Bangkok Post - March 20, 2003
Anjira Assavanonda

Tarn's mother died first, then her father, followed by her elder sister, who was only 7-years-old. Test results later revealed Tarn had been fortunate not to contract the deadly virus.

Following the confirmation of Tarn's HIV negative status, the orphan's future was placed in the hands of her 83-year-old grandfather, Arun Prasongpol, who was already struggling to provide for himself and his wife, Parn.

Suffering from severe gout and cataracts that have left her almost blind, Parn Prasongpol says Tarn's mother was the main provider for the family, and everything changed when she died.

"We wouldn't be suffering these hardships if she were still alive. Some days, we don't have enough to eat," she said.

Loss of family income placed a heavy burden on Mr Arun, who now has to work longer shifts in a rice-field that has saddled him with debts amounting to 100,000 baht.

"If I stop working, we will starve," he said.

When asked of his plans for his granddaughter's future, he simply falls silent. With only two years left at primary school, Mr Arun has no idea how he will fund any further education.

Tarn is similarly dumbfounded when asked about life after Prathom 6.

"I don't know. I want to study more, but grandpa hasn't said anything to me [about further education]," she said.

Moreover, Tarn is not the only child living in the Ban Hua Kung-in Phachi district of Ayutthaya facing such a dilemma.

Supranee Huan-arvorn, Tarn's teacher at Wat Hua Kung School, said some of her other students were also being cared for by elderly guardians after their parents died of HIV/Aids.

"It just began happening over the past few years. The disease has killed more than 10 people in the village, and three more are infected," she said.

Ms Supranee said many orphans were living with grandparents who were too old to provide adequate care. Poverty also made it unlikely any of the children would receive higher education.

"For some children, like Tarn, I wonder what their lives would be like if their grandparents were no longer alive,"said Ms Supranee.

Wat Hua Kung School has requested donations to cover the expenses of some of the orphans, but has been unable to fully resolve the situation due to budget constraints. But a visit to the school on Tuesday by senator and child rights advocate Wallop Tungkananurak offered a thin slither of hope.

Mr Wallop led a delegation from the Children Creation Foundation, which presented a donation of playground equipment. He said the foundation was considering further aid, including the establishment of a fund for students in need of financial assistance.

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