Katherine Kelly's Charity Mission

26 January 2010

0Comments | Comment on this Article

'Coronation Street's Katherine Kelly has been helping people with AIDS in the slums of Delhi, India.

The soapstar undertook the humanitarian trip to see how the money and aid from charity ActionAid is helping people with the deadly Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) in the area.

She said: "When people think of disease they think of Africa, but India is the third largest region affected by AIDS. And it's so often women that are suffering.

"I turned 30 and wanted to do something significant to mark the occasion. I wanted to find out first hand what it means to people on the other side of the world."

Katherine has been involved with the charity since she was a child when her mother sponsored a child in Africa. She has also sponsored another child of her own since she joined the cast of the soap.

She added: "My mum was so fascinated by me as a baby that she decided to help another child and sponsored a boy in Africa.

I met a lady who lost her husband

"Growing up I remembered that we'd get letters, pictures and drawings from him keeping us up to date with how he was.

"I have sponsored a little girl in Rwanda and I am in the process of sponsoring a little boy in Delhi.

She also explained about the stigma attached to AIDS and HIV in India.

She added: "It's such a taboo subject in India, especially for the women. Usually it's their husbands who have passed it on after sleeping with prostitutes. Most of the women don't even know they have it until they lose their husband or their child becomes ill.

"Then, when that happens, it's seen as the woman's fault. I met a lady who lost her husband. Afterwards his family said they would help her.

"Instead, they drove her into the city and abandoned her.

"They didn't want her to dishonour their family by revealing she had Aids."

0Comments | Be the first to comment!