#GoodNews: Chennai Man Is ‘Father’ to 45 HIV Positive Children

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(Photo: The Quint)

45 HIV positive children abandoned by their families have found a home in Shelter Trust run by Solomon Raj in Chennai who is popularly referred to as appa (father) by them, reported ANI.

The adopted children are endowed with education, medical care, training in crafts, arts, dance and other skills, equipping them to pursue their field of interest.

Several of them have been enrolled in Class 11 and Class 12, seven of them even pursuing their graduation in various streams, according to ANI.

Raj said he was inspired to take the initiative when even after eight years into his marriage, he had no child.

However, Raj had blessed with a biological child later. Raj said his guilt of not helping a child in need prompted him to adopt his first HIV positive child and it continued.

Though the expenses of the children's health and education becomes a problem at times, Raj said, “Now I am a father to 45 HIV positive children and it gives me great satisfaction when they call me ‘appa’”, reported ANI.

An HIV positive girl who is in class XI said that she wants to become a doctor and help others. “HIV positive children are in no way less than normal children,” she said.