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This body of work represents the first chapter of Forgotten
Faces of AIDS, which began with frequent visits
to orphanages in New Delhi. Prepared to see frail,
sickly, emaciated infants and children, I was pleasantly
surprised to find relatively healthy, active, happy
youngsters at both the Naz Foundation (India) and CHELSEA
facilities, where HIV is considered a chronic, treatable
disease rather than a death sentence. As I spent time
observing and playing with the youngsters, I realized
that although they are AIDS orphans and most of them
HIV+, they are the fortunate ones: There are over 2
million AIDS orphans living in the rural villages or
wandering the urban streets of India. As many as 200,000
are HIV+ and very few are receiving adequate nutrition,
proper medications and loving care. Worldwide, children
are the most vulnerable to HIV and these images of
AIDS orphans serve as a vivid reminder that hope and
support for these youngsters is urgently needed so
that India will not have to lose an entire generation
before the world takes notice.
~DMG |
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