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This fortnight's thi>e Combating HIV and AIDS Issue 131
 
 


Combating HIV and AIDS - "Not to know is bad, not to wish to know is worse."

The African proverb above really sums up what many of us may think or feel about HIV/AIDS and the part that it plays in our lives. It is often easier to ignore things that are difficult or challenging, but as Martin Luther King Jnr said so profoundly: "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter". Once we know there is a problem, we are compelled to act.

We know there is an AIDS epidemic. We cannot stand by and watch it unfold and not help.

Mother and Child

HIV and AIDS

  • A person who is living with HIV is said to be 'living positively with HIV'. This means that they have had a medical test and have the virus in their blood.
  • HIV(Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is the virus that causes AIDS. Some people live with this disease for many years before it develops into AIDS.
  • With antiretroviral (AVRs) drugs, a balanced diet and reduction of exposure to further infection, people can live positively with HIV for many years.
  • AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) is a disease in which the body's immune system breaks down and is unable to fight off certain infections.
  • It infects human cells and uses the energy and nutrients provided by those cells to grow and reproduce.

While it is the disease that weakens the immune system and the body, it is the judgment, stigma and discrimination which kills the human spirit. And this stigma and discrimination is a violation of basic human rights.

Two infants

It is with great sadness that we received the news that Judy Michael, whose story features in this week's Project Compassion materials, passed away on 14 March.

A prophet is described as an inspired teacher or leader. Judy was certainly a prophet of her times. At a time when she and her husband were shunned within their community for living positively with HIV, she dared to challenge the stigma and discrimination entrenched in communities around the world. "I don't want any one to ever have to go through what I went through," Judy said, and so she dedicated the rest of her life to raising awareness about HIV/AIDS and supporting those living positively or affected by HIV/AIDS. You can read Judy's story at:

http://www.caritas.org.au/projectcompassion/
lentenStories5_secondary.htm

Judy's story has touched many lives very deeply. Her story reminds us that behind the horrific statistics (over 40 million people worldwide living with HIV/AIDS and 30 million people worldwide have died as a result of HIV/AIDS) are human beings - mums, dad, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, grandparents, kids. Judy's story is also an Easter story, a story of new life. Judy will rise again in the people at the Bethany Centre in Madang, PNG where she worked. She will rise again in the people of Madang where she lived. She will rise again in the people living positively with HIV or affected by HIV and she will rise again in the Australian community. Judy will rise again in each of us when, inspired by her incredible courage, strength and determination we will continue to support the work that she began.

Family

Every person can make a difference in the fight against HIV/AIDS. It is vital that we act with compassion, challenge discrimination and stigmatisation and seek to halt and reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS. This is what Millennium Development Goal 6 (MDG 6) is all about.

We dedicate this edition of OzSpirit to Judy Michael and to all those who have died and those who are affected by HIV/AIDS.

    

Teaching and Learning Activities

Religious Education

1) For an Easter prayer for those affected by HIV and AIDS, calling for an end to stigma, discrimination and prejudice go to: http://www.cafod.org.uk/resources/worship/
prayers/church_calendar/prayers_for_easter/
healing_hands

2) Go to http://www.cafod.org.uk/resources/worship/
church_statements/hiv_aids_statements/
faithbased_organisations and read about how HIV/AIDS impacts upon communities and the response of faith-based organisations. In the New Testament, Jesus was often seen talking to, and helping, the marginalised in society. How would Jesus respond to this situation? Write a parable explaining it.

3) Go to http://www.caritas.org.au/
projectcompassion/materials/schools/
Secondary%20Schools%20Materials/
CaritasAustralia_PC06_ActionIdeas.pdf and read the information on the MDGs.

  1. Complete the activities.
  2. Have people in your class complete the sheet by signing their names to show support and encourage our Government to keep their promise of helping to halve world poverty by 2015.

4) Go to http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/
this_world/4481650.stm and view the video of Cynthia, a woman living positively with HIV in Botswana . Hear her story of triumph over the disease.

  1. What is she doing to help educate the children of her country?
  2. How will this help to reduce the incidence of HIV?

5) Go to http://www.cafod.org.uk/resources/
secondary_schools/
millennium_development_goals/
millennium_development_goals_ks4 and coordinate the liturgy with your class by assigning reading of scripture passages, prayers and intentions.

English/Social Science

1) MDG 6 looks at halting and reversing the spread of HIV/AIDS and the incidence of malaria and other major diseases. Go to http://cyberschoolbus.un.org/mdgs/goal6.asp# and view the videos. You will need to download 'Real Player' for free. It is available at http://real.com/realoneplayer.html. Once you have viewed the videos write a review on each one explaining the following:

  1. What the video was about
  2. The target audience
  3. Reasons why people should watch it
  4. A rating out of 10.

Go to http://www.caritas.org.au/education/
CaritasAustralia_WorldAidsDay_Speech.pdf and read the World AIDS Day Speech 2005 delivered by Mrs Mpogeng Mahlangu from Siyabhabha Trust, Caritas Australia 's partner in South Africa . Then answer the following questions.

  1. List two reasons why Sub-Saharan Africa is so affected by the prevalence of HIV/AIDS.
  2. "All individuals in South Africa are infected or affected by HIV/AIDS". What do you think Mpogeng means by this?
  3. Which group is the most highly affected by the HIV pandemic in South Africa? In what ways are they the most affected?
  4. When children are orphaned in South Africa who become their primary care-givers? Why can this be difficult?
  5. How is the HIV epidemic impacting upon children in South Africa?
  6. How has the church supported people living positively with HIV and affected by HIV in South Africa?
  7. What has been the Government's response to the HIV epidemic in South Africa?
  8. "The majority of people living with HIV/AIDS are women and girls." List and explain 5 reasons why Mpogeng argues this is so.

HSIE/SOSE

Geography

1) Obtain a map of the world. Go to http://www.ausaid.gov.au/hottopics/hivaids/
countries.cfm

  1. Locate the countries mentioned.
  2. Find out each countries capital city.
  3. Find the total population of each country.
  4. Comment on the location of these countries. What can you say about the incidence of HIV/AIDS and their location?

2) Go to http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/africa/03/
aids_debate/html/default.stm and view the map of the world showing the incidence of HIV in various countries around the world. Also look at the predicted 2010 incidence. Why do you believe is it important that the world's government's commit to achieving MDG 6: halting and reversing the spread of HIV/AIDS?

Civics

1) Go to www.cafod.org.uk/extra/movies/hiv/
wadfinal1212.swf and view the video/slide show. Click on the red ribbon. Read the individual case studies. How do these stories impact on the person living positively with HIV, their families and the entire community?

2) Go to http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/
picture_gallery/05/africa_my_life_with_hiv/
html/1.stm and view the picture slide show. In what ways can we all challenge the stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS?

Science

1) Go to http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/africa/
03/biology_of_aids/html/default.stm and click through this guide to find out about how HIV attacks the body and how the drugs fight it. Then design a one page information sheet with a scientific basis to be distributed to people attending lectures on HIV/AIDS.

2) Go to: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/africa/03/
biology_of_aids/html/infection.stm and using the glossary, define the following terms and then use each one in a sentence:

  1. Antibody
  2. Antigen
  3. Immune System
  4. Opportunistic Infection
  5. Resistance
  6. T Cell
  7. Viral Load

3) Become a myth buster. Go to http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/africa/03/
biology_of_aids/html/infection.stm and read the myths about HIV/AIDS. Why do you believe there are so many myths surrounding HIV/AIDS?

4) Go to http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/africa/03/
biology_of_aids/html/anti_hiv_drugs.stm and read about how antiretroviral (AVRs) drugs work.

Mathematics

1) Go to http://www.ausaid.gov.au/hottopics/hivaids/
countries.cfm and read the information about where the Australian Government is directing money for HIV/AIDS education and health management.

  1. Using the figures mentioned in the contribution section, construct a line graph which lists the countries on the x axis and the amount of the contribution on the y axis.
  2. Using the information from the web pages, answer the following questions in relation to 'Africa':
    1. How many people are living with HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa ?
    2. How many new infections were there in 2004?
    3. How many people died from AIDS in 2004?
  3. Calculate the percentage of people who are living with HIV/AIDS that died from AIDS in 2004.

2) There are many children living with HIV around the world. Go to http://www.who.int/hiv/paediatric/2005child_set.ppt.

  1. Construct a table with three columns with headings: Country; Number of children in country; number of children with HIV.
  2. Calculate the percentage of children living in each country who are HIV positive.
  3. Display this information in a graph.

Creative and Practical Arts

1) Go to http://cyberschoolbus.un.org/mdgs/goal6.asp# and read about MDG6. Design posters to be displayed around the school.

2) Go to http://www.cafod.org.uk/news_and_events/features/
on_the_road_under_african_skies/
fighting_a_killer_together and read about the stories of women living positively with HIV/AIDS and how the disease has affected their lives. Create a drama based on the stories. You may like to use mime, frozen pictures, or a role play to convey your message.

Parish/Community/Social Justice Groups

Go to http://www.cafod.org.uk/resources/worship/
church_statements/hiv_aids_statements/
church_s_address and read about what the Catholic Church says about HIV/AIDS and what we can do to help stop this pandemic.

Go to http://abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200603/
s1590278.htm and read about the Queen's speech on AIDS that was delivered during her visit to Australia in March. She says "we know, for example, that someone who is HIV positive can, with proper support, lead a full and rewarding life."

Go to http://abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200603/
s1589771.htm to read the movie review of Totsi , a story set in South Africa which follows an AIDS orphan on a journey of redemption as he discovers the value of human life.

Go to http://www.caritas.org.au/projectcompassion/
materials/schools
/CaritasAustralia_PC06_Reflections.pdf for some excellent reflections that can be used individually, with your group or during Mass.

Go to http://www.who.int/hiv/photostories/en/
index.html and view the photo stories which include powerful images by Don McCullin, one of the world's leading photo journalists, working in collaboration with Christian Aid; and Gideon Mendel, a well-known contemporary photo journalist, who documented community action on HIV and AIDS in collaboration with the International HIV/AIDS Alliance. Use these as a basis for a group discussion on the prevalence of HIV in the world and the way that the virus does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, age social status.

Go to http://www.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/
WHA58/A58_12Add1-en.pdf and read the draft version of the World Health Organisation's Global Immunisation Strategy which is designed to help achieve the MDG 6 by 2015.

Each year on April 7th, the world celebrates World Health Day. On this day around the globe, thousands of events mark the importance of health for productive and happy lives. The theme for World Health Day 2005 is "Healthy Mothers and Children" and the slogan is "Make every mother and child count". Go to http://www.un.org/Depts/dhl/health/ to find out information.

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are still a big focus for us, especially during this time of Lent. A time when we can reflect and think about people in the world who are living on the margins of society. The eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) - which have an overarching aim to halve world poverty by 2015 - form a blueprint agreed to by all the world's countries and all the world's leading development institutions. MDG 6 about halting and reversing the spread of AIDS. The MDGs have galvanized unprecedented efforts to meet the needs of the world's poorest. Go to http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/ to find out more.

 

  
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