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In Asia, as in Africa, AIDS hits hardest at the poor who cannot afford expensive life-prolonging drugs — and their children. While only a small percentage of children are infected, the AIDS epidemic still destroys the lives of many innocent children. In Thailand, studies indicate about 500,000 children will be orphaned by AIDS during the next five years.

In Sanpatong, a 16-year-old girl is coping bravely with the trauma of HIV/AIDS in her family. Praphawinee Srikun—Nit for short,lives with her mother and grandfather in the village of Hua Rin. Nit lost her father, a construction worker, to AIDS in 1998 and her mother is HIV positive. Although her mother is still in fairly good health, Nit has to face the harsh reality that sooner or later she will be an orphan.

To earn some money to help her mother, Nit taught herself how to make flower arrangements for special occasions. She practices her art at Wat Hua Rin, the local Buddhist temple.

“I want to repay the community. These AIDS patients are those who used to give me food and support“ - ABBOT LUANG PI DUENG

But Nit and her mother are not alone. Members of their community, most prominently an abbot and the girl’s teacher, have reached out to them in very meaningful ways, allowing them to continue to be accepted by the community and to lead productive and dignified lives.

Wat Hua Rin and Abbot Luang Pi Dueng are at the center of the community’s battle against AIDS. The temple is a haven for AIDS victims and their families. Nit’s mother is a member of the support group Women Against AIDS based in the temple, which provides counseling and livelihood opportunities as well as daycare and scholarships for children of AIDS victims.

SECOND MOTHER: Teacher Ratree talking with Nit and a friend.

NIT AND CLASSMATES

Nit’s grief was at first compounded by shame and fear because of ignorance about AIDS. Distraught and confused, Nit turned to her teacher, Mrs. Ratree, at the Hua Rin High School for advice. Mrs. Ratree and other teachers at the school have undergone extensive training in understanding and helping children affected by AIDS. The idea is to transform the school into a child-friendly environment sensitive to their needs and problems.

Nit is fortunate. With the help of her teacher, she succeeded in turning grief into courage to make something of her life. Nit is determined to complete her education and start working so she can look after and provide for her mother as the virus takes hold. The village of Hua Rin has become a beacon in the fight against AIDS, giving young people lie Nit a chance to heal and develop their potential.

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