“To save one life, is to

save the world entire",

from the Talmud

HIGHLIGHTS

For 2018, the Mai Tam Center in-house population remained stable with 87 resident children with or affected by HIV/AIDS, and 20 single or widowed mothers with HIV/AIDS.  Another 280 affected clients live in the community.  All clients receive a full complement of medical, psychiatric and social services. All children of school age in the Center are enrolled in school. A dressmaking business is maintained in the Govap district for the mothers to earn an income. These mothers also act as foster mothers, providing care and love to all the children in the Center.

Volunteers: There were forty-four local and international volunteers providing an array of services at the Center, particularly life skills and English as a second language. Volunteers came from the local community and internationally, inter alia, Stanford University, University of Missouri, Boston College, La Salle University, and others.

Staff: There are 24 workers including foster mothers, nurses, cooks, a security guard, and a driver. There are 8 educators responsible for in-house education and collaboration with the local schools that educate the children.

Health and HIV/AIDS Care: At the Center 71 children receive daily ARV therapy; 35 receive first line therapy, 36 receive second line therapy. The children’s response to therapy is satisfactory with viral loads nearly undetectable in the population under direct control. Monthly checkups are provided at the government pediatric hospital and all children are now covered by health insurance. This year one new resident was severely ill with AIDS and other opportunistic infections and was hospitalized for a few months; his health improved in the hospital and he returned to the Center to continue his life. His condition has continued to improve and is under control with first line ARV therapy.

Education: All eligible children at the Center are enrolled in school—7 in kindergarten, 28 in the primary grades, and 39 in middle/high school. One older client is studying accounting at University, while another has already graduated as a nurse and is working at the Center.

New Life Skill Activities: This year yoga lessons were introduced by a volunteer at the Center. The staff finds it very helpful for the children and mothers as yoga can relieve their stress, improve their physical and mental health, and give them hope for the future.

Painting lessons were introduced on Saturday afternoons for 22 participating children. The process is very therapeutic as it allows the children to express their feelings and emotions in this art form.

An unexpected outcome was the organization of an art exhibition, with sales of the children’s paintings totaling US$20,000—what a great success!

Music classes--- another 15 children joined music classes on a weekly basis, providing another form of therapy.

Challenges/Unexpected Outcomes: The lives of the adolescent children become increasingly challenging, especially when they arrive at the realization that they were abandoned or orphaned because of AIDS. Some hold anger within their minds and hearts, finding it difficult to forgive themselves. The staff works with them very closely, assuring them of their love and providing the necessary support to help them accept and reconcile themselves to their situation.

Our limited physical space for so many children is also a challenge, as older children need more space and privacy. Management intends to construct another home to improve the situation of such limited space and to better organize the activities of the Center.

This year at Mai Tam, an unexpected event resulted in national news for the Center, when John Toai rescued a new born from international baby traffickers. The national news covered the story for an extended period which, on one hand, resulted positively with an increase in local and greatly needed donations to the Center, but on the other hand, increased the risk for John Toai’s safety owing to the likelihood of revenge sought by these international human smugglers.

GIVING BACK: For the adolescent children, the staff organized “giving back” activities, bringing the children to the Cambodian border where there are many Vietnamese migrants, deported from Cambodia and living in poverty, lacking the most basic necessities of life. The children of Mai Tam shared their saved rice, food, and groceries with the migrants, in the act of “giving back”.

Website Activities: This website and a November fund raiser in Boston collected $47,859 for the year 2018; $41,875 was transferred to Mai Tam during 2018, while late arriving donations of $5,984 were transferred in 2019. Two other U.S. groups made significant donations—Hope for Tomorrow (Maryland) and Little Angels (San Jose, Cal.).