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This fortnight's themeHIV/AIDS Issue 121
 
 


HIV/AIDS: We must act now!

"In recent times, Australia has become somewhat complacent about HIV/AIDS, due to our access to education, life saving drugs and health facilities that mean people are no longer suffering and dying as they were in the 1980s. The same cannot be said for the poorer regions of the world. Poverty, lack of education and changes to culture and lifestyle have all led to rapid spreading of the disease."

Cath Leary, Caritas Australia

Child

As the quote above highlights, the situation of HIV/AIDS in many of the poorer regions of the world is at catastrophic levels and in comparison to countries like Australia is getting worse. The statistics below indicate the enormity of the problem.

  • According to the United Nations, nearly 40,000 Africans will die of AIDS this week.
  • At least 25 million African people live with HIV/AIDS. That means that there are more people in Africa with AIDS than there are total Australians.
  • South Africa has the highest number of people living with HIV/AIDS. It is estimated that one-fifth of all girls in South Africa between 13 and 19 are infected with HIV.
  • In many parts of Africa the infection rate for girls is six times that of boys and men in the same age group.
  • In urban Botswana 40 - 45% of adults have HIV/AIDS.
  • In India, children as young as 9 are bought at auctions by men who believe sleeping with a virgin cures HIV, AIDS, gonorrheae and syphilis.
  • There are close to 40 million people in the world with AIDS - 98% of them in the poorest countries

The list of statistics which highlight the disastrous situation of HIV/AIDS in the poorer regions of the world is both endless and heart breaking. One report on AIDS in Africa was entitled "A Dying Continent." When examining the multitude of facts on HIV/AIDS it is easy to think that there is little hope for those living positively with HIV or for the countries and regions where HIV/AIDS is at epidemic levels. However, hope does exist. Such hope is grounded in education and the elimination of poverty.

Mother and Child

One story that inspires hope comes from Uganda. 10 years ago in Uganda 100,000 women were contracting HIV each year. However, in recent years as a consequence of strong health education and policy advocacy by President Yoweri Museveni and the rest of the country's political leadership, the infection rate in Uganda has decreased markedly. According to GAIA (Global Aids Interfaith Alliance) 90% of the population are now aware of HIV, even though the country's literacy rate is only 60%. The numbers of HIV-positive women have decreased from 35% to 15%. From this story it is clear that education is the key to combating HIV/AIDS.

An effective response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic by governments, health institutions and leaders in education is the first step in coping with this crisis. This response must be grounded in raising awareness about both the causes and preventative measures for contracting HIV/AIDS. This advocacy is both urgent and essential in all regions of the world, in particular the poorer regions.

December 1 st is World AIDS Day. The activities which follow explore how you can become involved in World AIDS day and work to change this catastrophic situation. Remember - we must act now!

Children

    

Teaching and Learning Activities

Activities Across the Curriculum

1) Sydney event: To commemorate World AIDS day on December 1st, Caritas Australia is inviting Year 10 and 11 students to attend a workshop with Mrs Mpogeng Mahlangu, who works with Caritas South Africa. Mrs Mahlangu will speak about the AIDS epidemic in South Africa. The workshop will be held at St Francis Xavier Parish Hall, North Sydney from 9:15 - 12:30. Please either call Melissa Mottram for details on 99233455 or email her at melissam@caritas.org.au.

2) Go to the following site and test your knowledge on HIV/AIDS by completing the online quiz: www.hivaids.webcentral.com.au/quiz/kidsquiz.html

3) The Millennium Development Goals are 8 goals that the global community is working towards to help eradicate extreme poverty. The 6 th Millennium Development Goal is to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases. Go to the following site www.un.org/millenniumgoals/ and answer the following questions:

  • What is the purpose of the Millennium Development Goals?
  • When is it aimed that the goals will be completed?
  • Write a list of the 8 goals

Maths

1) Go to the following site: www.avert.org/worldstats.htm and fill in the following tables.

Table 1: Number of people living with HIV/AIDS in 2004

Category Amount of People
Adults  
Women  
Children  
Total:  

Table 2:

Region Adults and Children Living with HIV/AIDS
(millions) 		Adults and Children newly infected
millions 		Adult infection rate (%) Deaths of Adults and Children
(millions)
Sub-Saharan Africa        
East Asia        
South and South East Asia        
Oceania        
Western and Central Europe        
North America        
Global Total:        

2) Use the statistics from table 2 and create a graphical way of communicating the same information.

English

1) Go to the following site and read the newspaper article titled: " The Flotsam and Jetsam of Aids" and complete the questions which follow: www.sundayindependent.co.za/
index.php?fArticleId=2298774&fSectionId=1043.

  • What newspaper is the article from?
  • What country is the newspaper published in?
  • What date was the article published
  • Who was the author of the article?
  • Re-write the by-line of the article
  • The article is about the growing number of orphans in Zimbabwe as a consequence of AIDS. Write down 15 key points from the article.

2) The following site has positive stories about people with HIV/AIDS. Go to the site www.hivaids.webcentral.com.au/ and choose one of the stories to read and then complete the following activity.

Activity: Imagine that you read this story in a letter addressed to you. Write a reply letter back to this person and tell them what you thought about their life story. Include in your letter questions that you have for the person as well as information about your own life. Make sure you set your letter out in the correct letter format, include the date, greetings and appropriate language.

HSIE/SOSE

1) Go to the following site and read the article on the situation of AIDS in Papua New Guinea and the various initiatives Caritas has been involved in: www.caritas.org.au/newsroom/
2004/world_aids_day_2.htm Write a report on the situation in Papua New Guinea in relation to HIV/AIDS. In your report address the following issues:

  • What problems exist?
  • What are the various causes of the problem?
  • What are some of the solutions to the problem Caritas has been involved in?
  • Other suggestions to help the situation of HIV/AIDS in Papua New Guinea.

In your report use quotes and facts from the article.

2) Go to the following site www.kff.org/hivaids/
timeline/ and use the dragger on the timeline to create a timeline of the history of HIV/AIDS. In your timeline include the following dates: 1981, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005. You will need to summarise the information for each year by clicking on the date.

 

Parish/Community/Social Justice Groups

1) Sydney event: Caritas Australia invites you to an evening entitled "HIV/AIDS and South Africa: Through A Woman's Eyes" to commemorate World AIDS Day on December 1 st. The guest presenter is Mrs Mpogeng Mahlangu, who works with Caritas South Africa. The evening will be held at The Australian Catholic University North Sydney at 6:30 for 7 pm start. For more details please contact Alicia Gibbs on 99233429 or email her at aliciag@caritas.org.au.

2) The following site provides practical emotional and financial support to those people who suffer HIV/AIDS in Australia: www.bgf.org.au/.

Other Useful Links

 

  
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