AIDS teen bowls over Kumar with his paintings

TRINIDAD: It is said that 'talent will come out', and because of that, the life of 13-year old Marcus Kirk could soon change for the better. Marcus has the dream of being an artist when he grows up.

Marcus lives in the Cyril Ross Nursery just outside the capital, Port of Spain. Established some 13 years ago, Cyril Ross is a unique institution that cares for most of the HIV-positive children in Trinidad and Tobago. Like many children there, Marcus was born HIV positive.

He was taken into care at an early age and eventually placed at the Cyril Ross Nursery, where he is made to feel part of a large family - a very large family - comprising the 37 other children who live there. He is relatively healthy and does not take any medication.

On Saturday, cricket star, Kumar Sangakkara went to the Cyril Ross Nursery as part of a series of visits organised by the partnership between the International Cricket Council, UNAIDS, UNICEF and the Caribbean Broadcast Media Partnership on AIDS.

Marcus was asked to present Sangakkara with a painting. The cricketer liked it so much that he asked to view all of Marcus' paintings, and promptly bought two others - boosting Marcus' earnings from his Art by a further $200.

Marcus does not know if he has any family. As with many other children at Cyril Ross, Marcus receives no personal visitors. The nursery managers say most of the children come to them directly from hospital; and they do not know how to trace any family that might exist. So it is the Home that provides care to each child.

The Nursery is proud to boast that of its 38 children, 37 are in fulltime education. However, just a few years ago discrimination prevented any of them from attending school.

Marcus says he enjoys most school subjects, especially Maths, but his Cyril Ross 'mothers' feel that he might not have an academic future. So it was with great surprise, and some relief, that Marcus recently began to show a talent and interest in painting which the Nursery is keen to support. He began to spend what little money he had on paint and brushes, and used whatever he could as his 'canvas', including large wooden boards and plywood.

The pictures themselves are striking, and the 'artist Marcus' has begun to attract a certain amount of public attention. Recently there was an article in a local newspaper highlighting his work and his first exhibition of six paintings was held in a local restaurant. The pictures proved very popular and all were sold - so Marcus spent most of his new-found wealth on more painting supplies.

While being HIV positive is a fact of Marcus' life, his imagination goes far beyond a single definition.

This is a boy with a future. His skills could change the way the world views people with AIDS by putting a boy's face on what has so far been hidden. Talent will come out.