AIDS-affected Children Have Fun at Summer Camp in Beijing

Summer vacations, sunshine and fun are ingredients that combine to produce happy experiences for children all over the world. But for those who have lost one or both parents to HIV/AIDS, things can be totally different due to discrimination and the stigma of having a parent afflicted with the disease.

Children from AIDS-stricken families around China have been invited to a summer camp in Beijing, where they enjoyed themselves with activities that they have all too often had to watch from the sidelines.

Xiangwei has more.

Meng Tiantian, is a 14-year-old eighth grader from central China's Henan Province. Her father died from AIDS when she was four, and then she was abandoned by her mother. Loss after loss hasn't made her sad and lifeless. On the contrary, she's an energetic, savvy and strong-minded girl.

"I live with my grandma. She's nearly eighty now. A charity organization helps us out. Life is not easy. But I'm determined to live it happily, because it can be very short. I have to cherish every day that I have."

Chosen from thousands of students from her province, Meng Tiantian received an all-expenses-paid trip to Beijing this summer, sponsored by UNICEF and the China National Committee for the Wellbeing of the Youth.

During the one-week excursion, she and other campers have visited the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, the National Library and other places of interest, which has allowed them to see the capital city like they've never seen it before.

Zhou Hong, Tiantian's teacher, escorted her to the camp. She has been concerned about Tiantian's academic performance and hopes this trip can show her that a brighter future is possible.

"Tiantian is a vivacious girl but she's suffered too many mishaps in her short life. This trip is a good opportunity for her. I hope she can see more interesting things, get to know more friends, and develop a brighter vision of her future."

More than 200 children are attending the camp this year. Some are from poverty-stricken families or ethnic groups from rural China. They live and eat together, design the camp's uniform then vote on their favorite. They play basketball and compete in tournaments. They watch opera performances, then discuss what they liked and disliked. Through all these activities they learn about socializing with one another.

Meng Tiantian describes how strangers become friends.

"At first, I didn't know which team I belonged to. After I figured it out, I found that nobody in that team was talking to me. So I talked to them. Soon we became friends. I learned that many of them were of the Hui nationality. It was interesting because we are different. I'd glad to know them here."

It's the eighth consecutive year that the camp has been held. Since it began, the camp has raised a great deal of awareness throughout society regarding AIDS. Li Guoqiang, one of the main organizers, explains.

"In 2003 we did research into children affected by AIDS around the country and published a report on how urgently they needed care and help, which could serve as the first step in a larger project. After that we held the first camp. At the beginning no hotels would serve us. Parks were closed to us. Even children's amusement parks said no. But now everything has changed."

This year, campers also visited the government branches in charge of helping women, children and poverty-stricken families. They expressed their appreciation, asked for care and support, and offered suggestions. Their itinerary may sound a little packed, but the organizers tried to keep the schedule as filled as possible because it's an once-in-a-lifetime experience for many of these children.

Various summer camps run by the same organization are also taking place at the same time nationwide, scattered across sixty Chinese cities. They will last the whole month and provide services for 5,000 children free of charge.

For CRI, this is Xiangwei.