Adopted parents' love for HIV baby

October 14, 2008

Friday, October 10, 2008, (Mumbai)

Raj Chavan was just one year old when his parents died. HIV positive and

abandoned Raj found a new lease of life when a family from a neighbouring

village in Sindhudurg in southern Maharashtra adopted him.

The Chavans had no relation to Raj's biological parents and this decision

charged them socially and financially, as they had to bring him to Mumbai

regularly for treatment.

" People run away when they hear AIDS and HIV. Family was with me but others you

can guess, " said Ramesh Chavan, Peon and Raj's father.

" We live on rent. As soon as the landlords come to know of this they ask us to

leave, " said Reshma Chavan, Raj's mother.

The Chavans already have two daughters, one of whom is handicapped. Bringing Raj

home was a collective decision after the family saw him bleeding in a corner of

his parents home in the neighbouring village. Now, he is a bundle of energy .

" I have taken a loan of 1.5 lakh. I manage his treatment with that, " said

Ramesh.

" Not everyone gets the opportunity to do some good, " said Reshma.

At a time when the nation is debating, if children who are not likely to be

healthy should be born or not, the Chavan's decision was based on a simple

emotion. That every child is bundle of joy.

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