Today, December 1st, is World AIDS Day.
In many parts of the world, Africa in particular, the spread of AIDS/HIV infection among children is rampant. Consider the following:
- The LA Times reports that there are one million African children who have been orphaned by AIDS. Even more shocking is that 40% of childhood deaths in Africa are related to HIV infection. (1)
- PlanUSA, an organization dedicated to children's issues, estimates that "unless relief measures are improved immediately, an estimated 40 million African children will be orphaned by HIV/AIDS by 2010." (2)
- The ONE Campaign reports that every day 1,400 babies are infected with HIV. Some 15 million children under 17 have lost one or both parents to the disease, the vast majority in sub-Saharan Africa. (3)
I look forward to the time when December 1st becomes a day that we honor the memory of those that died, secure in the knowledge that the ravages of AIDS/HIV are in the past.
Let's make December 1st a day with art, music, love, joy, and most importantly--the sound of children filling the playgrounds and wide open spaces of Africa with laughter.
Until that day, please do what you can.
Educate your friends, family and community regarding the plight of these children. Donate your time, money, and political voice to organizations and causes that are working to provide medical care, education, and other resources for children who have had their lives ravaged by this disease.
Links
- Reflections of Hope: A Youth Photo Project
- A Closer Walk: A film about people everywhere acquiring knowledge about the realities of AIDS in the world, and then passing that knowledge along to others
- ICT for Health: e-Health Resources for developing nations
- Change Me
- The Red Ribbon
Get Involved!
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