Imagine being born with a virus which has no cure... Imagine losing both of your parents to the disease at an early age... And then imagine the torment of being abandoned by relatives and the rest of society.
This was the fate of many of the children who live in a small rural community in Thailand known as Baan Gerda. Originally set up as a hospice where they could spend their final days with dignity, it is now a place for the living and they are able to run and play like normal children. 
There are many stories about HIV and AIDS victims that ‘the world would rather forget’. The shocking images and destructive forces of the disease have been seen by everyone and have become predictable and tired. The story about the children of Baan Gerda however, is one of hope and optimism.
When you look at the children now, it's hard to believe that many arrived at Baan Gerda in desperately poor health with advanced stages of AIDS. In addition, they suffered the trauma of losing their parents and some were even cast out of their extended families and left to die. Their zest for life hides the distress and suffering experienced in the early days.
