Aliyna (nick name Mouk) is 13 years old and lives in a small village near Wiang Haeng, close to the Myanmar border, with her grandmother who is 78 years old. At birth she acquired HIV from her mother. Both her mother and father have since died as a result of AIDS.
Last year, while Alinya was studying in grade 6 at Baan Wiang Haeng School her grandma had an accident and broke her leg. Alinya had to take care of her grandma and had to stop school mid-term.
Grandma’s injury was quite serious and she was transferred from the small hospital in Wiang Haeng to the large Nakornping Hospital in Chiang Mai which is over 3 hours away by car, the bus journey is much longer. After being discharged from hospital grandma needed regular out-patients visits. Fortunately Alinya’s uncle (grandma’s son) lived in San Sai on the outskirts of Chiang Mai and they went to stay with him. Grandma was treated as an out-patient for eight months which entailed much travelling to and fro and Alinya had to work hard helping her.
When Alinya and Grandma returned to Wiang Haeng, Alinya said that she had missed school and her friends very much. Since she had not been to school for eight months she had to start again in Grade 6.
On a recent visit from the Rejoice Team it was noticed that Alinya was wearing an old school uniform which had been given to her by school friends.
When Alinya and Granma’s situation became clear, Gee and the Rejoice Team took Alinya to buy a new school uniform, a new sports uniform, school bag and shoes together with 2,000 baht which made up the annual scholarship money for the year.
