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About Us
History | Fact Sheet | Founders | Associates | Annual Report |
Freedom Foundation works in the fields of Alcoholism/Drug addiction and AIDS. Its De-addiction(Substance Abuse) home has the highest recovery rate in the country at 49% while its HIV/AIDS facility is considered a Nodal Centre to be replicated in the rest of the country.
Established in 1992,
the Foundation was initially started to provide an effective treatment
programme for alcoholics and drug-addicts. Three years down the line, and a link was
noticed between addiction and AIDS. In 1995, the Foundation took on the onerous task of addressing the issue of AIDS. An year later, it opened a rehabilitation centre for HIV positive people, the first of its kind in the country.
Located in a farm, Freedom Foundation comprises two centres -- Centre I for Substance Abuse
and Centre II for HIV/AIDS. Both are 50-bed residential units, just a kilometre
from each other. While the centre for substance abuse charges fees, the AIDS
centre is absolutely free.
The AIDS Centre combines within itself a Day Care Centre and Short/Long Stay Home with rehabilitation, counselling and hospice care. Food, shelter and medicines are provided, since most of the patients who come here are poor and have no where to go. Patients are, however, encouraged to take up work like candle-making, greeting cards, paper envelopes and bags etc., This is aimed at not only helping them out monetarily but at also increasing their feeling of self worth -- a vital aspect of rehabilitation.
Completing the picture of a true home are pets, deserted by their owners, but loved and cared for at Freedom Foundation. A blind Doberman, two cat's, lovebirds and poultry are also among the permanent residents here.
In December 2000 a second De-addiction Centre was opened in Hyderabad. And in March 2001 two HIV/AIDS Care and Support facilities were started, one at Hyderabad and another at Bellary, where the incidence of HIV is high. Another HIV/AIDS Care Centre will be started shortly at Udupi, Karnataka State and one more is being planned at Mangalore in collaboration with the YMCA. A Project to rehabilitate Sex Workers at Siruguppa, near Bellary, Karnataka State as being running since June 2001.
The organisation, also works in the community, educating villagers about AIDS and the spread of this disease. They also have corporate sessions to train those in business or industry on how best to deal with employees affected by AIDS.
Presently, the Centre has the distinction of being named as the Ideal low-cost community-based home by the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) and the Karnataka State AIDS Prevention Society. One of the Executive Trustees Ashok Rau, has also been nominated by the President of India as a member of the Technical Resource Group on Legal and Ethical Issues of HIV/AIDS. He is also a member of the National AIDS committee.
Commonwealth Award - Freedom Foundation and Ashok Rau were awarded the first Commonwealth Award for Comprehensive Care in HIV/AIDS. There were 72 nominations for this Global Award.
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