Bangalore, Sep 22 - Around two years ago, when five-year-old Saraswati M. (name changed) lost both her parents to HIV-AIDS, she was literally forced to stay on the roads. Saraswati, who inherited the deadly disease from her parents, had nobody to take care of her as she was 'ostracized' from society due to the stigma attached to HIV-AIDS.

However, a distant relative of Saraswati took pity on her and today she is staying with them in Bangalore.

In order to address issues and problems of children like Saraswati, who are infected with HIV-AIDS and have lost their parents to the disease, Karnataka will soon provide special homes. Five such homes will be set up in north Karnataka to take care of orphan children with HIV-AIDS.

'The homes are likely to come up in a couple of months. We'll soon decide on the places in north Karnataka where these homes will be established,' said Suresh Shastri, consultant, Karnataka State AIDS Prevention Society (KSAPS).

'Along with taking care of food and shelter, the homes will also provide education to the inmates,' Shastri told IANS.

The homes are the brainchild of the state's women and child welfare department in association with the KSAPS.

'Around 60 children will be sheltered in each home. A sum of Rs.1 crore will be spent on each home,' said Shastri.

Lauding the latest effort, G. Ravi Babu, founder of Desire Society, a home for orphan children with HIV-AIDS in Bangalore, said the homes would hugely help in rehabilitating the children.

'These children on a daily basis face stigma and discrimination.