text: An eight-year-old boy who was made an outcast in his village and described by his own family as a 'ticking time bomb' because he has HIV has been given a home at last. In a case that was condemned around the world, Luo Kun Kun was expelled from his village when locals - including his own grandfather - signed a petition to banish him to 'protect villagers' health'. Following that cold-hearted decision, the mournful child explained how, 'nobody plays with me, I play alone'. But now a specialist school in Linfen, a city in southern Shanxi Province, has stepped in to help. The Red Ribbon School is the only school in China equipped to look after and educate HIV-positive children. Kun Kun was refused admission to schools and locals would avoid contact with him, so he spent his days playing in the woods alone . The five-year-old has now been admitted a place at the Red Ribbon School in Linfen, China, . After being banished from his village, Kun Kun finally has a home where he is cared for and looked after . Kun Kun contracted the virus from his mother when she was pregnant with him, but was only diagnosed when he was five years old. His mother and stepfather worked in other provinces, so he was raised near the town of Xichong with his non-blood-related grandparents, who had adopted his stepfather as a child. The boy was refused admission to local schools and locals would avoid contact with him, so he spent his days playing in the woods alone. When he was diagnosed, his grandparents found themselves isolated in their village of Shufangya in south-eastern China's Sichuan province and so sided with the locals. At a special meeting on December 7 last year, 203 village residents signed a petition asking the authorities to 'carry out preventative isolation measures by taking Kun Kun away from the village, and protect the health of the villagers and children'. It went on to say that Kun Kun 'provokes fear among the community'. He was also referred to as a 'ticking time bomb'. Wang Yishu, party chief of Shufangya village, said: 'The villagers sympathise with him, he is innocent, and only a small child. But his AIDS is too scary for us'. Kun Kun was forced to play alone in his home village, but has now been admitted to a specialist school . The Sichuan government contacted the school in Linfen when Kun Kun's plight made worldwide headlines . However the future is now looking up for Kun Kun, after he was given a place at the boarding school last week. The Sichuan government contacted the school in Linfen when Kun Kun's desperate plight made worldwide headlines. Headteacher Guo Xiaoping said: 'A good social and educational environment is important for Kun Kun and with the help of teachers, he is more open and polite than before'. He added: 'Kun Kun's physical strength is notably below that of the other students. Fortunately, he has been sent here in time, and started taking medication last November. At Kunkun's age, it's crucial that he undergoes proper treatment.' Kun Kun did not say a word when he arrived at the school, according to the headteacher, but can study and talk like a normal student now. The devastating case of Kun Kun has highlighted the stigma attached to the disease in China . The child was forced out of his village when villagers signed a petition asking the authorities to remove him . The petition signed by villagers said Kun Kun 'provokes fear among the community' and referred to him as a 'ticking time bomb' Knowledge of HIV/AIDS in China is worse in poor, rural areas, such as the community Kun Kun is from . Kun Kun was banished from the village of Shufangya, near the town of Xichong (shown on this map) The case of Kun Kun has highlighted the stigma attached to the disease in China, where many sufferers face widespread discrimination. The problem is so great, even medical workers sometimes refuse to touch those diagnosed with the disease. The latest figures released by China's National Health and Family Planning Commission showed a total of 497,000 people in China have been diagnosed with HIV/AIDS since the country's first case in 1985. China has a population of 1.36billion. Knowledge of HIV/AIDS is worse in poor, rural areas, such as the community Kun Kun is from, experts have said. Officials are reportedly planning to educate the villagers who banished Kun Kun through a campaign. The Nanjing-based anti-discrimination NGO Justice for All wrote a letter to party chiefs in Sichuan calling on them to punish school chiefs and local officials for their 'Cultural Revolution style', a reference to the Mao Zedong-inspired public denunciations of 'foes'. 'We cannot imagine how Kun Kun will grow up and look back on the experience of childhood,' said a draft of the letter.
target: Luo Kun Kun expelled from his village in China when diagnosed with HIV .
  Residents - including his grandfather - signed a petition to banish him .
  He was refused admission to schools and said 'nobody plays with me'
  Now a specialist school in Linfen, Shanxi Province, has stepped in to help .
  The Red Ribbon School is equipped to look after HIV-positive children .