Russ Taufa from SDL Vietnam visits Rejoice

 SDL  is the main sponsor of Rejoice.  SDL run a scheme whereby their employees are given time off work to volunteer with a charity of their choice.  Russ Taufa is one such employee who recently spent one week volunteering with Rejoice.  

Russ accompanied the mobile clinic to various locations including Chiang Dao, Chomtong, Sankampeang, Saraphi, Sapatong and specially arranged home-care visits with HIV health care workers from both Chang Dao and Sankampeang Hospitals

Time to Rejoice

A couple of months ago, Ian Bushell, a committee member for the British Community in Thailand Foundation for the Needy (BCTFN) asked Rejoice if we had any suitable article we could put forward for possible publication in the British Chamber of Commerce Thailand (BCCT) magazine “The Link”.   As luck would have it Dr. Martin Huddart, a trustee of Rejoice Foundation UK, had just written a brief report covering his recent annual visit to Chiang Mai  which was accepted for publication in "The Link" (page 56).

Soirée consacrée à l'aide des enfants en Thaïlande

The evening of Friday 22^nd  November 2013 saw a fundraising dinner on behalf of Rejoice.

The venue was Sawadee restaurant found in the village of St. Etienne de Fontbellon in the Ardeche in the south of France.

Restaurant owner and co fundraiser organiser Wanthani Wonggamrai, opened her doors to some 35 diners from several different nations (including Australia, the U.S.A., New Zealand, England, and of course France) all wishing to help Rejoice in its money raising efforts.

SDL Ltd. Renew Scholarships for 12 Children

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 today. SDL's support and encouragement following Steve Hallam's death was instrumental in the revival of Rejoice.

Friends of Rejoice Singapore (FRS) visit Rejoice during the Loy Krathong Festival.

In mid-November Chiang Mai was very busy with locals and tourists for the Loy Krathong Festival. Amongst the visitors were 5 friends from Singapore, Wight Wong, Mr Chia, Trina and son, and Janice.
They brought with them warm clothing which Rejoice will distribute to the Home Care patients in Chiang Dao and Sankampeang district hospitals. Whilst in Chiang Mai, they also bought warm clothing and snacks for the children at the See-un Muang Day care centres

 Day Care Challenges

See-Un Muang Day Care Centre, is situated in a small village near Chiang Dao.  It continues to flourish despite the frequent demands brought upon the parents, many of whom are refugees/migrants who have fled fighting in neighbouring Shan state. Many of the Shan had temporary passports from the Myanmar government which allowed them to work and travel in Thailand. These passports were valid for 6 years but have now expired and for the past year the workers were without official passports or work permits – they were expected to return to Myanmar to obtain permanent international passports, obtain a Visa for Thailand, return through official channels and then obtain work permits. This was financially impossible for the vast majority of the workers.

Wiang Haeng: Lisu Homecare

Wiang Haeng is situated close to the Myanmar border opposite Shan State. It takes almost 4 hours driving to get there. Rejoice make monthly visits to villages and communities in the surrounding area, together with health care workers from Wiang Haeng hospital, bringing supplies of basic food provisions, warm clothing and medicine including antiretroviral (ARV) medicine for the people living with HIV. The Rejoice team usually make and overnight stay in a local guest house and the following day make further home care visits on their return to Chiang Mai.

The British International School in Thailand

In August 2016 Rejoice welcomed a group of 9 medical students from Bangkok Patana School, (a British International School). The students, aged between 17 and 18 years old were hoping to further their studies at university and hopefully major in the medical field. They were staying at the Activity Center at Maekok River Village Resort (MRVR) near Tha Ton on the Myanmar-Thai border in the north of Thailand.
This was a repeat of a similar visit made last year by a group of 6 pre-medical Patana students.
The objective for the school was to introduce their international pre-med students to health care in the rural areas of Thailand, in particular the care of people living with HIV.

Baan Pang Mayao School: Education and Prevention (E&P)

Baan Pang Mayao School is situated in the hills between Chiang Dao and Phrao.  On Wednesday 14^th February 2016, Rejoice together with the HIV Healthcare Workers from Chiang Dao Hospital (also known as the “Soo Kwan Doi Luang Chiang Dao” group), were invited to give a presentation on sexual health to a group of some 55 students between the ages of 13 and 16. Many of the students were from the Lahu and Lisu hill tribes.