The tragic stories of mainlanders living in rural areas who have contracted Aids from selling their blood have touched the hearts of people around the world. Many children are born with Aids because their parents were infected, and many of these children become orphans when their parents die of this terrible disease. This is a pressing social problem that Chi Heng Foundation aims to tackle.
Thanks to better medication and knowledge of Aids, patients now have a much greater chance of survival if they take their medication properly and look after their health. With the help of donations, Chi Heng was able to provide medication and basic life necessities to about 400 children with Aids aged between six to 20 in Henan province.
The foundation also hopes to take matters a step further by providing much-needed counselling to Aids-infected children who often see themselves as being hopeless and abandoned by society.
The foundation hopes to raise HK$750,000 from Operation Santa Clause (OSC) to provide training in counselling to more than 20 frontline staff to serve families with Aids-infected children.
Kan Wang-hoi, Chi Heng's financial controller, says frontline staff lack skills in counselling so there is a need to employ professionals to educate them.
'Aids-infected children certainly need counselling as many of them are depressed by their illness or feel discriminated against,' says Kan.
