Thai teen with HIV needs help to get to uni: Despite constant bullying and stigma Nong Jaa fights on

[webfact]

Picture: Thai Rath

 

Thai Rath reported on the case of a 17 year old Thai schoolgirl in Chainat in central Thailand who has had HIV since she was in her mother's womb.

 

Now despite constant bullying and stigma about the disease she is on the verge of fulfilling a dream and getting to university.

 

But she needs money to do so. ASEAN NOW is hoping our readers can help Natchaneecha Tumhorm who is known by her nickname of Jaa.

 

Jaa's life has been one of struggle from the moment she was born. Her mother died and her father was sent to prison.

 

She lives with her 79 year old paternal grandfather called Rin who earns a meager income of 1,000 baht spraying rice.

 

What with 500 baht in benefits for Jaa and 1,000 baht in elderly benefits for Rin their total income is less than 3,000 baht a month.

 

She is a conscientious student who works hard at school where she receives a free Thai government education.

 

But she wants to go to university so that she can get a good job and help her grandfather in his very old age.

 

Jaa explained about people living with HIV and how people contract the disease. She said she had no choice in the matter being infected by her mother in the womb.

 

Other ways are through unprotected sex with an infected person, sharing needles, blood transfusions from infected sources and babies taking mother's milk, she explained. She said she also has asthma and had a particularly bad episode a few years ago when she had a seizure.

 

Thai Rath did not report on her anti-viral HIV regimen though a visit from local officials yesterday showed meds that are used to suppress the virus. 

 

Thanks to medicine widely available in Thailand, most HIV-ers these days can live relatively normal lives, as long as anyone else, providing they know about their condition and take medication daily. In Thailand this is provided free of charge. 

 

Jaa asked for people to look at HIV-ers in a new way and stop the stigma. This caused bullying for her at school since she was very little and though she has got used to it now she is older she wants that to stop. 

 

Yesterday Yuthana Raekkheun, Sankhaburi, Chainat district chief and the director of her school - Phadej Suphanthana of Khuruprachasan school - and other officials took rice and a bursary as an initial help. 

Thai Rath didn't explain why this was happening now. 

 

The help is appreciated but she needs more for that uni dream and a brighter future.

 

Money can be transferred to an account in her name at the Government Savings Bank #020181166842. 

 

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[KinKinReowReow]

A worthy cause if there ever was one. 
Hope she get to follow her dreams.

 

[sqwakvfr]

Just donated through my Bangkok Bank App.  In recent memory I can’t think of a better cause.  No one with HIV should be harassed and it should have been kept private. Good luck to NatchaneeCha.  

[ugghuggh]

3k . Good luck 

[BKKTRAVELER]

Just donated 1,000 baht. Wish her all the best and you guys above are awesome for contributing!

[huangnon]

Sending some positive energy (and 3k). Good luck, nong Jaa.

[Calvin1976]

Donated 2K.

Saved as Favorites which can donate monthly.

Good luck to Jaa and everyone.

[Orinoco]

Sent.

Good luck girl.

[mahtin]

This caused bullying for her at school since she was very little and though she has got used to it now she is older she wants that to stop. 

 

Perhaps the coming legislation dealing with torture and disappearance will help?

[Nelson52]

How can we set up a company sponsorship deal please? 

[JeffersLos]

A lot of money will be flowing in for such a story.

 

How to know it isn't a scam? 

[Lev L]

donated

[timendres]

6 minutes ago, JeffersLos said:

A lot of money will be flowing in for such a story.

 

How to know it isn't a scam? 

Just send your "it might be a scam" amount.

[Berkshire]

Impressed by the generosity on this thread.  Rock on.

[Why Me]

10k. Good luck, kid. Make something of yourself and <deleted> the haters.

[tomazbodner]

Donated as well. I hope sum of donations will make study and life easier for both her and her caring grandmother.

[Desire2016]

46 minutes ago, JeffersLos said:

A lot of money will be flowing in for such a story.

 

How to know it isn't a scam? 

⁹get your mind out of the gutter 

[Deli]

The Generals have money for Chinese Subs but not to educate the people in need

[NightSky]

I’m sending 5k too, kids can be cruel with bullying but so can some adults too. Hope she stands strong.
 

Hiv is ‘just another’ virus these days with the meds that stop it harming the body and prevent it being passed on or replicated although the stigma from history still prevails unfortunately. Hopefully education and time can change this. 

[BKKTRAVELER]

I'm just realizing that just from this thread alone, they got around 35k already, which is 1 whole year of income for her and her grandfather. Makes me happy to see many members here show tremendous generosity. I hope the money will be well spent and she can get a better life.

 

Farangs are not all so bad after all ????

[2009]

3 minutes ago, BKKTRAVELER said:

Farangs are not all so bad after all 

Truth that.

[JeffersLos]

19 minutes ago, Desire2016 said:

⁹get your mind out of the gutter 

There's no need to be abusive over a simple honest question.

 

How to know this isn't a scam?

[paul545]

Donated. I used to sponsor a young lad in a similar situation, caught HIV in the womb many years ago for his school uniform and equipment every year.  There are so many like them in Thailand and the government do not have anything in place to support them. Well done to those that have donated it shows that Farang have a heart and care. 

[PJ71]

1 hour ago, JeffersLos said:

A lot of money will be flowing in for such a story.

 

How to know it isn't a scam? 

This was my first thought too, a bank a/c number posted on a forum and people generously donating without any due dilegence....

 

would n't be the first time people with some comapssion have been taken advantage of.....just sayin.

[Liverpool Lou]

39 minutes ago, BKKTRAVELER said:

Farangs are not all so bad after all 

All the donations came from foreigners?  I'm pretty sure that more people in Thailand read Thai Rath than Thaivisa.

[youngster30uk]

Its fantastic that so many people are donating, but I worry that a young girl with as much money as it seems she is about to have, is likely to get a lot of people trying to part her with her money. Some kind of trustee should be appointed

 

[NightSky]

13 minutes ago, PJ71 said:

This was my first thought too, a bank a/c number posted on a forum and people generously donating without any due dilegence....

 

would n't be the first time people with some comapssion have been taken advantage of.....just sayin.

It was my thought too as I’ve been around long enough to know it can happen but thaiwrath is a well known organization and the amount of media and photos of this story make it seem legit to me and I think it’s worth the risk to help the girl stand strong. I’m sure AseanNow did some due diligence too as they are promoting the crowdfund.

 

Happy donating ????

[Mac Mickmanus]

I just am wondering whether her being a 17 year old female has any connection with people willing to donate money to her .

    Would some people also donate if it was a fat overweight  male ?

[PJ71]

2 minutes ago, NightSky said:

It was my thought too as I’ve been around long enough to know it can happen but thaiwrath is a well known organization and the amount of media and photos of this story make it seem legit to me and I think it’s worth the risk to help the girl stand strong. I’m sure AseanNow did some due diligence too as they are promoting the crowdfund.

I hope so and i hope all the generous donations get to where they need to.

[swm59nj]

Not only the help with money.  But steps need to be taken to stop her from being bullied.  I hope the ones involved are being reprimanded.