VietNamNet Bridge – A special Christmas for HIV-infected children from Ha Noi’s Centre for Social Education No 2 took place last night at the Viet Nam Arts Centre in the capital.

The works included oil-on-canvas and lacquer paintings by Le Van Thin, Do Duc, Pham Hoang Nam, Cao Van Ban, Nguyen Cong Vinh, Pham Van Tien, Nguyen Trung Kien and Le Ngoc Ly. Photographs by Tran Xuan Quy, executive director of the centre were also on sale.

“I had the idea for this Warm Christmas a month ago, when some of my friends adopted and supported some HIV-infected children from the centre,” Quy told Viet Nam News.

“Looking at these weak children, who are psychologically affected by the death of their parents and have no chance to go to normal school, I wanted to do something for them,” she explained.

“One of the most realistic thing I could do is sell a portion of our centre’s collection and call on artists to sell their works on this occasion. I hope the children will have some more warm clothes in this chilly winter,” she added.

Quy’s initiative to help these children has been supported by the Youth Theatre, which has used SIDA (Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency)’s financial aid to stage shows for poor children.

Earlier this month, 15 artists from the theatre accompanied the staff from the Viet Nam Arts Centre and a garbage collecting group raised funds for poor children, which went to the Centre for Social Education No 2 to put on the performance for the HIV-infected children there.

“The children liked the show very much,” Quy said, “Maybe that was the first time they had seen such a show made especially for them.”

However, the Viet Nam Arts Centre did not receive much support as the plan was carried out in a hurry.

Quy intends to organise the event annually.

(Source: Viet Nam News)