Holland bought a temporary reprieve, but in the longer term Cambodia's one HIV organisation faced an uncertain future. So Bunthy began to raise COPHA's profile, contacting
UNICEF and inviting other international and government
organisations to visit their offices and speak to the staff and service
users.
Footballers and magazines
As with so many other HIV organisations, however, it was getting local
celebs on their side that really made the difference.
"The Cambodian footballers started to play for us to raise publicity.
We got a lot of support from people and people started to know about the
organisation".
Bunthy was interviewed by one of Cambodia's most popular magazines. Once
more, his determination to stand up for people with HIV had uncomfortable
effects.
"Everywhere I go people recognised me; I started to feel shy. My
parents saw the article and were very unhappy. They felt that I was bringing
shame on my family's reputation".
More rewarding were the calls Bunthy started receiving regularly from
other positive Cambodian people who read his story.
"They all start out by saying that they are not positive but they
are ringing for a friend. After we talk for a while they admit that they
are actually positive too. I also get calls from positive people in other
countries who have read the article; lots of Cambodian people live abroad".
Bunthy now has 16 volunteers working for COPHA and trains other positive
staff. COPHA offers counselling, care and support for people with HIV,
and also those affected by the virus, particularly children.
"We work with lots of orphans and try to find them foster parents.
For many of these children their only option was to become prostitutes,
especially if they are sent to centres in the city. We try to keep them
in their local communities. I am trying to get funding to pay for their
education".
Poverty and treatment
page 3 of 4
contents
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Despite the excellent work done by COPHA, Bunthy emphasises that HIV positive people in Cambodia are desperately in need of treatment. "200,000 people in Cambodia are HIV
