Keep a Child Alive

Day 10 - Dheeraj: Learning to Be Loved

Dheeraj is a smart young boy of 12 years. Four years ago, his father died of AIDS.  His mother, also HIV+, deserted Dheeraj after his father’s death, leaving him to live with his uncle.  His uncle took him to be tested for HIV, and he started taking ARV medication after he tested positive.
 
Without loving care and support in his uncle’s home, Dheeraj ran away and struggled to survive on his own.  Living on the streets, he was forced to beg, and coped with his desperate situation by drinking and smoking.  He would roam the city streets and beg at temples during the day, spend anything he earned on alcohol at night, and try to sleep in temples.
 
Dheeraj stopped taking his ARVs after he ran away from home, and soon developed opportunistic infections including scabies and diarrhea.  When he was brought to the RNP+ Aanchal Care Home in December 2008, his health was incredibly poor.  In addition to his poor health, Dheeraj was suffering the effects of the extreme neglect he had experienced for so long.  He did not understand the love and support being offered to him by the caretakers who he felt had no reason to care about him.
 
Since living at the Aanchal Care Home, Dheeraj is adhering to his ARV medication, closely monitored by his counselor and caretakers.  Once a month he visits the local ART center at the government hospital at Jalore with his ART diary to receive a month’s supply of his medicine. He takes a dose of ART in the morning and evening, and now with proper medication and nutrition, he is putting on weight and growing tall.
 
Today, Dheeraj has made many friends with the children at the Aanchal Care Home.  He is studying in 5th Standard in school and his favorite subjects are Hindi and English. His teachers speak very highly of him, as one of the most intelligent students in their class.  Dheeraj continues to work hard in school because he wants to one day realize his dream of becoming a doctor.          
 
The RNP+ Aanchal Care Home is making it possible for Dheeraj to reclaim his childhood, to live in a loving, safe environment that fosters and encourages his hopes and dreams.  This is why we do what we do at Keep a Child Alive. Text BUYLIFE to 90999 to give $10 to help KCA continue these daily inspirational stories of hope, love and strength.

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