Murugan's story

Murugan is six years old and lives with his mother, Mariamma, near Trichy in Tamil Nadu. Murugan regularly misses school due to side effects of the treatment that he just started – Murugan and Mariamma are both HIV+.

After his father passed away 6 months ago, Murugan’s father’s family decided they wanted nothing to do with him or his mother. Mariamma is unable to work and so cannot pay for Murugan’s schools fees, nutritious food Murugan needs to keep side effects at bay or the twice monthly trip to the hospital by bus.

But Murugan is now one of 100 HIV+ children being supported by Jeevika Trust and our Tamil partner, Mithra Foundation. Murugan attends a crèche where he is fed nutritious food and looked after while Mariamma has been taught to earn money by making up to 10 kgs of candles a day to meet the inexhaustible demand from local temples. She has also received training to provide support for others in the same situation – ‘For the first time in my life since I was diagnosed with HIV, I have found a purpose for living. I have now decided that I will counsel and act as a role model for others who have HIV.’

Would you like to know how you can make a difference to other children and their families, just like Murugan and his mother?

Note: No photographs of individual beneficiaries are being included on this page in order to protect their identities.