GUWAHATI, OCTOBER 28: A group of 17 orphaned children struggle with HIV+ virus daily, but their indomitable will to live positively is evident as they are all set to celebrate the festival of lights tomorrow with traditional gaiety and fervour.
The inmates of government-run Kasturi-Child Care Home, managed by AIDS-HIV activist Jahnabi Goswami, will celebrate Diwali with people from different sections of the society following an initiative taken by an NGO ‘Priybondhu’.
“The inmates suffer not only from the disease, but are also deprived of several things considered as absolutely necessity by us. So we decided to appeal the people to come forward and bring some light into the lives of these children,” Priyobondhu’s Archana Borthakur told PTI.
The programme titled ‘Positive Lights’ is aimed to fill the lives of these children, the youngest of whom is two-years-old, with “light and joy even if it is for a day though we hope, it can be forever,” she said.
Goswami, who herself lost her husband and daughter to the disease, said they are faced with acute shortage of food and other essentials and so had urged the NGO to come forward and help them in any way they could.
“The children, who have lost their parents to AIDS, need expensive medicines and after meeting their medical requirements, it is difficult to meet their other needs,” she said.
“People have come forward to donate for the event, but a lot needs to be done to ease the sufferings of the little ones,” Borthakur added.
‘Priyobondhu’ has planned to light one thousand and one earthen lamps, decorate the home with lights and Rangoli and distribute food packets and educational materials along with other essential commodities collected from people.
The child care home was inaugurated by former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi in 2012.
