World Aids Day

The message for World Aids Day this year stresses the need for all to play a part in addresing the HIV/Aids pandemic. The facts are horrorfying:

Around forty million people are living with HIV throughout the world - and that number increases in every region every day. In the UK alone, more than 60,000 people are living with HIV and more than 7,000 more are diagnosed every year. Ignorance and prejudice are fuelling the spread of a preventable disease.

World AIDS Day, 1 December is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV and AIDS.

This year, it's up to you, me and us to stop the spread of HIV and end prejudice.

World Aids Day - Red Ribbons

If you are intesrested in supporting the Thembinkosi Foundation's projects in Zambia then please visit our shop http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Thembinkosi-Foundation_W0QQsspagenameZMEQ3aFQ3aSTQQtZkm where you can buy excellent quality Enamel Red Ribbon badges to wear on Worlds Aids Day (or even everyday as I do myself.)

World Aids Day

World Aids Day is almost upon us.

For more information on this day of enormous importance follow the HIV/Aids links on this site and visit http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6166530.stm and http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/health/2005/aids_crisis/default.stm for recent stats on the HIV/Aids pandemic.

For a more personal view of the affects of HIV/Aids visit my earlier posts - perhaps the most harrowing of which is Boipelo's Story. http://thembinkosifoundation.blogspot.com/2005/10/boipelos-story.html.

Why won't you wear a Red Ribbon sir?

Despite the great success of some of my colleagues and I in getting hundreds of our students to wear Red Ribbons last week I was still shocked by the reluctance of some of my colleagues to wear one.

I work in a Catholic school. I am well aware that some of the teachings of the Church are controversial, to say the least, on the issue of artificial contraception and HIV/AIDS (this is atopic for future!) but one of the parts of Catholicism that I love is it's Social Teaching. The Church advocates the principle of Solidarity. Standing up for one's brother or sister, standing shoulder to shoulder with the world's poor and oppressed, not resting until we live in a fair and just world. The analogy of the 'Body of Christ being sick' is one that as a Christian I embrace the cocept of 'The Body of Christ has AIDS' and all members of the Christian community and beyond have an absolute duty to ensure that all parts of his body are respected, receive compassion, are granted justice and are permitted to live in hope!

So why did the Headteacher in my school refuse to wear a Red Ribbon last week? God only knows!!!

Worlds Aids Day at school

I made World Aids Day a huge issue at my school last week. I work in a school of over 1500 students between the ages of 11-19 in the north west of England and I reckon half of them were supporting a Red Ribbon over the past week. Not only were the students wearing the Red Ribbons but we put on special PSHE (Personal Social Health Education) lessons to teach them about HIV/AIDS. Many of my students, some of whom aren't the easiest to teach in the world, were hanging on my every word as I told them some of the stories I have retold thus far in my blog. They were truly touched by the plight of those affected by HIV/AIDS and many of them asked what they could do to help. As youngsters they were mostly moved by the stories of babies and infants infected with HIV through mother to child transmission. They were angered when I explained that no child should be born with HIV but due to the injust world we live in millions of mothers are denied access to HAART's.