Posted by Ginge on 3rd May 2008
We are in the middle of the long school holidays which, for the children at BaanGerda, are punctuated by a very important event: the annual beach trip. Our first holiday with the children was 6 years ago, and since then it has become a tradition which the kids look forward to for months in advance.
Throughout the month of March the children talk of little else. They pack their bags days in advance, and when the day of departure arrives the buses set off at 4am, but you can be sure that with all the excitement hardly anyone manages to get any sleep before that. They arrive before lunch, sleepy from the long journey, and desperate to go and play in the sea.
Much has changed since our first visit when we were unable to disclose that our children were infected with HIV for fear that we would be turned away. Many resorts didn’t want to accept us when we mentioned that we were bringing HIV kids and ultimately it was decided to keep it secret. By the time our resort discovered they had HIV, the owners had become so fond of the kids they didn’t turn us away. Instead they gave us a cheap room rate and plenty of extra treats for free. Each family stays in a simple bungalow with one room for the children and another for the parents for 3 fun-filled days. Not only that, we have also observed that those children who have persistent HIV-associated skin problems show much improvement after a few days at the beach, perhaps due to the salty water.
It is as a result of the kind support of friends of BaanGerda that each year our children are able to enjoy what is a big highlight of the year.
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May 4th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
It is always with great pleasure that I follow the news of activities at Baan Gerda. To see those faces full of happy excitement and joy makes me proud to be associated with you. Well done!
September 5th, 2009 at 9:38 am
Salt water is known to have cleaning and balancing effects on the whole body and the fresh air helps with respiratory ailments too