Comprehensive Project for Children in Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville, Cambodia
EN:
HIV / AIDS is usually associated with immoral or promiscuous way of life (drug abuse, homosexuality, polygamy), and therefore it rather evokes prejudice than compassion. This is however not the case of children in the House of Family project in Phnom Penh. In the 1990s, Cambodia had the highest prevalence of the viru
s in all of Asia. Due to its history (civil war, genocide, famine), the country is socially weakened. It lacks any social system, which would provide care for disabled and elderly people, or orphans. A single walk on the streets will make you understand. After a few meters, you get approached by a legless being resembling a man, creeping on the ground, raising his palm up to you... a pitiful old woman (most elderly people can only dream of a dignified retirement)... or children who, instead of going to school, do their daily begging. Often they are subjected to big stress and fear for their families, if they don’t make enough money. Lacking basic needs, they struggle to survive from day to day. All of our children in the House of Family come from such environment. It’s the first generation of children born with HIV, while most of them have seen their parents die. They end up literally on the street, or with their relatives, who themselves have nothing. Without therapy, their life expectancy would be 1-3 years. The House of Family project in Phnom Penh was founded in 2004 by the St. Elisabeth College of Health and Social Care in Bratislava, Slovakia, and currently provides roof to 70 children up to the age of 21. The project also includes a few HIV negative children, mostly brothers or sisters, not to tear family ties of the orphans. Since 2008 the project was extended to Sihanoukville with a capacity of 60 children there. The project provides the kids with social care: housing, clothing, food, education, English lessons, free-time activities, and, most of all, a 24 hour health care, HAART - antiretroviral therapy (stopping the virus reproduction), laboratory testing and health monitoring, prophylaxis and treatment of opportune infections. Local partner: Ministry of Health Care and Ministry of Social Affairs in Cambodia, National Laboratory in Phnom Penh, WHO in Cambodia, local NGOs. We are happy to see more and more of “our” children in stabilized health conditions. They appreciate highly what they receive. They cooperate perfectly in therapy, recognizing its importance. At school, they try their best, and enjoy their free time. Their daily lives outside of the project would look drastically different. In the project’s 8 years of existence, the House of Family became their true family. :)
Awards
Also thanks to such projects, Cambodia earned international recognition in fighting HIV, as the prevalence decreased from 3,3% (1997) to 0,6% (2005), (UNAIDS, 2009). In case that you decide to support the project, the children will be happy to write you a letter or make a drawing. They have open hearts and are very thankful. Finally you can support a good cause, without having to worry that your money makes a true change.
