Steve's Legacy to the Rural Poor

 The 17th October 2015 marked the fifth anniversary of Derek Edward (Steve) Hallam's death.

 Steve's last wish was for Rejoice to continue helping the rural poor of Chiang Mai province in a similar fashion. This has not been so easy without Steve's vast experience. However, with a seriously reduced staff but with the help of volunteers Rejoice endeavours to continue in the same manner as Steve would have liked.

Why is Rejoice different?

Charities often come in for criticism for the excessive proportion of donated funds that go to admin or to senior executives’ salaries or to further fund raising – some of which is conducted with a ruthlessness that has also attracted much adverse comment.

Rejoice is very different and donors can be totally confident that funds which they donate are all used to further the work done on the ground amongst impoverished HIV infected and affected people in northern Thailand.

Premedic students visit to Mae Ai

Six medical students from Bangkok Patana International School visited Mae Ai on a week's orientation course.  They were accommodated at the Mae Kok River Village Resort in Thaton.  The students were there to gain first hand experience of medical work in a rural environment.
The management of the resort had asked if Rejoice could introduce the group to the doctors and nurses at both Mae Ai Hospital and Chiang Dao Hospital.  

Lisu Health Care

 Nong Khaem is a remote Lisu hill tribe village.  Together with the HIV volunteers from Chiang Dao hospital and local village volunteers an "Education and Prevention" event was held at Nong Kaem school.   

Although everyone was welcome to attend, the main target of the meeting was to bring together as many youths as possible to teach on the risks of HIV, modes of transmission, safer sex techniques and reducing the stigma of the disease.

Wiang Haeng District

 Wiang Haeng District is the latest district to benefit from visits by Rejoice.  Wiang Haeng is a remote district bordering Myanmar. The district is subdivided into three sub-districts (tambon), which are further subdivided into 26 villages (muban).

The three sub-districts are: Mueang Haeng (pop. approx. 8,700); Piang Luang (pop. approx. 17,000); Saen Hai (pop. approx. 3,500).

Connie's Singapore Group

Connie Low and family together with a group of like minded mothers in Singapore make regular donations of clothing and school materials for the children affected by HIV.  This summer Rejoice distributed the clothing to three districts within Chiang Mai province; Mae Ai, Sanpathong and Chiang Dao.  The photos show the Rejoice Team, together with HIV volunteers from the district hospitals distributing the clothes to the children and their families.

SDL Scholarships

SDL Language Services have been supporting Rejoice for over 5 years. Without the help and advice of Winston Wong, SDL‘s Thailand country manager, Rejoice probably would not exist to-day. SDL‘s support and encouragement following Steve Hallam‘s death was instrumental in the revival of Rejoice.  

Healthcare Exchange Meeting

Some four hours drive north from Chiang Mai is the small, picturesque town of Thaton, situated on the Myanmar border.  It was here that Gee and Deang, HIV health care worker from Mae Ai, arranged the first “Health Care Worker Exchange” meeting.  The objective of the meeting was to bring together HIV health care workers from various districts of Chiang Mai Province to exchange views and ideas in a convivial and relaxing location.  The venue was the Queen Sirikit Project (Huai Muang Ngam) near Thaton. 

Children living with HIV

On 6th February 2015 a group meeting was held at Chiang Dao Hospital. The meeting was for children in Chiang Dao district infected with HIV. Currently there are 29 children (age range 2 to 18) receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) at Chiang Dao hospital, The majority belonging to various hill tribe groups such as Lisu, Lahu, Chin Haw and Tai Yai.
Ten of these children, together with their guardians, attended the meeting. It was interesting to note that the younger children were from these minority groups (non-Thai) who have become infected from their mother at birth.

HIV Conference in Bangkok

In November 2014, Gee Jaiglar of Rejoice Thailand and Dr Martin Huddart, Trustee of Rejoice Foundation UK attended the 18th IUSTI Asia-Pacific Conference at The Anbassador Hotel in Bangkok. The theme was “STI, HIV and Sexual Health. Global Collaboration for Effective Prevention.

This was a three and a half day conference on all aspects of sexually transmitted infections and included presentations from leading experts from the Asia-Pacific region, Europe and the United States.

Welcome to Royal Mountain

The healthcare workers at Chiang Dao District hospital have formed a support group for everyone living with HIV in Chiang Dao District.  The name of the group is กลุ่มสู่ขวัญดอยหลวง‡ (Welcome to Royal Mountain).

On the final Wednesday of each month a self-help group of local HIV/Aids victims get together for an informal meeting and lunch at Chiang Dao Hospital. The object of the meeting is to share their knowledge and experience of living with HIV, health issues, antiretroviral medicine and opportunistic sicknesses they and their family have encountered. 

Russ Taufa (SDL) returns

Russ Taufa is Insight Director (Global Insight and Analytics) for SDL based in Saigon, Vietnam.  On his first visit, last year, Russ was so impressed by the work Rejoice was doing in supporting people living with HIV in the remote communities in Chiang Mai Province, he wrote a very complimentary article, Russ Taufa (SDL), which was included in the Rejoice January 2014 Newsletter.

Russ recently made his second visit to Rejoice.  He spent a week with the Rejoice team on their outreach visits.  Russ gives tremendous encouragement to the people living with HIV and the Rejoice staff - he is always welcome.