHA in 5 districts of Andhra Pradesh.

	Divya Disha H No. 9-1-127, IIIrd & Ivth Floor, Opp. St. Mary’s Church, Lane adjucent to Madhwa Nursing Home, S.D. Road
	GRAM Abhyudaya Mandali (GRAM), Dharmaram-503230, Nizamabad district, A.P
	Hyderabad Leprosy Control & Health Society (HLCHS), H.No.5-9-209/8, Zama Plaza, Chirag Ali Lane, Abids, Hyderabad. AP
	Ravicherla Integrated Development and Education Society (RIDES), 7-309, Sneha building Banginapalli Garden Nuzvid 5212021, Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh
	People’s Action for Creative Education (PEACE), Near SLNS Degree College, Bhongiri, Nalgonda dist. AP 508116
	Women's Organization for Rural Development, H. No,.-5-8-735, Near Panchayati Raj Office, Ashok Nagar Colony, Kammareddy, Pin code- 503111

CHAHA Services:

• Access to health care
• Nutritional Support
• Educational Support
• Household support
• Psychosocial support
• Counseling, Children Support Groups
• Income Generation
• Excess to social welfare schemes
• Referral service for HIV testing and medication

Achievements:

LEPRA Update (June’07 – June’10)
Total Population (till June’10)	Total Mandals Covered	Children Registered		No. of Households	Women Headed Household
		CAA	CLHA
6843020	73	4203	612	3571	1407 (39%)

S.No

Indicator Description

June’07 – June’2010
Target	Achievement

Number of CLHA/CAA under 18 years of age benefiting from a minimum package of care and support services

4727

4815

Number of CLHA/CAA receiving supplementary nutrition from the implementing NGO

1892

1902

Number of CLHA/CAA provided with educational support and/or vocational training

757

764

Number of children referred for pediatric ART to a healthcare institution

237

215

Number of households of CLHA/CAA covered by basic support

2365

2366

Number of Children support groups formed

Number of children referred for OI treatment / Prophylaxis

709

414

Number of sensitization meeting held in community

228

248

Number of Household provided household support

472

Achievement 2010 (till June’10)

Objectives : to Improve care and support services to children living with HIV/AIDS & children affected by HIV/AIDS [6169 children in five districts of AP] & enable interventions which keep them with their parents or extended families	Targets - 2010	Achievement 2010 (till June’10)
	Targets - 2010	Achievement 2010 (till June’10)
Number of CLHA/CAA under 18 years of age benefitting from a minimum package of care and support services	2688	1267
Number of CLHA/CAA receiving supplementary nutrition from the implementing NGO (Directly)	1075	513
Number of CLHA/CAA provided with educational support and/or vocational training	428	226
Number of children referred for OI treatment / CTX	403	164
Number of children referred for pediatric ART to a healthcare institution	134	106
Number of households provided income generation support	269	124
Number of households of CLHA/CAA covered by basic support	1344	642
Number of Children support groups formed	34	17
Number of participants (influential people or decision makers) attended the sensitization meetings held in communities	780	828
Number of sensitization meetings held in communities (with influential people or decision makers)	78	52
No of NGO/CBO staff trained	50	169

Achievement 2009

Objectives : to Improve care and support services to children living with HIV/AIDS & children affected by HIV/AIDS [6169 children in five districts of AP] & enable interventions which keep them with their parents or extended families	Targets - 2009	Achieved 2009
Number of CLHA/CAA under 18 years of age benefitting from a minimum package of care and support services	2016	2125
Number of CLHA/CAA receiving supplementary nutrition from the implementing NGO (Directly)	806	841
Number of CLHA/CAA provided with educational support and/or vocational training	323	368
Number of children referred for OI treatment / CTX	302	222
Number of children referred for pediatric ART to a healthcare institution	101	142
Number of households provided income generation support	202	209
Number of households of CLHA/CAA covered by basic support	1008	1070
Number of Children support groups formed	25	25
Number of participants (influential people or decision makers) attended the sensitization meetings held in communities	960	1591
Number of sensitization meetings held in communities (with influential people or decision makers)	96	115
No of NGO/CBO staff trained	260	183

Case Study 1 :

Kumari Saritha and Sandyarani of Mambapur village, Peddemul Mandal, Tandur Division were registered under CHAHA in P8 period (8th April, 2009). The children were referred by ICTC. They are 11yrs and 7yrs old, and studying in 6th and 1st standard respectively in a government school. The children mother is an agriculture wage laborer and father is an auto driver. Both the parents of the children are HIV positive. The mother is on ART since 2008. The income of the family is Rs. 1600/- as the mother was not able to go to work due to her health condition and also she is engaged in the work for only 4-5mths. in a year. She gets a wage of Rs.40/- per day. The father was also irregular to work due to his health condition. Due to which the education of elder child was affected purchase note books and the child was irregular to school. The family was supported with household support during registration. The mother was provided IGP support of Rs.1, 500/- after one month of registration, for vegetable vending considering her health condition. In the same quarter both the children were supported with education and nutrition as per the need. Kum. Saritha was provided education support to purchase note books and school uniform. And Kum. Sadhyarani was registered under nutrition support considering that her physical growth. And the child use to complain of fever in frequent intervals and skin rashes. The child is provided Horlicks, Egg and Milk on monthly basis. The weight of the child was measured by the counselor during providing the support. It was 12kgs. And also mother of the child was oriented on the physical status of the child and the importance of nutritious food for her growth by the counselor during his home visit and ensured that the child is taking the nutritious food provided under CHAHA. The child growth was measured by weight chart where in there was improvement of 2kgs. in her weight after 6mths. The health complaints have minimized.

Mean while the children were also referred to ICTC for HIV testing during August’09. The results of the test show that they are HIV negative. At present the children are going to school regularly. The monthly income of the family has increased to Rs.2, 500/- as the mother is able to earn Rs.60/- per day from vegetable vending. The mother health condition has improved as she is regularly using ART medicines. She provided with ART travel and medicines for any opportunistic infection. She has joined as Volunteer in our programme. She was able to identify 25 children for registering under CHAHA to provide care and support services. She was awarded as best volunteer by Mr. Isidore Philip, Director, Divya Disha on World AIDS Day observation
Case Study 2 :

Mr. T. Balakrishna of Antharam Village, Tandur Mandal was registered under CHAHA in P9 (20th July, 2009). He is 14yrs old and studying in 9th standard at government school. The case was referred by ICTC. His father has left the family after one year of his birth. Both are staying at his grand mother’s house. His mother works as a labor in stone company and earns an income of Rs. 1400/- per month. The child’s mother is HIV positive and is on ART since 6mths. She was irregular to her work The mother of the child was registered under IGP support for vegetable vending of Rs.1500/- in December’09. She is earning Rs.60 - 70 per day from this business. The family was also provided with ration, ART travel and other medicines, water filter and utensils under house hold support during registration. Due to the family situation, the child’s mother was depressive as she was unable to go to work daily and no support from her husband. The counselor has given moral support to her and motivated her in starting her own business. He also guided the women in usage of ART medicines regularly. Now she is confident enough in running the family and maintaining her health. Driven by this she has joined as a volunteer in CHAHA programme and was able to identify 10 CLHA/CAA’s to access the care and support services

Advocacy Meetings

2 advocacy meetings with different officials from the revenue department, Deputy Director Adult Education Department and SHGs with the purpose of the meeting was to provide the widow pensions, loans and free Medical aid to PLWHA.

Strengthening of referrals/Linkages

LEPRA assisted in strengthening the linkages between the iNGOs and VCTCs in Vikarabad (Rangareddy district) with the support of APCP Coordinator, Positive Women Network in Medchal (Rangareddy district) to increase access to services.

State Level Advocacy Meetings

On December 1st, 2007 World’s AIDS Day was observed in coordination with APSACS, FHI, Plan India, CRS, AAA, VMM and some other local NGO’s.The theme chosen for 2007 focuses on “LEADERSHIP” – highlighting the need for innovation, vision and perseverance in the face of the AIDS challenge. An appeal was made to Chief Minister about their rights and concerns.

Strengthening of civil society & Institutional Capacity Building

The following capacity building programmes have been organized for the project staff during the year.

Sl. No	Name of the Training	Nature of Participants	Organizer	Date & Month
1	National level Workshop on CHAHA components	SR project staff	Alliance India	31st July ‘07 to 10th Aug ‘07
2	Workshop on Strengthening Monitoring and Evaluation Tools	M&E Officers from SR	Alliance India	21st & 22nd September ‘07
3	Child Centred Programming	PCs of iNGOs & PO – Care & Support	Alliance India	20th to 22nd Nov ‘07
4	State Level Workshop on CHAHA components	PCs/Counsellors/Accountants of iNGOs in AP	LEPRA Society	27th Aug ’07 to 01st Sept 07
5	Training for ORWs	ORWs of 6 iNGOs	LEPRA Society	23rd – 25th Oct ‘07
6	Training for counsellors	Counsellors of iNGOs	LEPRA Society	26th Oct ‘07

Events & Worshops

• Past • Ongoing • Future