2008 – 2016

Henan Children Project Goal and Objectives:

The goal of the Henan Children Project is to provide immediate assistance to this roughly 400 HIV affected children living in the great number of villages of Henan. The resources will be used and aim to improve their substandard living conditions and educational needs. The international activities will expand the horizon and reverse the grim outlook of these unfortunate children. The goals and objectives will be accomplished through three components: international pen-pal program, resources provided in the children centers, and financial assistance toward educational needs.

Henan Children Project consists of the following programs:
▸ International Pen Pal Program
▸ China AIDS Fund Children Center
▸ Nutritional Support for HIV Children
▸ Educational Support for HIV Children
▸ College Scholarship

Henan Children Center

Henan, China is the epicenter of the HIV/AIDS epidemic caused by non-regulated and unhygienic commercial blood donation practices in the early to mid 1990s. Thousands of adults died from HIV/AIDs related deaths resulting from contaminated blood transfusions. Newborns contracted the disease from contaminated blood of their mothers during pregnancy. Other non-infected children were made orphans and destitute without family and means of financial support.

Through the generous donations and contributions of the Chinese American community in the United States and support from other Americans, the China AIDs Fund (CAF) has founded and established two children centers in Shangcai, Shenqiu in the province of Henan since 2008. These centers are centrally located and are easily accessible to many of the HIV/AIDs affected children, providing them social and educational support.

Both of these CAF Henan children centers are equipped with four computer stations with broadband connection, a library, a lounge and an outdoor play area. With the generous support of the China AIDs Fund, the dedicated staff has utilized these resources to aid and assist these children as well as providing a warm and interactive environment promoting socialization and a sense of community with monthly activities and programs. CAF will continue to strive in its mission to provide much needed support to these children of HIV/AIDs disease through social and educational programs.

College Scholarship program

College scholarship program was initiated in the summer of 2010. After face-to-face interviews with the qualified applicants, the board has approved 11 college scholarships, each of which will support half of the required college tuition of the recipients.

A list of colleges/universities currently attended by scholarship recipients:

Dalian Ocean University
Beijing Social Administration Vocational College
Heilongjiang Jiamusi University
Hubei Huangshi Institute of Technology
Henan Chasha Social Work College
Shenyang Medical College
Shangqiu Normal College
Xinyang Vocational and Technical College
Zhengzhou University
Zhongyuan University of Technology

EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT FOR HIV CHILDREN

China government provides free education from elementary school to junior high school. However, we found out that some of the junior high students will need to come up with their own 3 meals and school supply. The government does not cover the cost of education beyond junior high school.

Most of the HIV children are orphans living in the homes of relatives with very little support. We believe we can change the outlooks of these children immensely by providing them the materials and resources necessary to succeed and to become productive members of the society. Together with the interaction through the international pen-pal program, their horizon will be lifted.