NGO assists children living with HIV

FRIENDS Foundation, a national non-government organisation, launched the “Follow Your Dream” initiative to assist children living with HIV and AIDS to achieve their dreams on Friday.
Since its inception in 2000, the foundation conducted numerous programmes to address the issue of HIV and ADS in PNG.
Founder Tessie Tahiti Ranu explained that the “Follow Your Dream” programme mentored children who were reaching teenage to cope with diagnosis that was life-long and to live for themselves and their siblings.
“It will be a difficult task but one that I know will get help from you all so we can together give hope to a child to follow their dream till our good Lord calls them and not to succumb to HIV and AIDS because of stigma and discrimination,” she said.
Guest speaker Lynda Babao said the “Follow Your Dreams” programme was a way to help teens cope with the disease.
She said the programme made them realise that HIV and AIDS did not mean an end to life.