Healthcare Volunteers Get together

On February 23rd 2019 Rejoice hosted a "Healthcare Workers Get-together" near Chiang Dao
These meetings are held annually to bring together healthcare volunteers attached to the diverse rural hospitals.
This year it was held at Baan Popeang Homestay and included an overnight stay which provided a relaxing atmosphere for the group to meet each other again and discuss experiences.

Community HIV Testing

On Tuesday 12 February the Rejoice Team, together with HIV volunteers from the group "Doi Luang Chiang Dao" and hospital staff from Chiang Dao Hospital made a trip to Dao Sonthaya Baan Pang Daeng, a small forest monastery about 10km east of Chiang Dao.
The purpose of the visit was to meet with hill tribe villagers living nearby and conduct the first Voluntary, Confidential, Counselling and Testing (VCCT) meeting.

Dr. Martin Huddart, Trustee of Rejoice Foundation UK, passed away on 12th January 2019. 

His passing was the result of a massive infection caused by septic arthritis.

Martin was 63 years old.  He will be sorely missed.

Wendy's Lovely Bead-work

Wendy is a long time supporter of Rejoice and a member of "Friends of Rejoice Singapore", a social network of friends organised by her brother Wight.

Wendy has a special talent for creating beautiful bead-work objects which, with a little help from her friends, she sells to raise money for Rejoice.

Patients Gathering at Chiang Dao Hospital

Towards the end of each year Chiang Dao hospital invites HIV patients from Chiang Dao district to an informal get-together. This annual meeting is attended by many of the 500 plus HIV patients from one of the 12 hill tribes as well as Shan migrant workers and local Thais.

Here is a recent article from the Avert (HIV) website 

Avert is an international HIV and AIDS charity based in Brighton, United Kingdom. Avert’s vision is a world with no new HIV infections. The charity provides information and education on HIV and AIDS to a global audience. 

We would like to make an appeal on behalf of the HIV mothers who have recently given birth to a baby. On our books we have 12 such mums who have recently given birth to a lovely little son or daughter. We are making this appeal so that we can include the babies and pre-school children into a scheme exactly the same as the current Scholarship Programme.

Thai-Myanmar Border Situation (1996-2018)

The following article, from the Prachatai (English) website, is reproduced via the following link;

The situation for refugees on the Thai-Myanmar border when Myanmar’s transition stalls

Kempie's Blog

Kevin Kemp (Kempie) is a long term resident of Chiang Mai. On 13th and 14th November 2018, Kempie accompanied the 'Three Men and a Truck' on their visits to Mae Ai and Chai Prakan. The following SWAY is a reformatted version taken from Kempies Blog https://chiangmaichatterbox.blogspot.com/

Laura's Trip to Chiang Dao

Laura Macdonald, from Canada made a trip to Chiang Dao district to witness the work of Rejoice.

On Wednesday, 24 October 2018 The Rejoice Team, Gee, Arm and Wi, together with Kanda and Noi, HIV volunteers (themselves HIV positive) from the group of HIV patients at Chiang Dao Hospital visited four homes of patients in Chiang Dao district.  

Ploenchit Fair at the British Embassy

What is the Ploenchit Fair?

The Ploenchit Fair is quite simply Bangkok’s Big Day Out. Arguably the biggest Fair in Asia, it has been part of the social scene in Thailand since the first Fair was held in The British Embassy in 1957.  The original British Embassy building is no longer.

Suchat on the Mend

On our last visit, 4th July 2018, the Rejoice Team and healthcare volunteers from Chiang Dao Hospital found Suchat very ill.
He had stopped taking his medicine for over 10 months thinking that he was cured of HIV.