Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise.

I had almost forgotten that while I write exams and crib about them, millions of people worldwide are standing up against AIDS. Awareness, prevention, fighting discrimination are some of the issues being focussed on, while the main theme of this years World AIDS Day, as decided by UNAIDS is 'Stop AIDS in children.'

My friend Thibault reminded me this morning that 33.2 million people worldwide are now living with HIV out of which 2.5 million are children. Half of these people won't live beyond 30 years of age. UNAIDS aims this day to serve as a reminder that HIV is taking life after life and A LOT needs to be done to combat this epidemic.

(Thibault is someone I am very proud of. He is French and was a student in Paris who ended up studying on a year abroad programme in South Africa. In his year abroad he began working with various organisations that stood for AIDS awareness and prevention, something much needed in South Africa where the AIDS epidemic is rampant and almost 6 million citizens are living with HIV. After his exchange programme got over, Thibault decided to stay on in South Africa and work full time with organisations that fought AIDS. He is currently in Stellenbosch working with various HIV outreach programmes and making a difference where it counts.)