Five years ago, 5 young boys sat down together for a hit of heroine. The oldest was 15, the youngest, just 11. All were heroine addicts. The youngest had been using for about 3 weeks.

They shared a needle with the oldest, a regular street prostitute, and the one who had been able to afford the hit to share with all the rest. He was HIV positive.

Twelve months later, the oldest was dead, and the youngest was unable to continue working as a flower boy. He asked me to look after him.

Now after four years, the youngest is the only survivor of that night. The last of the four died in July 2000. Almost four years to the day, after their fatal adventure.

These kids are not the first, and they will definitely not be the last.

www.chiangmaimall.com has been launched as a way to keep the last boy alive, and to assist a number of other teenagers who have contracted the HIV Virus. By advertising on this site, our supporters are enabling us to continue a process now 4 years old, of keeping the youngest alive and taking up to 7 others off the streets, feeding, clothing, educating and medicating them, in a family based environment where they are safe, comfortable and healthy.

By using the site as it is intended, as a guide to Chiangmai and the north, and as a way of locating providers of goods and services, and by patronizing them, you help continue the work of teen-AIDS.

Operated by an Australian couple, David & Heather, the project will eventually house up to 11 kids with, or at risk of, HIV/AIDS. The project is based in Saraphee district about 16 kilometres from Chiangmai city.

• Teen-AIDS is a non profit organization, currently waiting for registration as an NGO. (Non-Government Organization).
• Teen-AIDS is not run along religious lines, and clients are both Christian-Animist and Buddhist. Teen-AIDS does not discriminate against the boys on any grounds whatsoever.
• Clients are referred by Government organizations, including the Royal Thai Police Force and Health Providers.
• Clients are aged from 9 years up to 17 years currently.

Eventually Teen-AIDS aims to provide assistance to other organizations working with young people with HIV/AIDS. For the moment, we will continue to provide the triple cocktail to clients, provide regular health checks and when needed care for the kids, in hospital and at the home.

The boys currently have a teacher who comes to the house 2 days per week for 3 hours at a time. We plan to bring on a full time teacher, within 3 months. They learn Thai, English, Mathematics and Geography. They are also encouraged to develop personal hobbies, among which is a developing collection of miniature model cars and a collection of baseball caps from all over the world.

Each of the boys will also have an email address at www.teen-aids.com. As part of their English language education, they will be assisted to write to e-pals and to exchange pictures and short bits of information about what they are doing.

If you feel that you would like to assist practically, we would be happy to talk to you. Our email is teenaids@chiangmaimall.com. On occasion we have special needs and if you feel you would like to assist us at these times, by joining our newsletter, we can keep you in touch with the kids health and any specific needs they may have.

These needs, on occasion include:

• Dental work, usually from around 400 baht for a filling, (around $10 USD), up to 3,000 baht ($75 USD) for more involved work.
• Medical care in hospital, around 800 baht per day (inpatient). We usually prefer to care for the kids at home, rather than put them I hospital. On occasion, though, when this is necessary, either Heather or David stay at the hospital with the child.
• Specialized tests. Viral Load count is 7000 baht. T-Cell count around 1500 baht.

By going to Teen-AIDS, you can read some of the stories written about our first boy, Alor, who is still alive and well, after 5 years.

We would also like to publicly thank our supporters, who have assisted us to get to this point:

• Rev and Mrs Len Arthur (Australia)
• Mr John Fleeton (Australia)
• Mr David Engel (Thailand)
• Mr Bill Woods (USA)
• Ms Georgia Wright (USA)
• Mr & Mrs John Arthur (Australia)
• Mr & Mrs Drew Arthur (Australia)
• Mr & Mrs Bill Stewart (Thailand)
• Mr Bob Staat (Thailand)

Our thanks to all these people, for their support, their love and their generosity of spirit and kind.

David & Heather