After parents die of AIDS, kids battle to survive

Three young children in Andhra Pradesh are facing a battle for survival after their parents died of the HIV infection and the society left them ostracised.

"When my mother died, no one even came near us; My brother, sister and I carried her," said Raghu, one of the children.

The family consists of 16-year-old Raghu, and her two sisters. Raghu now needs a little help so he can help his sisters and many more like them.

One of his sisters, Yashoda, said no one even wanted to come near them, leave alone help in any way, after her parents died of HIV/AIDS two years ago.

At 15, Yashoda dropped out of school and started rolling beedis so that the family doesn't go hungry and her younger brother and sister go to school.

Raghu has now scored 91 per cent in his class X exam.

"He knows that his sister wants him to study well and get good marks. So he worked really hard and I am so happy he has got such good marks," Yashoda said.

Raghu has been shortlisted for admission to the Indian Institute of Information Technology but the family can't afford the fees.

"I studied in a government school and got 548 marks. I want to study further but no one has come forward to help," Raghu said.

He breaks down while appealing for help. There was too much pain in the past for him and the future still remains grim. But Yashoda tells him they won't give up.

These children are fighting against the worst odds. All that they need is a little helping hand so they can get a chance to rewrite their own destiny.