Future Forsaken: Protecting Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children of India

Source: Mahabodhi Maitri Mandala (http://www.mahabodhi.net), Published on the Buddhist Channel, July 20, 2007

It's becoming visible. It's just a matter of time until we see more people coming into the open and saying, "I have HIV and some of my children are positive." We want to see that these people are protected, that their children don't end up in child labor, that they get protection. They are vulnerable to abuses. - Doctor, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, November 11, 2003

Los Angeles, USA -- The great majority of the Indians who live with HIV/AIDS are between the ages of fifteen and forty-nine --- the time at which many are also raising children. While HIV/AIDS, exacerbated by discrimination against people living with the disease, is leaving increasing numbers of children in need of state protection and care, the state is failing in that responsibility. Children whom the state fails to protect may be denied an education, pushed onto the street or into the worst forms of child labor, or otherwise exploited.

HIV/AIDS has a devastating effect on families. As parents become increasingly sick, the family loses their wages and household labor. This loss, combined with increased health and funeral expenses, leaves parents less able to pay for children's school fees, medical expenses, food, and other basic necessities.

While the extended family has traditionally absorbed many orphans and other children whose parents are unable to care for them, misinformation about how HIV is transmitted and fear of discrimination by the community causes some families to reject children who are HIV-positive or who are perceived to be because their parents died of AIDS.

Some HIV-positive parents also give up their children to others in the mistaken belief that they will infect their children through casual contact. When extended families do take in children whose parents cannot care for them, they may still need state protection.

Girls are especially at risk, as an NGO community worker explained: "Generally, girls are more vulnerable, especially if they are orphaned. They are likely to be married off at a much younger age or abused by extended family members. There are big gender differences and girls are seen as commodities."

As the epidemic spreads, more children are orphaned and as more caregivers themselves become ill, the extended family's and the community's ability to care for more children is imperiled. Grandparents taking in children, for example, may themselves be in need of physical care and financial support.

Even if India were to slow or arrest the spread of HIV, the Indian government would still need to plan for the care of the growing number of AIDS orphans for many years to come and according to a joint study by UNAIDS, UNICEF, and USAID:

"In general it takes about ten years between HIV infection and death from AIDS. So today's prevalence rates will largely determine the pattern of orphaning for the next decade. Because of the 10-year lag between infection and death, even in a country where HIV prevalence has declined, the numbers of orphans will continue to remain high."

About Mahabodhi Maitri Mandala

The Mahabodhi Maitri Mandala in America is the international branch of the Mahabodhi Sunyata Tierra Pura located in Tarragona, Spain, a non-sectarian Buddhist welfare society and a recognized NGO of the United Nations which provides not only professional healthcare advocasy and outreach in Asia and Latin America, but also a residential program for orphaned children with HIV/AIDS, as well as meditation workshops in the United States and Europe.

A vibrant expression of what is better known today as "World Buddhism" and an example of the growing unity among the various schools of Buddhism, the Mahabodhi Maitri Mandala's advisory committee includes members from both the Mahayana and the Theravada Sangha, united in the belief that none should be excluded from understanding the Dharma shared in common by all Buddhists.

We Need Your Help to Train the
Buddhist AI Chat Bot
NORBU!
(Neural Operator for Responsible Buddhist Understanding)



For Malaysians and Singaporeans, please make your donation to the following account:

Account Name: Bodhi Vision
Account No:. 2122 00000 44661
Bank: RHB

The SWIFT/BIC code for RHB Bank Berhad is: RHBBMYKLXXX
Address: 11-15, Jalan SS 24/11, Taman Megah, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Phone: 603-9206 8118

Note: Please indicate your name in the payment slip. Thank you.


Dear Friends in the Dharma,

We seek your generous support to help us train NORBU, the word's first Buddhist AI Chat Bot.

Here are some ways you can contribute to this noble cause:

One-time Donation or Loan: A single contribution, regardless of its size, will go a long way in helping us reach our goal and make the Buddhist LLM a beacon of wisdom for all.

How will your donation / loan be used? Download the NORBU White Paper for details.



For Malaysians and Singaporeans, please make your donation to the following account:

Account Name: Bodhi Vision
Account No:. 2122 00000 44661
Bank: RHB

The SWIFT/BIC code for RHB Bank Berhad is: RHBBMYKLXXX
Address: 11-15, Jalan SS 24/11, Taman Megah, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Phone: 603-9206 8118

Note: Please indicate your purpose of payment (loan or donation) in the payment slip. Thank you.

Once payment is banked in, please send the payment slip via email to: editor@buddhistchannel.tv. Your donation/loan will be published and publicly acknowledged on the Buddhist Channel.

Spread the Word: Share this initiative with your friends, family and fellow Dharma enthusiasts. Join "Friends of Norbu" at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/norbuchatbot. Together, we can build a stronger community and create a positive impact on a global scale.

Volunteer: If you possess expertise in AI, natural language processing, Dharma knowledge in terms of Buddhist sutras in various languages or related fields, and wish to lend your skills, please contact us. Your knowledge and passion could be invaluable to our project's success.

Your support is part of a collective effort to preserve and disseminate the profound teachings of Buddhism. By contributing to the NORBU, you become a "virtual Bodhisattva" to make Buddhist wisdom more accessible to seekers worldwide.

Thank you for helping to make NORBU a wise and compassionate Buddhist Chatbot!

May you be blessed with inner peace and wisdom,

With deepest gratitude,

Kooi F. Lim
On behalf of The Buddhist Channel Team


Note: To date, we have received the following contributions for NORBU:
US$ 75 from Gary Gach (Loan)
US$ 50 from Chong Sim Keong
MYR 300 from Wilson Tee
MYR 500 from Lim Yan Pok
MYR 50 from Oon Yeoh
MYR 200 from Ooi Poh Tin
MYR 300 from Lai Swee Pin
MYR 100 from Ong Hooi Sian
MYR 1,000 from Fam Sin Nin
MYR 500 from Oh teik Bin
MYR 300 from Yeoh Ai Guat
MYR 300 from Yong Lily
MYR 50 from Bandar Utama Buddhist Society
MYR 1,000 from Chiam Swee Ann
MYR 1,000 from Lye Veei Chiew
MYR 1,000 from Por Yong Tong
MYR 80 from Lee Wai Yee
MYR 500 from Pek Chee Hen
MYR 300 from Hor Tuck Loon
MYR 1,000 from Wise Payments Malaysia Sdn Bhd
MYR 200 from Teo Yen Hua
MYR 500 from Ng Wee Keat
MYR 10,000 from Chang Quai Hung, Jackie (Loan)
MYR 10,000 from K. C. Lim & Agnes (Loan)
MYR 10,000 from Juin & Jooky Tan (Loan)
MYR 100 from Poh Boon Fong (on behalf of SXI Buddhist Students Society)
MYR 10,000 from Fam Shan-Shan (Loan)
MYR 10,000 from John Fam (Loan)
MYR 500 from Phang Cheng Kar
MYR 100 from Lee Suat Yee
MYR 500 from Teo Chwee Hoon (on behalf of Lai Siow Kee)
MYR 200 from Mak Yuen Chau

We express our deep gratitude for the support and generosity.

If you have any enquiries, please write to: editor@buddhistchannel.tv


TOP