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Jesters Caring For Kids with HIV/AIDS
Lewis Underwood
This year we are doing a joint venture with the Canadian Jackalope
Open Charity Golf Tournament that traditionally helps the Camillian Center.
For years the Jesters Care for Kids Charity Drive has also been interested
in helping kids with HIV/AIDS, but always had the impression that the
Camillian Social Center was well funded. We now know after a recent visit
there that this was a misconception.
 Before
- 10-year-old Nai when he first came to the Camillian Social Center on
January 31 this year.
As with some of our other beneficiaries, even if the buildings look ample
and well-furnished, one should not be misled by appearances. New buildings
are often the windfall of gracious donors, who contribute specifically and
solely to these purposes. But after the construction is completed, the issue
then becomes maintaining them. After all, the running costs are the real
crux of the matter for all our beneficiaries.
The last time we enquired about helping the Camillians two years ago, we
were told that a driveway was needed at the Independent Living Center. That
did not interest us very much; as we did not think it was high priority and
really wanted to help in a way that directly benefited the children.
Last week during our visit I saw that the driveway in question, although
still not cemented, was graveled and certainly adequate for its purpose. So
this time we were determined to find something with more impact on the
children in need.
It was good to see Father Giovanni at the Camillian Social Center in
Huay Pong once again. It had been too long since we had met last and good to
get catch up with the present status and goings on at the Center. Camillian
volunteer, Paul Baird, gave us a full tour of the premises, as well as the
Independent Living Center further down the road in Maptaphut, which was
educational and much appreciated.
 After
- 10-year-old Nai as he looks today, less than 5 months later. Absolutely
remarkable.
The Camillian Social Center oversees 7 projects in the Eastern Seaboard in 4
different locations. The main center is mostly concerned with ‘Palliative
Care’, or lessening the effects of AIDS through antiretroviral (ARV)
medication. The goal is to suppress the AIDS virus and bring the patients
back to HIV positive. They can then maintain this condition for the rest of
their lives, as long as they continue to take their ARV’s. At this stage
they are considered recovered patients and then able to re-integrate into
their local communities.
For those in the final throes of AIDS who have no where else to go, the
staff endeavors to make them as comfortable as possible for their remaining
days. The staff at the Center is headed by a full time nurse, assisted by 10
helpers who are recovered patients living back in their respective
communities.
On the same premises is the Child Care Center, which consists of kids
often abandoned, many of them with AIDS, but again given special care,
medication and nourishment can be brought back to HIV positive and carry on
a normal life.
There are 37 children now resident at the Center; most of them are now well
enough to go to school in the neighboring area, while 14, who are not as
fortunate are schooled in-house.
The Independent Living Center, down the road in Maptaphut, houses 14
teenagers living with HIV who all go to school in the surrounding area, as
well as 2 house parents. The purpose of this center is to try and give the
young adults a sense of freedom and normalcy in an environment where they
can live on their own and be accepted just like other members of society.
The Garden of Eden is a rehabilitation center in Ban Khai about 40
kms from Rayong for people living with HIV/AIDS, who have been rejected by
their families and/or communities, even though they are still healthy.
Basically it is a self-sustaining community with an abundance of fruit trees
and vegetable gardens. The residents are responsible for tending them and
selling the products in local markets. There are also plans that include
animal husbandry.
In addition to the above, there is also a Prevention group made up of
former patients, who focus on the prevention of HIV/AIDS in Rayong Province,
by going around to schools, factories, govt offices, and local communities,
where they share their knowledge, educate, and try to remove the stigma
commonly associated with HIV positive persons. Additionally there is another
section at the main center that awards Scholarships to orphans whose
parents have died of AIDS, and children of parents living with HIV/AIDS. So
far 104 scholarships have been granted so they can continue their education.
Finally, there is an HIV/AIDS Network office in Maptaphut that
involves supporting people living with HIV/AIDS to morally sustain each
other and to make sure they retain their rights as Thai citizens. They also
make an effort to improve the standard of care at government hospitals for
all of those afflicted with this disease.
After the tour, and sitting down with Father Giovanni again, we talked about
the desire for Jesters Care for Kids to finally get involved with the center
given that it was long overdue. We now knew about the acute need for running
costs, but still wanted something more specific.
From our tour it was obvious that we could help with the funding of
scholarships and for antiretroviral (AVR) medicine. Father Giovanni
confirmed that we could indeed help in those areas, but also that they had a
daily need for soybean milk. The residents there evidently assimilate the
latter much easier than cow milk, and that soybean milk is preferred as long
as it is fortified with calcium.
So, with that information in mind, we agreed to start helping right away
with the soybean milk. If you would like to help us help the people living
with HIV/AIDS, and particularly the children, please visit our website at
www.care4kids.info and donate online using ThaiEpay or Pay Pal. No matter
how small, every donation truly helps the kids.
Regent’s School joins hands with Peru
in earthquake relief project
Mike Thomas,
Head of Drama
As part of this year’s Round Square Week at the Regent’s School, Year 12
IB student Vlad Plotnikov and Head of Drama Michael Thomas will be
setting off for Peru to take part in an earthquake relief project. They
will be helping to construct a Community Center building in the town of
Chincha which was badly damaged in an earthquake that took place in
August 2007.
 Mr.
Thomas and Vlad stand in front of the Peru Project display at Regent’s
before they depart.
The project is being coordinated by Round Square School Markham College,
Peru and Vlad and Mr Thomas will be joined by former Gap Year Teacher at
Regent’s Gemma Cox and her colleague, Erin Hulme as well as a large
group of students from Germany and England, a team of Markham Round
Square Exchange visitors and ex-students from the school.
Initial work has already been completed in the building of temporary
homes and school classrooms in this continuing project which closely
resembles the Regent’s current construction work of a community centre
on Koh Phi Phi. Following the inauguration of the new community centre,
the group will be taking part in service work helping a disadvantaged
community in the capital, Lima.
“The prospect of doing Round Square work in Peru is awesome,” said Vlad.
“I am sure it will help me with my wider IB studies and there’s the
probability of making a new friends and visiting some amazing places in
the second week. I also feel that I am representing my home country
Russia and, of course, Thailand.”
The Regent’s involvement in the project originated in a conversation
that took place at last year’s Round Square Conference in India between
Paul Crouch, Senior Teacher in Charge of Round Square and Harry
Hildebrand, a teacher at Markham College and leader of the project in
Chincha. Hildebrand invited the Regent’s to participate in the project
which involves a donation of $3500 towards building cost. This money has
already been generated from the various highly successful fund-raising
events that have taken place this academic year, including the recent
sponsored Swim Challenge which raised over 120,000baht.
In the second week, Vlad and Mr Thomas will be taken on a guided trip
round the main tourist sights of Peru, including the largest navigable
lake in the world, Lake Titicaca, and the spectacular mountain home of
the Incas, Machu Picchu. The group will be maintaining close
communication with the school during Round Square Week and Vlad will
present a report to the school at the first Round Square Assembly next
term.
“This is a tremendous adventure which combines so many of the Round
Square Pillar Ideals such as Service and Internationalism,” commented Mr
Crouch. “Hopefully, future Regent’s Round Square Weeks will include an
outreach project such as this.”
Under-15s take part in school beach volleyball championships
Pramote Channgam
Mayor Itthipol Khunplome presented the prizes for the Beach
Volleyball Championship for the under 15-years of age category on June
15 at the multipurpose field on Jomtien Beach.
 The
boys from Pattaya School #8 won the male division.
Male winning team was from Pattaya School No 8, and the female winning
team was from Pattaya School No 4.
The finals in the male category took place between Pattaya School No’s 8
and 5, School No 8 winning with a score of 2:0 (21:19 and 24:22), and
receiving a 3,000 baht scholarship and a trophy. School No 5 as the
runner up received a trophy and a 2,000 baht scholarship. School No 1
was in third place and received a 1,500 baht scholarship and trophy, and
School No 6 was in fourth place and received a 1,000 baht scholarship
and trophy.
The finals for the females were between Pattaya School No 4 and Pattaya
School No 9. Both teams were close, and took turns to score. They
competed for three sets, and the winner was School No 4, which defeated
School No 9 with a score of 2:1. School No 9 led in the first set with a
score of 21:18, the n School No 4 defeated them in the second set with a
score of 21:13. With a tied score at 1:1 sets, they had to continue to
the third set, and School No 4 finally won with a score of 15:8, and
received a trophy along with a 3,000 baht scholarship. School No 9 was
in second place and received a trophy and a 2,000 baht scholarship.
School No 6 was in third place and received a trophy and a 1,500 baht
scholarship, and School No 2 was in fourth place and received a trophy
and a 1,000 baht scholarship.
Mayor Itthipol presents
the championship trophy
to the girls from Pattaya School #4.
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