Photo Essay: China’s ‘Ark’ for Children With HIV

The Red Ribbon School, located in Shanxi province, China, serves as a unique refuge for children born with HIV, many of whom travel from distant regions such as Liangshan in Sichuan province to attend. The founder, Guo Xiaoping, refers to the school as a “Noah’s Ark,” offering these children shelter from widespread societal stigma. The school provides not only the country’s compulsory nine years of education, but also free accommodation, meals, essential antiretroviral medication, and most importantly, a nurturing and supportive home environment—often for the first time in the children’s lives[para. 1][para. 2].

Nestled on the outskirts of a remote village near Linfen, the school is physically and symbolically isolated from broader society. Its seclusion reflects the social exclusion faced by students with HIV. The school is discreet, identifiable mostly by its encouragement to “Care for each other, share life” emblazoned on a wall. Originally, the site was a SARS quarantine zone and later became a care center for AIDS patients due to a rise in HIV cases linked to unsafe blood products in the 1990s[para. 3][para. 4]. When children with HIV began arriving due to mother-to-child transmission, they encountered intense discrimination—being excluded from local schools. Guo initially set up the “Love Heart Classroom” in 2004 with hospital nurses as teachers. By 2011, it became integrated into the public school system, and Guo left his hospital post in 2015 to dedicate himself full-time as principal[para. 5][para. 6].

Despite improved facilities through years of outreach and donations, the academic environment remains challenging. With only 46 students, classes are small but span broad age ranges and academic gaps; for example, some third graders range from 9 to 16 years old, with some barely literate or numerate upon arrival[para. 7]. Teachers like Shan Yongfeng must address immense educational deficits[para. 8]. However, the school’s primary daily focus is not academics, but ensuring each child takes their medication, supervised by staff such as Yang Zhisha[para. 9]. Many children arrive with dangerously high viral loads due to lack of consistent medication, but with regular treatment at the school, these are brought under control—sometimes reaching undetectable levels within months[para. 10][para. 11].

Financial constraints limit the school to around 50 students at a time, despite an annual medical care budget exceeding 1.2 million yuan (about $169,880), mostly funded by donations. Since 2004, only 128 children have enrolled[para. 12][para. 13]. For graduates, the stigma does not vanish with education. Many still face discrimination, as recounted by Cui Cui—a school alumna who now works on staff. She was among the first to take the college entrance exam after authorities approved a specialized exam site in 2017[para. 14]. Cui Cui returned to the school after university; her wedding on campus marked a turning point where she requested not to have her face hidden in photos, challenging years of shame-driven anonymity[para. 15][para. 16].

Graduates continuously encounter prejudice in broader society, such as when being refused service at a barbershop. Most choose to keep their HIV status secret and take medication discreetly[para. 17][para. 18]. For those like Cui Cui, the greatest harm is the social isolation resulting from stigma. While some alumni maintain relationships and roles as workers or business people, forming romantic relationships remains difficult. However, modern medicine means they can have healthy offspring[para. 19]. The school community works together to create a sense of home, especially for orphans who have no family to return to during festivals[para. 20][para. 21][para. 22]. In telling their stories openly and with pride, the Red Ribbon School seeks not just to educate, but also to change hearts and minds about what it means to live with HIV in China[para. 23].