The gate to Cradle Ridge Children Centre. (Morung Photo)
Morung Express News
Kohima | February 17
In the serene hills of Kohima, a renewed sense of hope is taking root at the Nagaland Mothers’ Association (NMA) Cradle Ridge Children Centre. This two-acre property located at Seithogei, Kohima, just above National Highway offers a home to women living with HIV and children from affected families.
Initially established as Nagaland’s first AIDS hospice under NACO (National AIDS Control Organization), the centre provided care for positive individuals, both men and women. However, when NACO’s funding ended, the responsibility fell on the NMA who, since then, has been running the centre relying on the goodwill and generosity of its well-wishers and local churches.
Currently, Cradle Ridge is home to nine children from affected families, and some of these children attend the Kohima Orphanage government school giving them access to education.
Today, the NMA has big dreams envisioning to create a short stay home for women living with HIV who need a place to take their medication in Kohima. They also plan to offer refuge to women from abusive relationship and to establish a skilling centre where young girls and women can skill themselves for self sustenance.
This was informed by Dr Rosemary Dzüvichü, a retired professor and a strong advocate for women and children, is an advisor of the NMA and a member of the management committee of the Cradle Ridge Children Centre.
A safe space in Kohima
Speaking to The Morung Express, she said, it has reopened a short stay home for women living with HIV for two weeks adding “earlier, we had the short stay home, but not many came. Now, we have reopened it, ensuring that positive women have a place for treatment or an escape from an abusive environment.”
This space, once underutilized, is now a lifeline for those seeking medical treatment, escaping abuse, or simply in need of shelter.
The home, now offers a short respite for women, often from rural areas, who travel to Kohima for antiretroviral therapy (ART) but have nowhere to stay. However, Dzüvichü envisions it as more than just a temporary shelter where some women arrive from abusive households.
When asked what will happen to those women from abusive relationship after the two weeks stay, she said, “in most cases, Naga families do have relatives yet, while they are here, we will work on finding a long-term solution for them. We connect with extended family or other support networks, ensuring they have somewhere to go.”
She also recalled welcoming a seven-year-old girl recently in the centre wherein her stepbrother was unable to care for her, and reached out for help. “She’s a bright child, happily attending the Kohima Orphanage Government School with our other children,” she shared.
Equipping women for a self-sustaining future
Understanding that long-term empowerment comes through skills and financial independence, Dzüvichü said they are establishing a skilling centre at Cradle Ridge, specifically for positive women and young girls.
“We have space, and we have resources, we just need to put things in motion,” she said informed that the centre aims to provide training in food preservation, tailoring and even computer training.
As women living with HIV face social stigma and discrimination, employment for them is a distant dream. To bridge this gap, Dzüvichü said, “even if they want to work, once their status is known, opportunities shrink. But if we train them in small-scale skills like making pickles, preserving seasonal fruits and vegetables, or tailoring, they can become self-reliant.”
“If they can earn something from their own hands, they don’t have to depend on others. That is empowerment,” she emphasized.
This idea, she said was reinforced through the success story of the Rotary Club’s free tailoring centre where some women have learned valuable skills and are transformed.
The challenges and the road ahead
While running such a mission requires significant resources, Dzüvichü said the NMA has relied on kindness and goodwill of its well-wishers. While looking for partnerships and support, right now, it is focused on putting everything in order.
Renovation works are underway in the centre, and Dzüvichü expressed deep gratitude to the City Church Kohima for stepping in to construct a brand-new kitchen and dining hall for the children, and the Union Baptist Church, Kohima for providing monthly food supplies ensuring that the children receive proper nutrition.
Despite the challenges, she was optimistic stating “we already have the space. We have beds, mattresses and basic resources. All we need is to bring the right people together.” She is excited to launch the first training programme soon.
In a society, where stigma often overshadows compassion, the Naga Mothers Association is working to change the narrative to give dignity, hope and a future to less privileged.
