Bursaries for youth hit by HIV

NEEDY children and youths affected by HIV can now get help paying for their education.

Starting with a seed fund of $50,000 from M.A.C. Cosmetics, the One Life Fund by World Vision here aims to raise $300,000 for 300 bursaries.

Children and youths who have tested positive for HIV, the human immunodeficiency virus that causes Aids, or who have at least one parent who is HIV-positive, can apply. The first batch of bursaries will be given out around March next year.

World Vision is partnering the Patient Care Centre, under the Communicable Disease Centre of Tan Tock Seng Hospital, which will be administering the bursary.

Unlike most bursaries which have to be applied for on a yearly basis, the new bursary will fund recipients for the entire duration of their studies, from pre-school up to university.

The fund aims to plug a gap, as existing programmes tend to focus on the medical needs of HIV- positive patients, said World Vision Singapore executive director James Quek.

One fund which has helped 38 HIV patients with their treatment and medication is an endowment fund run by KK Women's and Children's Hospital for women and children with HIV, cancer and other chronic illnesses.

While there are no exact numbers for children and teenagers who have HIV-positive parents, there could be at least 100 of them.

A potential beneficiary of the new One Life Fund is a 13-year-old girl whose mother is HIV-positive and whose stepfather died from acquired immune deficiency syndrome, or Aids, in June.

The Secondary 1 student, who found out about their condition in February, said: 'I was afraid I might one day lose them because of that and I was angry - why must it happen to me?'

The family's combined household income used to be over $2,000. But now they live on a $200 alimony from her biological father after her mother, who was employed as a cashier, was forced to stop working in August after taking too many days of leave due to her illness.

'I still don't know how to buy my books for next year,' said the girl, who aims to study at a polytechnic and one day become a mathematics teacher.

One Life Fund applicants need to be:

• Singapore citizens or permanent residents aged two to 25;
• HIV-positive or have at least one HIV-positive parent, regardless of whether the parent is deceased or alive;
• In a family with net household income not exceeding $3,000;
• Enrolled in either a registered or accredited full-time course. ANG YIYING