I drove past this impressive installation in the city last night, realising that for the first time on the 3rd of January when we arrive at the orphanage will I knowingly work with someone who is HIV positive. Not just one someone, many someones, all of which are under the age of 18.
How lucky am I that my friends and family have not yet been touched by this epidemic. Regardless, like I will be, draw inspiration from todays successful events around the country for #wad2014 and do what you can here at home to help fight it with the right scientific research. This incredibly well-written comment by Australian writer and HIV activist Nic Holas gives you a simple non-monetary way to get started. He suggests that when 'we stop looking, we stop caring'. If you care but don't know where to look, take the first step and inform yourself with the facts about HIV.
Kenya has the fourth-largest HIV epidemic in the world. There are 1.1 million orphans to the epidemic, of which many now live with HIV. Mama's Childrens Orphanage homes some of these orphans that I will very soon teach.
My concerns lie not just within the present but also in the future for these children. They need access to the right treatment, care and support services to ensure a healthy and happy life into adulthood. They need to avoid HIV-related death. To seek they don't necessarily need money, but they definitely need knowledge. Knowledge comes from receiving what you have a human right to - an education.
We did it! We reached over $1,000 in donations by the 1st of December. There's still a long way to go. Contribute now to ensure these kids don't miss out on 6 weeks of schooling in January > http://bit.ly/excursiontokenya
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