It’s World AIDS Day today. I come from South Africa, a country where 4.85% of adults are HIV positive and where 1.7 million people are on ARV treatment. There are 1.9 million AIDS orphans in South Africa.
My novel, Balthasar’s Gift, centres on the murder of an AIDS activist. While discrimination is receding, and people who need treatment are starting to get treatment, South Africa still has a long way to go.
I alway focus on World AIDS Day here at Charlotte’s Web. Here are some things I found that show the changing face of HIV/AIDS:
Dating when you’re HIV positive
10 Things We’ve Learned about HIV/AIDS
Clinton Releases Blueprint for AIDS-free Generation
HIV: Film tells survivors’ stories
HIV prevalence falls in sub-Saharan Africa, but is still higher than anywhere else
Mother to child transmission reduces in South Africa, but the costs are hard to cover
South Africa: From Crisis to Catastrophe
South Africa: HIV drugs increase life expectancy by five years
When the need is so great, it is hard to choose where or how to help. I support the Noah Community, which empowers communities in South Africa with the knowledge, skills, strategies and self-confidence needed to create and run organisations that support the well-being of their vulnerable children. These organisations are networks, not buildings, although most do have a resource centre. These centres have staff and provide additional programmes for vulnerable children such as daycare, aftercare, child protection and bereavement counseling.
If you have a World AIDS Day post, let me know and I will link to it here.
I added a thought or two on my blog: http://gapyearsthebook.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/world-aids-day.htm