HIV Awareness raising in prisons and communities

A teenager who steals a car. A rapist. A murderer. Should someone love them? Should we treat treat them with dignity? In Thai society, this is often not the case. Siam-Care disagrees and weekly visits people who messed up. This is the story of Um, a father of two and sentenced for 17 years.

Um doesn't look like the typical criminal, is such a person excists at all. He has a friendly face, a tiny body and a warm and friendly voice. He didn't make it easy for himself in life. Before he moved to Thailand, he had was wanted in the country where he was born. He was suspected of drug trafficking and decided to move to Thailand. He changed his name and started a new live in Thailand. But unfortunately he came in touch with the police again.

Needs help and love
A friend of Um was in the possesion of drugs and at the very moment the police arrested him, Um was visiting his friend. Hence Um was arrested as well and got sentenced with 25 years. He says he is not guilty. We don't know who to believe, but for Siam-Care, it doesn't matter that much. We believe that especially people who messed up, need help and need to recieve love. We are a Christian foundation. Jesus inspired us to reach out to sick people, to people who messed up and need help. People like Um.

Difficult life in prison
Living in prison in Thailand is not easy. Due to overcrowding, none of the cells have beds, nor are prisoners given any mattresses. Just a thin sheet. If they have any money, they sometimes can buy extra bedding. Prisoners sleep head to foot with 60 others in a small room. There is an open toilet in the same room with a low wall around it. If someone want to go to the toilet during the night, they have to clamber over all the limbs. For this reason it is lucky the light is left on all night. However, the bright light makes it difficult to get any sleep. Long story short: prison life in Thailand is very difficult.

Love for the unloved
Siam-Care believes that people need to be treathed with respect. Eventhough they made a mistake (or many mistakes) they cannot loose their human rights. Um does not have any family in Thailand. His wife and two children (8 and 13 years old) moved back to their home country and cannot visit their husband and father. Nobody else visits him, so nobody buys him food, helps him contact his family or tells him what is going on in the outside world. But Siam-Care. We visit him every week and buy him some food. We listen to his stories and sometimes contact his family. It is not much, but it is something. A little bit of love that might keep him going. Thanks to the help of our donors, we can reach out to people like Um. Will you allow us to keep on sharing love with Um and many others? Your help is much appreciated.