The life of HIV positive kids got more sun

25 people (12 adults and 13 children) stayed on Gribovka resort in the year 2006. For the rest were chosen families with low budget and families with only one parent or families with kids under grandparent care (mothers of the kids are on the rehabilitation from drug addiction). Three orphan kids from Kiev "Beryozka" orphanage have also visited the Black Sea coast. They have been escorted there by volunteers and social service workers of the Day Center for kids involved in HIV/AIDS epidemics.

All children, who visited Crimea, get ARV therapy. So, before the trip they got consultation of children infection disease doctor and permission-recommendation for participation in sea vacations.

All kids and adults were provided with three times a day meal. Families lived in two-floor buildings close to the Sea and the beach. Children were playing in the shade of the trees during the time when it was undesirable to stay under the sun. All the participants of the holiday trip knew each other, the children were almost of the same age – they enjoyed each other’s company and played together. Nobody wanted to go back home.

In 2006 All-Ukrainian Network of PLWH in the framework of the project "Care and support for people living with HIV/AIDS" under the support of ICF "The International Alliance on HIV/AIDS in Ukraine" for the costs of Global Found to Fight AIDS, TB and malaria, introduced new program – "Summer school for kids and parents with HIV". The model of sanitation with rehabilitation elements was worked out. Sanitation of HIV positive children elder than 18 months took place in climatic zone, close to the kids’ residence place. Children sanitation took place in 11 regions, where children centers work: in Kiev, Kherson, Cherkassy, Odessa, Donetsk, Simferopol, Nikolayev, Chernigov, Kharkov, Poltava, Krivoy Rog.

For detailed information, please, contact Pavel Piminov, Communications Director, Elena Pinchuk ANTIAIDS Foundation on e-mail: [email protected]. Contact phone number: +38 (044) 490 4805.