Physical Health Thailand Project #8790

Holistic Care for 450 HIV Positive Thai Families

by Siam-Care Foundation

Project Report | Jun 17, 2015
Second home

By Evie van Maanen | Intern

My name is Plaa. I am 20 years old and for as long as I can remember I have had a warm and caring family. Maybe not like other families who have a father and a mother, but I have a grandfather and grandmother who take care of me. I can always rely on them and they are my first home where I feel safe and protected. But I would not be where I am today, if I had not known Siam-Care.

As a child, without Siam-Care I would have stayed at home alone. Never gone anywhere, never do any activities and never would have known others who would come near me and talk with me, share food, dance, sing and hug. I never would have known others who give me love or extend feelings of appreciation, if it had not been for Siam-Care.

Second home
Siam-Care is my second home, and not just for me, but for many others too. If it hadn't been for them and my sponsor, I would for sure not have been able to study up to a Bachelor’s level. My sponsor, uncle Emil, has very kindly supported me all these years. Once I was able to meet him, this made me so happy I can't even describe the feeling. I was still very young but I still remember he bought me a football as a present. Every year since then, I hoped to meet him again. I've never had the opportunity to meet him and tell him the many stories I'd like him to know. But I let him know those things through the letters that I send him twice a year through Siam-Care. These letters give us the opportunity to thank our sponsors and return some happiness to them. At times I received an answer to my letter, which made me very happy.

Almost gratuated
I have now almost finished my four years of study, thanks to the support and guidance of my family and Siam-Care. They prevented me from going the wrong path and they patiently guided me to finish.

Future
I will take what I have learned with me and make good use of it for myself and for others. Thank you all, Pa Adrienne and all Siam-Care staff, who I consider my big brothers and sisters. I love you all very much. Please continue to stay with us when things are good and when we feel discouraged. You are our solace and you dry our tears. You are always there for us. It doesn't matter how much time passes by, I will never forget that the goal and reason I see today is because of Siam-Care. Thank you so much for the good life you offer to vulnerable children through Siam-Care.

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Mar 25, 2015
The face of improvement

By Hilleen Bisschop | Intern

She is waiting for us at the entrance of a sunny, light room. Her face shows a big smile when she sees her ‘family’ from Siam-Care again. Isra is a HIV-infected lady of 45 years old. She has been supported by Siam-Care for 25 years already. Yet this is the first time we visit them in a long time.

As usual in Thailand, we take off our shoes when we enter Isra’s house and find a place to sit on the floor. I cannot speak Thai, so I just observe my colleagues talk, sometimes they translate for me. I see how my colleagues do not stop laughting at Isra, because she keeps on making jokes, while she answers my colleagues’ questions. I see the proudness in Isra’s eyes when she shows pictures of her stepdaughter, who is about to graduate.

Proud and grief
I can also see the worries in her eyes when she tells about her son (11), who is very ambitious. So ambitious, that he sometimes forgets how their situation at home used to be. He even wants to be in an international school, where only wealthy students go to. I see how Isra is torn between proud and sadness, when she tells that her son is exactly like her. Always debating and asking questions.

Able to
Behind us are clothes racks full with laundry, in Isra’s one room apartment. Isra points at the many racks and tells about the improved circumstances of her family. “I earn a little income by doing laundry for other people. I can give my son eight times more pocket money than my daughter used to get when she was young. In the past my daughter had to walk to school, but now they can go by bus.” Isra and her family are doing a lot better than before.

What’s the point?
Why do I share this story with you? Isra and her family are not longer totally depending on Siam-Care. They are able to stand on their on feet and that’s exactly why we want to tell you this story. To show you what happends when Siam-Care starts taking care of a family. Together with Isra we found a way to make money and we counseled the family in multiple areas. Over the years, this family was enabled to be more and more independent. Because of your donations we were able to guide them and help them reach their goals. Other families are just at the start of this proces. Will you help us to help them as well?

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Dec 22, 2014
Shine into the darkness: Christmas in Bangkok

By Jan-Peter Kelder | Resource Development Manager

All attending families

Thanks to everyone who donated money through GlobalGiving we were able to celebrate Christmas with 40 poor and sick families in Bangkok. What a joy to spread joy to people in despair! without our donors these families would be al alone with Christmas.

A famous song says: "It's the most wonderful time of the year". For most people this is true with Christmas, but not for the families we work with. Like the Phuanmob family, consisting of father Poo (41), motger Lou (39) and their 4 daughters Nim (18), Keaw (14), Ping (12) and Ploi (10). Both parents are HIV-positive and the family shares one small room, where they live, eat and sleep. No private space fot the teenage girls, no silent room to do their homework. Still the 4 daughters perform pretty well in school and are happy. Christmas is just like every other day for the Phuanmob family. They don't have money for a special meal, they are already happy if they have enough food at all.

Rice for Christmas
With the money donated through GlobalGiving Siam-Care bought basic supplies like pans, rice cookers and food. Every family attending our Chistmas celebration received a box with rice and oil and some small gifts for the children. Also families could win prices in a special Bingo game. The Phuanmob family won a rice cooker, some toys and a fan. It was touching to see how grateful they were after receiving the gifts. At least they can cook rice with Christmas and provide themselves a basic meal.

Grateful families
We could share many more stories of families like the Phuanmob family. We won't, just look at the pictures and see how thankful and happy these families are. On behalf of them we would like to thank you very much for donating money to Siam-Care. Without your help the Phuanmob family would be al alone and that would be a heart breaking story, since there is no one elses who takes care of this very poor family. Thank you very much, we're all in this together!

Singing Christmas songs

Some of the attending families

This girl won a fan

Grandmother receiving her price: a new pan

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