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Art camp and exhibition: "Paint My Life" (2004) supported by UNICEF - Thailand |
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Art camp and exhibition : "who am i, why am i here" (2006-2007) |
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supported by UNICEF-Thailand and Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations |
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Art camp and exhibition : "Life's Journey" (2007-2008) |
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supported by ARTAIDS, Siam Commercial Bank Foundation , UNICEF-Thailand and Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations |
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Art camp and exhibition : "Journey of Dreams" (2008) |
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supported by ARTAIDS, UNICEF-Thailand and Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations |
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Musical drama : "Dragon and Naga" in World AIDS Day (1st December 2008) organized by Thai Red Cross, |
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supported by Project of Music for Happiness, Thai Health Promotion Foundation, UNICEF – Thailand, Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations |
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Research : "Policy Implication to Promote a Holistic Work to Prevent and Solve Problems for Children |
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and Youth Living with HIV in Thailand " from September 2008 – August 2009 |
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| Art camp and exhibition: "Paint My Life" (2004) supported by UNICEF- Thailand |
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A trace….that brought us to a hope….arrived at the world having understanding and happiness for children living with HIV/AIDS.
We began our first journey….with our belief that art was a tool to assist children to communicate their feelings and thinking, and to tell the
stories that made them suffer. It led to relieve and heal altogether, and opened a space to allow "voices" of children living with HIV/AIDS to
communicate with people in their societies.
The first starting point was piloted by 16 children living with HIV/AIDS who were 8 to 15 years old. The children were from AIDS ACCESS
Foundation Chiang Rai, Srinagarind Hospital Khon Kaen University, AIDS Network Development Foundation-Northeast, Phrachomklao
Petchburi Hospital, and Medecins Sans Frontieres- Belgium[Thailand],
They attended an art camp for painting in January 2004. As the result of the camp, their art works were presented in the art exhibition titled
"Paint My Life: Painting and Reflections of Children Living with HIV/AIDS" for 2 times:
1) 20-27 June 2004, Children Museum Bangkok
2) 11-16 July 2004, the 14th International AIDS Conference in 2004 at Impact Arena, Muangthongthani, Bangkok.
"Paint My Life" did not only assist the audience to perceive and understand children living with HIV more,
but the audience were touched with the children's power and as a result some children began to gain for the first time, the feeling of self-esteem. |
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The power of art helped some children to feel that drawing some pictures
alike walking to clean their grievous minds, dragging themselves to stand up,
and painting their lives with colorful hopes.
The stories that children told lead to follow up, assist, and heal each child's mind.
" 'Paint My Life' is the first time to show the self-esteem
of children living with HIV/AIDS with….feelings like 'I can do it'
and 'I could paint it'….that make audiences impress
and understand children living with HIV/AIDS. "
"I am only a child who is not different from other children.
I can play and do everything like a normal child.
I am a child."
Keng, 13 years old
"Drawing is fun. It's fun to draw pictures." Fai, 8 years old |
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"I saw flowers. The ground where the flowers stood was very messy with piles of soils, so I drew a pot for the flowers instead." Boy, 11 years old
"No money to buy a cinerary urn for my mother, then I drew this picture for her." Aom , 13 years old
"I drew a picture that I went to a market with my mom who is in the heaven now. I disliked this picture,
but I felt good because it made me remind to my mother."
"I drew people living together." |
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| Art camp and exhibition : "who am i, why am i here" (2006-2007) |
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From the trace of 'Paint My Life'….made a new journey and we were saluted by many travelers who walked in the same way.
The trace then became our clear way. |
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The number of children increased from 12 to 26 children living with HIV/AIDS.
Art teachers for painting, photograph, percussion, and drama attended to promote
various kinds of art learning for children living with HIV/AIDS.
Art camps for children living with HIV/AIDS were provided frequently and continuously 12 times
The children learned art works and their "selves" through the interesting art works.
They understood and found the way to manage suffering,
create happiness, and lead themselves to a hope.
They shared learning and exchanged opinions with their friends.
The art works of the children were presented in the exhibition titled 'who am i why am i here'.
The exhibition told their stories and learning to bloom like flowers.
Art exhibitions were held for 8 times as follows:
1) 29 April - 7 May 2006, Muang Thai Insurance Hall, Bangkok
2) 26-27 May 2006, Siam Society Meeting Room, Bangkok Ms.Nane Annan
(wife of Mr.Kofi Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nations) be a distinguished guest at the performance. |
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3) 10-12 August 2006, the 15th International AIDS Conference in 2006 at Toronto, Canada (Painting and Photo Exhibition)
4) 27-28 October 2006, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University
5) 14-15 March 2007, The Academic Forum, Faculty of Medicine, Songkhlanakarind University (Painting and Photo Exhibition)
6) 28-29 April 2007, Art Gallery, Chiang Mai University
7) 4-6 July 2007, The National AIDS Seminar, Impact Arena, Muangthongthani, Bangkok
8) 14 November 2007, The First East Asia Regional Conference of The World Federation of Consuls Programme ,
Bangkok Convention Hall (Drama performance)
On the way of learning in art camps and presenting their art works in 'who am i why am i here' emphasized children and the related adults,
including audiences of the exhibition to realize that
….children living with HIV/AIDS are healthy, can learn, and have capacities as same as children in general….
The children gradually changed their suffering to happiness.
Although some parts of the suffering were not solved, at least the children realized that they did not fight alone.
They had friends and power to confront problems, and learn more….
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"I am a blooming flower and grow up everyday."
Noknoi, 16 years old
"To bloom in the next day with a clear sky of our day."
Noeng, 18 years old
The children initiated to build their aims together to participate
in AIDS campaigns in order to make people
in their societies understand people living with HIV/AIDS.
"Please hold our hands and hearts to invent the history
that changes the world from a world with misunderstanding
to the world with understanding."
Keng, 14 years old |
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| Art camp and exhibition : "who am i, why am i here" (2006-2007) |
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From 'Paint My Life' to 'who am i why am i here', enables both children and adults who work in the same team to be confident that the dream
to the world of understanding and happiness of children living with HIV/AIDS is not beyond to reach.
The experiences of 26 children living with HIV/AIDS were shared to 100 peers and younger brothers and sisters living with HIV/AIDS.
Children living with HIV/AIDS from The HIV Netherlands Australia Thailand Research Collaboration,
Thai Red Cross AIDS Research Centre joined with other peers from the same areas and were gathered in group called 'Peer Volunteer Group'
to make friends who are travelers from many areas all over the country. Learning from art activities to other activities such as life skills,
sex education, income generating program were designed by the children's interest. Besides this, they still show their art works as AIDS
campaigns through art works in the public sphere.
"As I suffer this disease, I used to think it's no use for me to go to school.
I felt so discouraged and desperate. Nobody accepted me. I thought I was not valuable at all.
If I did not have a chance to do activities like these, I might have died already.
Now I understand myself and love myself too.
My friends also suffer the same disease but they are happy.
By showing our art works, we are more accepted by people; and we are proud of that."
Omm, 17 years old , participated in art activities since she was 13 years old.
"Life's Journey" were presented 6 times as follows:
1) 2 April 2008, The Regional Partnership Forum on Children and HIV/AIDS, UNICEF, Imperial Queen's Park Bangkok (Drama performance)
2) 28 May 2551 The annual meeting of Thai People living with HIV/AIDS, Saraburi Province (Drama performance)
3) 28 July 2008-4 August 2008, Mahisorn Hall, Thai Commercial Bank ( Drama and music performance, and painting exhibition)
4) 3-15 October 2008, The academic forum on sex education for young people, PATH, Ambassador Hotel, Bangkok (Painting exhibition)
5) 27-31 October 2008, Siam Center Bangkok (Painting exhibition)
6) 20 November 2008, The meeting for giving rewards to news agencies that promote child right, Issara Foundation,
Century Hotel, Bangkok (Painting exhibition) |
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| Art camp and exhibition : "who am i, why am i here" (2006-2007) |
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Stories are about journeys in a pursuit of dreams on the pavement of leaves of roses.
However, the destination is not beyond to reach for 17 Thai children living with HIV/AIDS who like painting
and interest to practice more additional skills. The process of learning has been promoted by ART Laemkom School, Bangkok for 2 times.
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"Journey of Dreams" was held from 3-7 August 2008 at the 17th International AIDS Conference, Mexico City, Mexico.
"If we have our dreams, our lives will certainly last a longer time; so we can follow our dreams.
Yo, 17 years old
"Sometime you can turn the distress into an enjoyable thing.
No more troubles about my medicines. They were switched into the ones easy for swallowing.
Through camp activities, I got to know friends and went places.
I was able to do the things I thought I couldn't do them successfully before. That's excited.
I always dream of being a doctor. I just can't throw away such dream out of my mind.
I will try to achieve this. I also want to be a rice farmer because I come from a farmer family.
And I want to be a pilot too."
Hang Daab, 15 years old
"Having learned more things in the world, I can seek more happiness in life.
Now I look at the world in a more positive way. The world is not always gray.
It is less distressful now. You don't have to overcome all the issues but try
to be capable of doing anything to gain acceptance from people.
And that will make you feel happy.
Just find happiness for yourself."
New, 17 years old
"Learning arts makes me feel so happy.
Arts strengthen my self-confidence and courage.
I've known friends. I have hope and people who accept me.
I will continue learning arts. I want to be an artist."
Bua, 16 years old |
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| Musical drama : "Dragon and Naga" in World AIDS Day (1st December 2008) organized by Thai Red Cross,
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There were 20 children living with HIV/AIDS who interested to learn drama and music to attend additional activities with Theatre and Drama
for Development Resource Centre, Knowledge Network Institution of Thailand, and Faculty of Music, Silapakorn University.
The activities were held for 2 times. The musical drama was presented in the open ceremony of "Candles Light Heart" in the World AIDS Day,
organized by Thai Red Cross. HRH Princess Soamsavali Kitiyakara, the patronage of Thai Red Cross Society programs, |
opened the ceremony and looked at the musical drama.
The plot of "Dragon and Naga" was adapted from a tale named
" A Soybean Dragon and A Steamed Stuffed Bun Naga" by Sai-duen-din
who distributed the tale through internet in the website named Thaimung.
Children and drama teacher impressed the content of the tale
because it is similar to their stories confronted by HIV/AIDS.
The theme is about living together with someone who is different from each other. |
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The tale was transformed to be the musical drama by a participation of children to invent ,
sing, and design acting of drama with teachers from Faculty of Music, Silapakorn University and Knowledge Network Institution of Thailand.
The musical drama "Dragon and Naga" is the story of living together with the differences of dragons who blow fire and soybean,
Naga who blow water and steamed stuffed bun, and starve children in far away land. It makes audience appreciate.
All actors, actresses, and drama teachers hope that they will present the musical drama again in 2009. |
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| Research : "Policy Implication to Promote a Holistic Work to Prevent and Solve Problems for Children
and Youth Living with HIV in Thailand " from September 2008 – August 2009
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The research is cooperated by
• Knowledge Network Institute of Thailand
• 'we understand' group
• AIDS ACCESS Foundation and Thai Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS – Chiang Rai
• Chiang Rai Prachanukraw Hospital.
• Phrachomklao Phetburi Hospital
• Infectious Disease Division , Department of Pediatrics, Srinagarind Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University
• HIV Netherlands Australia Thailand Research Collaboration, Thai Red Cross AIDS Research Centre
Supported by Knowledge Network Institute of Thailand and UNICEF –Thailand
This study has objectives as follows:
• To draw lesson learnt and synthesize holistic work model for children and youth living with HIV/AIDS in partner organizations' areas.
• To review national policies related to children and youth living with HIV/AIDS.
• To propose recommendations to develop specific implementations and expand the model to other areas.
The research is a qualitative study by conducting interview and focus group discussion for 3 main groups of key informants:
all workers who deal with holistic work model in each area,
children and youth living with HIV/AIDS, and caregivers of children and youth living with HIV/AIDS.
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