Charity and cakes

To Chung, founder of the Chi Heng Foundation which helps AIDS orphans in China's rural areas, said profits rose last year at Village 127, a bakery and cafe run by the foundation, as a result of concerted public support.

Customers from nearby offices regularly placed large orders for birthday cakes or food for company events, generating income of tens of thousands of yuan per month, he said, although he declined to reveal the exact figure.

"I hope our enterprise will continue to perform and make higher profits so we can open more branches as a practical way of sustaining the foundation financially," he said.

Although he spends most of his time drumming up funds for the foundation, To sets aside some time to work at the bakery because he believes it's the best way to provide charity.

"This year marks the 20th anniversary of the foundation's establishment, and I'm considering ways to keep it going when I am old. I hope people won't always rely on me to raise funds from enterprises and individuals," To said.

"People are happy to pay for our delicious bread, and that's much easier than asking for donations on a daily basis."

It took several months for the cafe and bakery to recover from the impact of a media report that highlighted the fact that all the employees come from families with HIV/AIDS. It triggered thousands of unfavorable comments online.

"I spent a long time helping healthy children born to AIDS-affected families live with confidence and dignity, and trying to stop the tragedy of their generation, so I didn't give up on them. I hope they will all have bright futures," he said.

However, the incident made him aware that there is still a long way to go to educate the Chinese population.

"Free medication provided by the government prevents HIV cells from replicating, making the illness a controllable chronic one. Now, HIV/AIDS is less of a medical problem in China, but people who are AIDS-impacted are still stigmatized," he said.

The foundation also provides financial support for a number of people with AIDS; among them, 52 couples have married and 32 have had children, all of whom are HIV-negative.

"AIDS patients also have the right to marry and have babies, and in fact, they can live normal, healthy lives. However, some people still misunderstand their plight rather than empathize," To said.