Help bring Palliative Care to Indonesia's children

At 18 years old, Bayu has endured more than most.

Diagnosed with HIV since birth and complicated by tuberculosis, he is thin and gaunt, easily fatigued, and suffers from nausea caused by the very medications meant to keep him alive.

Today, his world is a small 4x4 meter rented room that he shares with his 69-year-old grandmother - his only family. Grandma works as a washer woman, earning Rp. 300,000 (or USD 17) a month - when work is available. Their monthly rent alone is Rp. 500,000 (or USD 30). Some months, paying it is impossible. 

There is no steady financial support. No reliable safety net.

Last year, Bayu was unable to enroll in senior high school because he was undergoing treatment for drug-resistant tuberculosis. While his peers prepared for exams and dreamed about their futures, Bayu focused on surviving months of intense treatment. Now, most of his days are spent at home, conserving energy, scrolling on his phone, occasionally visiting friends nearby — trying to hold on to some sense of normalcy.

He is on antiretroviral (ARV) medication for HIV, but staying adherent is not easy. The pills are large and often cause nausea. He admits he has grown tired of taking them. Without proper nutrition, the side effects are worse. Without emotional support, the routine feels endless.

This is where Rachel House steps in. 

It is Bayu’s second admission to Rachel House. His first was when he was 12. 

Rachel House supports Bayu with medical care, holistic and compassionate support. Our nurses work closely with him to strengthen his adherence to the ARV treatment — helping him understand why every dose matters, while managing the nausea and discomfort that made adherence challenging. We provide nutritional support so his body can better tolerate the medication and regain strength. We offer psychosocial care, giving him space to speak about his fears, his frustration and exhaustion, and his hopes for the future.

Just as importantly, we support his grandmother — a loving caregiver who carries an enormous burden alone. Through home visits, counseling and practical assistance, Rachel House helps ensure she does not have to navigate this journey alone.

Bayu does not lack courage. His grandmother does not lack love.

What they lack is resources.

With consistent support, Bayu’s health can be stabilized for him to return to school, and begin to imagine a future. But without intervention, the risk of treatment interruption, worsening illness, and deepening poverty remains very real.

Your support can help ensure that Bayu’ second admission to our care becomes a turning point for his life — not a pattern.

At 18, he deserves more than survival.
He deserves a future.