The Ministry of Health estimates there are now at least 100,000 AIDS
orphans in China. However, in the midst of the campaigns to raise
awareness about AIDS prevention in China, the children of those who
have died of the disease have been forgotten. Recently CCTV
international visited the village of Wenlou, which has been
devastated by AIDS, to learn more about the lives of these children.

These children are having their favorite music lesson. They seem as
happy as any children their age should be. But this happiness may be
short-lived. The tragedy of AIDS has already cast its shadow on their
lives.

In Wenlou village in central Henan Province, more than 600 people are
infected with HIV. That's half of the population. The disease has
already orphaned 29 children. And more kids are expected to lose
their parents as more people die from full-blown AIDS. They
contracted the HIV virus in the early 1990s through unsafe blood
selling organized by profiteering collectors.

Five-year-old Maru is just one of them. AIDS has hit her whole
family, including her parents and grandparents, her little brother
and herself. Only her elder sister is free of the disease. Her mother
died two years ago and her father Ma Shenyi is stilling struggling
with the disease.

Ma Shenyi is now too ill to work in the field. But he still has to
take care of his little son and daughter. His biggest worry is who
will take care of them if he dies.

He told CCTV: "Future? I don't know what their future will be when I
die. My parents are also sick. The kids have AIDS, and the public
orphanage won't take them in. Other relatives have healthy children,
and they won't accept them either. I only hope the government will
find a way to help."

Local officials say the government-sponsored orphanage cannot refuse
to take orphans with AIDS, but so far no one has applied. Healthy
orphans have two choices: go to an orphanage for AIDS orphans, or
stay with relatives. The provincial government gives these relatives
a little more than 100 yuan or 13 dollars each month as a living
subsidy. Four children from Wenlou Village are now living in an
orphanage. Local officials say there are many more to come.

Li Guohua, director of Shangcai County Orphanage, said: "More than 20
AIDS orphans have asked to come here. But we have no places. We plan
to enlarge the orphanage, and construction will start in March. "

The Henan Provincial government is planning to spend 80 million yuan
this year, building 38 more orphanages and primary schools in
villages that are seriously affected by AIDS. However, some health
experts say this is not the best way to deal with the problem. 77-
year-old Gao Yaojie, a retired gynecologist-turned AIDS activist is
one of these people.

AIDS Activist Gao Yaojie: "There are three major problems for these
AIDS orphans: Existence, Education and Psychology. It's bad for these
kids if you put them all together in an orphanage, especially for
their psychological health. And some orphans living with their
relatives can't get any education, their relatives just take the
money."

Dr. Gao's story with AIDS orphans began in 1996. She was shocked to
meet a boy who swore to kill the man who tempted his father to sell
blood. She says the desire for revenge among AIDS orphans is very
dangerous and will become a serious social problem if the country
fails to treat them properly. When Vice-Premier Wu Yi visited this
AIDS village in December, Dr. GAO told her what she believed should
be done.

GAO said: "These children should live in new families with love so
that they can have a proper life and education, but more importantly,
be psychologically healthy."

Life's early blows have forced these children to take on a sudden
maturity and sensitivity lacking in their peers. It sets them apart
with an invisible label. Nine-year-old Kong Jeanie in the public
orphanage always has smile on her face. But she's not willing to talk
about her parents.

Aids Orphan Kong Jeanie said: "My brother and I don't want to talk
about our mom and dad. If we do, it makes us sad."

But despite the dark side of her childhood trauma, she still holds on
to a hope for a brighter future, for herself and her village.

"I hope I can study at college. I want to be a teacher when I grow
up.

And I hope that Menlo could become a good place with tall buildings
and people living happily."

The Ministry of Health estimates there are now at least 100,000 AIDS
orphans in China. And if decisive action is not taken, by 2010 that
number could reach 260,000. Health workers and activists say the
problem of AIDS was neglected for too long. Now, the issue of AIDS
orphans must be addressed properly before it's too late.