Why we back Camillian?

My family have a house in Rayong, Thailand and I visit regularly. On my trips I have witnessed true poverty and so wanting to help the less fortunate in the area I started collecting clothes, toys, stationary and any other useful donations for a local orphanage called the Camillian Center. In addition I have set up this Just Giving Page for any monetary donations.

About the Camillian Centre

The Camillian Center is concerned with both treating and preventing HIV/AIDS. This encompasses the orphanage, a palliative care unit, a sponsorship program to enable local children to attend school, an independent living center for older teenagers, a prevention center and the Eastern region HIV/AIDS network.

The orphaned children at the Camillian Childcare Center come from very poor circumstances or have been abandoned at local hospitals. They have been referred to the Center through the Government’s Social Welfare Department, whom they work closely with. Many of the children arrive in the AIDS stage of the infection and with the proper care and nourishment have returned to living with HIV.

The children need special care and attention because of the effects of the virus and the side effects of the medicine. Presently, there are 69 children in their care. 40 children live at their main Center, 17 live at the Independent Living Center and 12 live at the Garden of Eden (rehabilitation community for people living with HIV/AIDS). Currently their youngest child is just 2 years old.

The HIV positive children are receiving the anti-retroviral treatment and are enrolled in the Thai Government’s Pediatric Access to Care (PATC) program.

For more information visit http://www.hiv-aids-kids.org/index.html

How can you help?

As well as monetary donations via this Just Giving page if local to the Woking, Surrey (England) area we’d be very grateful for any donations of toys, clothes ranging from baby to adult sizes, toys, stationary, accessories (bags, hair clips, hats etc) and other useful items such as good condition hair brushes and new in package toothbrushes. Drop offs can be arranged by emailing me at nickihodder@gmail.com.

Items going direct to the orphanage will need to be able to fit into large suitcases. We have friends who regularly visit the area from the UK who have offered to assist with taking the donations to Thailand. For any large bulky toys or other items of value we will attempt to sell to raise money for the orphanage.