Scale of drug use

Hou Yuangao, a professor of sociology at Minzu University of China in Beijing, where the majority of students and graduates come from China's ethnic groups, who established the Yi Women and Children Development Center in Liangshan, was shocked by the scale of drug use when he first returned to his hometown in Zhaojue in 2001.

Waqi Wuji (left) and her mother Jida Geguo in their poorly furnished living room. The young woman has to help her mother support the family after her father died of an AIDS-related illness. [ Photo / China Daily ]

The biggest difficulty Hou faced was that the infected villagers were ignorant of the impact of the disease and continued to leave the area to search for work. "It is very hard for us to prevent them from transmitting the disease to other people," said Hou, "The facilities provided by the local government are available, but they just ignore them."

Waqi Zefu, 55, has three granddaughters, the eldest of whom is aged 11. The elderly lady's son-in-law, Suqi Guha, 26, is among the few staying in the village for long-term treatment for HIV/AIDS. However, at present there's nothing the program can do to ease the financial burden of her granddaughters, said Waqi Zefu, because it is aimed at girls aged 16 to 21 and her granddaughters are too young to qualify for help.

If she were to return to school, Waqi Wuji would need to pay tuition fees of 50 to 60 yuan every semester. As an AIDS orphan, Waqi Wuji receives monthly compensation for her loss, but it's not enough to allow her and her brother to return to the classroom.

When a teenage Yi girl approached Adam H. Schechter, executive vice-president at Merck and president of the company's Global Human Health division, on a visit to Xichang five years ago, her pleas for a chance to continue in school impressed him deeply.

The company became involved in China's first large-scale comprehensive public/private partnership, known as the China-MSD HIV/AIDS Partnership. The program provided advice on HIV and AIDS prevention, patient care, treatment and support, as part of its support for "China's Action Plan for Reducing & Preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS 2006-2010", but has now ended. However, Merck, in cooperation with the Merck Company Foundation and CCTF, will soon embark on another three-year training program aimed at providing work skills for 1,400 young women aged 14 to 21.

"We hope these young people will stay in Liangshan, so that the region can have an intelligent and skillful labor force," said Men Lingling, the human resources manager of Merck in China.

Along with Waqi Wuji, Tumu Erge, another Yi girl is now looking forward to taking part in the training program in July. "I believe I will learn skills that will enable me to earn my bread in the future and I am thankful for all the efforts people have made."