Rejoice Foundation July 2018 Newsletter

We are pleased to attach the July 2018 Newsletter, detailing an update of our work with people living with HIV in Northern Thailand over the past six months.

Adherence to Therapy a Problem for Many Teenagers

Suchat is now 16 years old and HIV positive since birth. We featured Suchat in a previous SWAY, "Impact and Outcomes". These previous notes are added here for completeness.

We are very concerned for Suchat, a Lahu boy who will be 15 years old on 8th January 2017. He lives in the village of Hua Jakan where over 90% of the villagers are Lahu.

Formula Milk Top-Up

On Tuesday 26 June 2018 Rejoice and Hiv Health Care Volunteers, Daeng and Loy, from Mae Ai Hospital visited the homes of two families who have recently welcomed new additions. The babies live in the villages of Baan Doikeaw and Baan Doilaem overlooking the Shan hills on the Myanmar border about 15 kilometres from Mae Ai in Northern Thailand. to their numbers.

On Tuesday, 12th June the Rejoice team visited Mae Ai district. The purpose was to visit 2 schools on the Myanmar border, Jaophorluangupatham 9 school and Ban Huaykokmhoo School and conduct an Education and Prevention session for the students and provide related information for the hospital staff regarding the level of HIV/Aids awareness that exists within remote communities;

It is now the end of the school’s year and the students are taking their long school vacation.  This is the best time to visit the remote communities and hold HIV education and prevention sessions within the villages.

On Monday, 26th March 2018, together with HIV healthcare workers from Rong Wuadaeng Sub-District Administration Organization and staff from the Red Cross in Sankamphaeng, Rejoice Charity helped organise a community-based HIV Education and Prevention Meeting.

Congratulations Khun Mint!

Piraya Kampun (nickname Mint) received her BSc. Bachelor’s degree after graduating from the Faculty of Education in Chemistry at Chiang Mai Rajabhat University.
Now, she is a teacher at Baan Wiang Thakan School, in San Patong.

The Buddy Bear Project is an ongoing project of the Buddies Society of Ipoh. Its aim is to bring comfort and cheer to HIV/AIDS children in Malaysia and all over the world. Presently these bears are being sewn single-handedly by a couple of senior citizens in Ipoh. Thanks to them we have more than 2,500 bears in our stock ready for delivery upon request.

The Buddies Society of Ipoh, Malaysia has been making Buddy Bears for Rejoice for several years.  The SWAY below captures some "Buddy"moments.

On Tuesday, 6th March 2018 the Rejoice team together with Kanda, HIV healthcare worker from Chiang Dao visited Wiang Haeng. It took almost four hours to reach the healthcare workers, Samak and Mam at their home in Wiang Haeng.

U.S. Consul General visit Koung-Jor Shan refugee camp

The U.S. Consul General visited Koung-Jor Shan refugee camp in Chiang Mai Province at the Thai-Myanmar border on Tuesday (February 13) to inquire about health, education, and living conditions of the refugees.

Healthcare Exchange 2018

From Chiang Mai, it is five hours drive to Huay Muang Ngam Highland Agricultural Development Station near Thaton on the border with Myanmar. This was the venue for the third “Healthcare Exchange Meeting”. 

This time of year the weather in Chiang Mai is usually perfect, hot sunny days and cool evenings and Rejoice is fortunate to receive visits and donations from individuals from various countries.

Thank you all