FHI - FHI Leads Consortium Offering Family-focused Approach to Helping Children Affected by HIV/AIDS in India

JUNE 2008 — Family Health International is a partner in a new HIV/AIDS program in Andhra Pradesh, India that helps children affected by the epidemic by providing holistic services to families, not just the children themselves. Called Balasahyoga, which means "active support to the child," it is based on the premise that the quality of children's lives will be improved if their parent(s) remain healthy, productive, and able to offer a stable home life. Balasahyoga represents the first comprehensive effort to help families affected by HIV/AIDS in India. Moreover, it is addressing the epidemic's impact on a massive scale, with plans to support 30,000 HIV-affected households throughout the state over five years.

Balasahyoga is being funded by the Children's Investment Fund Foundation and the Elton John AIDS Foundation, in partnership with India's National AIDS Control Organization and the Andhra Pradesh State AIDS Control Organization in 11 districts of Andhra Pradesh. Through this funding, FHI and two other partners—the Clinton Foundation and CARE—are providing comprehensive medical and social services and linkages to children and their families. The program leverages the unique strengths of the partners: FHI strengthens community-based services; the Clinton Foundation strengthens government facility-based services; and CARE strengthens nutrition and food security.

Global AIDSLink, the monthly newsletter of the Global Health Council, is currently spotlighting Balasahyoga in a special edition on HIV/AIDS in India. The article (PDF, 555 KB) tells the story of a mother and her daughters who were helped by the program. FHI would like to thank the Global Health Council for their permission to link to the story. The PDF of the entire magazine is available to subscribers only through the Global Health Council's website. Look for issue 107.

PHOTOS: Women's sensitization meeting being held by an outreach worker of St. Paul's Trust, a local organization that implements Balasahyoga. (Anita Khemka)

—Mary Dallao

Special thanks to the FHI India Country Office and St. Paul's Trust for their help with this article.