CHENNAI: Actor Kamal Hassan on Saturday pledged his full support to the cause of children living with HIV, by donating money he received from endorsements. At the Petral than pillaiyaa campaign organised by the Tamil Nadu State AIDS Control Society (TANSACS), Centre for Advocacy and Research and the Population Services International here, Kamal addressed media on various problems that orphans and vulnerable children faced.
Kamal started the campaign on December 1 last year to raise resources for children living with HIV. It was taken forward by Population Services of India, an NGO, and Hello FM.
Urging the media to join the campaign, Kamal said he would never endorse a product that he did not wanted to relate with. “The money I make from movies is enough. I will only endorse for a noble cause, like the one for children living with HIV. I will pledge the entire amount that I get through such endorsements for the welfare of these children,” he said.
TANSACS Project Director P Amudha stressed on the need to stop discrimination against children living with HIV and orphans. An estimated 1,80,000 people live with HIV in TN and more than 2,500 children are receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) from 41 centres across the State. Most of these children have lost one or both parents to AIDS.