Community Care Centres for children

[Guest guest]

Dear respected members of the List-Serve:

Continuing the dialogue about community care centres for children affected by HIV/AIDS who may have lost one or both parents, we would like to inform the list serve about our work with the Tara Children's Project (TCP) in Bodhgaya, Bihar, "a place to call home" for HIV-affected children.

The project began in 2007​ under the auspices of Root Institute, a Buddhist centre in Bodhgaya which has, for the past two decades, engaged in a number of social service initiatives in surrounding communities. It was through our Shakyamuni Buddha Community Health Programme that we came to realize the need for a project especially dedicated to children living with HIV/AIDS. Sunita first appeared on our doorstep in 2007, just at the time we were considering launching the Tara Children's Project. Her uncle was no longer able to provide her with the level of care he felt she deserved, so

Sunita became our first resident. Today we have nine children, ages five through thirteen years, for whom we have guardianship. The children have come to us from all over India. Tara Children's Project is committed to providing the children with:

a safe and loving environment;

a place to learn universal ethics and values;

access to the same education and opportunities as other children;

holistic health care and nutritional support;

psycho-social support to help them confront trauma, stigma and discrimination;

and a home for life.

All of our children are enrolled in public or private schools under our sponsorship. In addition to their formal education, TCP children receive a "universal education" that teaches foundational principles, ethics and values, including kindness, rejoicing, patience, forgiveness and apology, and courage. Upon returning from class each day, they have access to coaching from a professional tutor to help with homework. They also have music and art classes, as well as supervised play in a safe environment.

A programme of health maintenance and medical care is case managed by an on-site nurse who facilitates their specialty HIV care provided by the regional ART Centre in Gaya and by Root Institute's consulting physicians. Please contact us if you have questions or if you care to refer any needy children to our care. Sincerely, Thubten Labdron

Director, Root Institute

director@... www.rootinstitute.com (follow the link to Tara Children's Project)

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