NGO to make short film on children of HIV-positive people

Hong Kong film director Stanley Kwan, who volunteers with the NGO, will join the short film as well.

To further its work among HIV-positive people, the NGO aims to collect 100,000 yuan ($15,400) on the crowdfunding platform of online retailer JD by April 28.

Those who donate money can get items such as the film's posters and DVDs, and paintings by children of HIV-positive parents.

Even though many children are themselves not infected with the virus, they suffer from discrimination at the hands of friends, neighbors and relatives because they come from families where the disease was detected, says Wei Jun, 28, director of the short film.

"I want to do something to change that situation," says Wei, who started to volunteer for the NGO in 2008.

Wei says the film will spotlight the struggles of a 10-year-old boy whose parents died of AIDS and whose uncle allowed him to sleep only in a pigsty for fear of "infecting" the rest of the family.

When the HIV-positive boy grew up and went to college, he felt awkward when fellow students asked him why he took daily medication.