UNICEF Ambassadors visiting children affected by HIV/AIDS in Shanxi province
UNICEF Ambassadors Miriam Yeung and Daniel Chan return from visiting children affected by HIV/AIDS in Shanxi province (Beijing, March 11 2005) Hong Kong Committee for UNICEF Ambassadors, Daniel Chan and Miriam Yeung held a Press Conference at the Kempinski hotel today on their return from a UNICEF organized field trip in Shanxi province from 5-10 March. The two stars met there with people living with HIV/AIDS and their families, learning also from county-level staff from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) how the epidemic is being combated in the province. They heard at first hand of efforts being made to ensure that children affected by HIV/AIDS stay in school, and receive the psychological support they need to continue with their everyday lives. By making this visit, the two UNICEF Ambassadors are also helping combat the stigma and discrimination associated with HIV/AIDS by meeting face-to-face with local officials, classmates and teachers, and children and families. Stigma and discrimination serve to discourage people from finding out their HIV status and receiving treatment and care. Children of parents living with HIV/AIDS also find it hard to play with other children and get married later in life when their family members require care and the community knows their parents have HIV/AIDS. The field visit was filmed and will be broadcast as a special TV fundraising programme on Hong Kong TVB Jade Channel to raise funds for UNICEF's “China Children's Health Fund”. The UNICEF Hong Kong Committee in 2003/4 contributed over US $ 4 million to UNICEF's programmes for children on the mainland. Under the coordination of the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), UNICEF and the Ministry of Health (MOH) have allocated nearly USD120,000 to Shanxi Province to provide care for children affected by HIV/AIDS, local government capacity building and communication addressing stigma and discrimination. Psycho-social support and training in self-sufficiency are also provided to people living with HIV/AIDS, with children receiving psycho-social counseling, education, health and help with their everyday needs.
Miriam Yeung was originally appointed as a UNAIDS ambassador and now also works with UNICEF on special projects. Daniel Chan has worked with UNICEF in Hong Kong for many years and has made previous field visits, as well as appearing at UNICEF-China events on the mainland, where he is now pursuing a movie career. The Press Conference was also attended by Dr. Christian Voumard, UNICEF Representative to China, Mme. Chai Xiaolin, Deputy Director General of Department of International Trade and Economic Affairs of MOFCOM and Mr. Matthew Mo, the Executive Director of the Hong Kong Committee for UNICEF. The Press Conference has been generously sponsored by the Kempinski Hotel, whose Hotel Manager Mr. Albert Rouwendal will also attend the Press Conference.
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