Tag: HIV/AIDS

World AIDS Day 2013: Getting to Zero

World AIDS Day is a day to focus attention on HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care and to measure the world’s progress on “Getting to zero: zero new HIV infections. Zero discrimination. Zero AIDS-related deaths”.

World AIDS Day 2012: Red Hearts and Red Ribbons

I wasn’t looking for another child to sponsor. But then I saw two things next to her picture on the website: a red heart and a red ribbon.

Josiane, from Rwanda, had been waiting for a sponsor for over six months.

The red ribbon showed that Josiane lived in an AIDS-affected area.

Online, as I added Josiane’s sponsorship to my account, I took the opportunity to pay an additional $8 per month to give to the HIV/AIDS Initiative Fund.

According to UNICEF, 2.3 million children in Africa live with HIV and 14.9 million are orphaned by AIDS.

For the cost of a couple of fancy lattes a month, I’ve chosen to give to the HIV/AIDS Initiative Fund which does the following for Josiane and our other 470,000 + African beneficiaries, and their families:

• Provide complimentary testing for all of our beneficiaries, their siblings, and caregivers. Testing is not a requirement, and if they decline, we respect that decision. However, it is available to all.
• We bring awareness to all of our beneficiaries about HIV/AIDS. According to AVERT.org, only 24 percent of young women and 36 percent of young men in low-income countries are knowledgeable about HIV transmission and prevention. Last year alone, we trained more than 2,600 HIV/AIDS peer educators who focus on increasing knowledge about the disease to bring about behavioral change.

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HIV/AIDS: Getting to Zero

The World Health Organization reports that the African region is the most affected by HIV/AIDS, where 1.8 million people acquired the virus in 2009 alone. This means African nations must intensify their campaign against the disease, and Ghana is no exception.

Living with HIV: Janvier’s Story

For two years, Janvier spent most days lying in the hospital. When he wasn’t a patient there, he still had to go to the hospital every morning, afternoon and evening for injections.

A Doctor’s Visit Leaves Girl With HIV

When Marion and her father went to a local health center, the doctor used the same needle on both of them due to a shortage of supplies. Marion’s father was unaware of the danger this posed to his daughter.

The Power of Prayer and a Loving Family

Gisele’s mother was a housemaid and prostitute when she conceived her. Gisele got very little care from her mother when growing up and on many nights would be locked up in the house alone.

One Child Sponsorship Helps an Entire Family

Awany knew he would have to continue struggling to provide for the other three children and his wife; but he underestimated how much the Child Sponsorship Program would help his entire family.

The Last Days of an HIV-Positive Child

Eva always had a smile for everyone, including strangers, but behind her radiant smile raged a monstrous battle. Opportunistic diseases attacked her daily.

World AIDS Day 2011: Small Things vs. Big Things

How can something so tiny that it can only be seen through a microscope can cause irreversible damage to the human body? Yet, to date, over 33 million people—spread out on every continent—are struggling with a tiny little terrorist in their blood streams, attacking healthy cells, breaking down the person’s immunity…and no one knows how to stop it.

Would You Adopt a Child Who Is HIV-positive?

My husband and I discuss adoption frequently. The beauty and courage involved is alluring. But we’ve never considered if we would be willing to adopt a child who is HIV-positive.