Street children

Rescuing runaway and abandoned children in Guntur and Prakasam districts, Andhra Pradesh by providing care and protection and a way back into mainstream life. The worrying phenomenon is that rural children heading into city due to social and economic situations.

The children find themselves with nowhere to sleep and a daily struggle for food. They are forced by peer pressure group into situations to consume substances i.e. glue solution, cigarettes, alcohol etc.

The children in menace not able to enjoy their legitimate right to play associate and educate which is contrary to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. HEARTS by encouraging all children to read and write also empower their rights. The ultimate aim is to reach them as early as possible before they are exposed to the horrendous experiences of living on the streets.

When possible the aim is to reunify with their families and for others to become equipped with skills, vocational training and formal education to build a strong future.

Orphan children

There are many orphan and destitute children in remote villages and urban towns always requesting or looking for help. When a boy or girl live under poverty and having lost both father and mother is not just physical survival question but mentally stressful too.

Main occupation of the people here is agriculture. Due to severe floods or some seasons droughts hit heavily on families causing economic situations. Some times farmers commit suicide because of loss in crop or fall of market rates.

It is evident that unless the children have some kind of property, the relatives of orphan and destitute children throws them out on the streets. Sometimes they sell them to prostitute homes to other states.

In such situations children are in a state of despair and expect to suffer the pain in silence. Moreover, the children if not attended promptly get involved in petty crime and easily get involved with alcohol and drugs, and further suffer from Police harassment. Many children end up as victims of sexual and physical exploitation, child labourers or even used for drug trafficking.

Therefore HEARTS come to their rescue and offer them a better future in a residential setting until they complete education or trainings in gainful vocations. We do not make them dependant but independent by facilitating various opportunities available to them.

HIV/AIDS

Young adults and even children are also ‘at risk’ of infecting or affecting with HIV/AIDS. Due to lack of information about sexually transmitted infections and lack of access to health care, many children and young adults are forced to be victims of this deadly disease.

In India, government statistics, which are considered to be conservative, put the number of people living with HIV/AIDS at up to 4.58 million in 2002, of whom some 200,000 were said to be children under age fifteen. The current study of the state Government shows that out of 23 districts in the state, Prakasam and Guntur are highly affected with HIV/AIDS.

HEARTS runs two programmes to tackle this problem: 1) Prevention 2) Community based care and support. There is still so much to be done for children and young adults to realise of this disease. HEARTS actively working to save hundreds of children from getting HIV through intervention programmes.

Disaster Relief

It could be TSUNAMI, FLOODS, EARTHQUAKES, CYCLONES, DROUGHTS, FOOD STARVATION OR SIMPLY ABSOLUTE POVERTY

HEARTS reach them first as quick as possible with necessary relief materials. Helps local authorities with rescue operations and provide temporary shelter in tents. Community volunteers and staff stays in disaster places until everyone gets basic relief supplies i.e. food, water, medicines, clothing, blankets and cooking utensils.