Breaking stigma: Two HIV+ kids participate in Children’s Olympics

By NewsGram Staff Writer

Two HIV positive children from Bangalore Schools Sports Foundation (BSSF) participated in Children's Olympics, Netherlands.

Budding sportspersons, Babu and Manik were trained for six months to take part in the tournament held in June 2015. The duo has shattered the myth that being HIV positive is the end of the road.

Elvis Joseph, the founder of BSSF, had been working towards the training of young sportspersons since the inception of BSSF. The efforts of the Bangalore School Sports Foundation have been instrumental in providing a chance for youngsters in International children's games. Elvis Joseph wants "to ensure that all children's earliest experiences of sport and physical activity are positive and rewarding." And he extends that concern to children living in slums and prisons, as well as those living with HIV and disabilities.

With the help of the sports minister of Karnataka in 2009, Goolihatti Shekhar, Elvis began to get Bangalore children represented every year in the International Children's Games. "He said Bangalore city should be a part of the global map. He stood by my vision and said he will support me in this," remembers Elvis.

The vision of the foundation is to reach one million children in the country and impact their lives through sports. The aim is to encourage, promote and support sports and healthy lifestyle initiatives for children.

BSSF now organizes the Bangalore School Games every alternate year, where more than 3,000 children compete in 12 disciplines.