heks

In Vietnam an estimated 300 000 children are affected by HIV/AIDS. Some 22 000 have been orphaned by AIDS or have lost one of their parents to AIDS. They might live with their grandmother or even alone. They get no welfare support either in terms of daily sustenance or school equipment. AIDS orphans are often outcasts in society. Despite the high levels of investment in prevention and education in Vietnam, many people do not want anything to do with AIDS victims. Being ostracised is highly distressing, particularly for children, and leaves the victims traumatised.

Aims, points of focus, initiatives:

HEKS backs projects in Vietnam which offer everyday support for orphans and for children who have lost their father or mother. The children are given a regular amount which pays for them to eat healthily, attend school, and take part in community activities. Some 195 orphans/motherless or fatherless children are looked after by voluntary helpers who come alongside the figures from whom the children receive emotional support. In many cases these are grandmothers who are unable to cope with the pressure of bringing up their grandchildren on their own. The training sessions are an important aspect of the project, teaching the support workers about children’s rights and human rights and how to handle traumatised children. Another important part of life is joining together for festivities, such as «Tet», the Vietnamese New Year when there is a big get-together for the children. The companionship which they experience at such functions, through playing, singing and eating a nice meal together, gives them a sense of community from which they are otherwise excluded.