10 Million HIV-AIDS Deaths Preventable by 2025
As delegates begin to gather for the 18th International AIDS Conference in Vienna, Austria we are hearing that at least 10 million HIV-AIDS deaths could be averted by 2025. Michael Sidibe, UNAIDS Executive Director says that in order to do so we must reshape the AIDS response through innovation that would bring down costs so that investments can reach more people.
To learn more about the radically simplified HIV treatment platform called Treatment 2.0, take a look at this article by Andre Picard from the Globe and Mail or see this information from UNAIDS.
Published by: GiveADay on July 15th, 2010 | Filed under Give a Day 2010, HIV/AIDS in Africa, Media, Workplace CampaignsComment now »
Bishop Reding Students Host Pasta Dinner for World AIDS Day 2009
Alex Schroder, Give a Day supporter at Bishop Reding High School in Milton, Ontario writes…In honour of World Aids Day, the Student Athletic Association at Bishop Reding High School hosted their second annual pasta dinner on December 2nd.
When deciding where to direct our money this year, Give a Day and the Stephen Lewis Foundation seemed like the perfect decision; as the founder of Give A Day, Jane Philpott, is a close friend of mine and having heard Stephen Lewis speak on numerous occasions, he inspired me by his passion to “turn the tide on AIDS” by helping individuals at the grassroots level. The night began with a delicious dinner provide by East Side Mario’s. Over 100 community members attended, local retailers donated items for the silent auction and the new “Harambee” CD was for sale. Margaret Wright, the Director of Operations for the Stephen Lewis Foundation, was our guest of honour. She gave a moving speech on the plight of the millions of AIDS orphans in Africa. I believe that it is important for people our age to be made aware of what is happening in our world and that the deciding factor that determines your likelihood of getting treatment for HIV should not be the country you are born in.
Students signed the "We Gave a Day" poster to show their support.
The evening was a huge success, raising over $2000 for the Stephen Lewis Foundation, and it has inspired others to take action and create awareness for the AIDS/HIV pandemic. By supporting this event people in our community were recognizing the need for change and responding to the crisis.
Alex and Katrien with cupcakes that were donated for the event.
Bishop Reding Fundraising Committee and Student Athletic Association who helped make the evening happen.
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Strength and Hope – The Grandmothers of Africa
Dr. Lorna Adams, Give a Day supporter writes…There is no doubt. The grannies of sub-Saharan Africa are holding the continent up on their shoulders. I have met so many grannies, and they are the glue that is keeping what is left of the families of this continent together. They are making new families. They incorporate the children of their next door neighbour into their new family group, and the children of their deceased sister’s friend’s daughter, and the children of their grandchildren’s teacher, into their family unit. And then they look in on the children in the home down the street, where there is a 13 year old, raising her brothers and sisters. They are utterly exhausted, at times, with the demands that they have accepted for themselves. But they continue, because, who else will do it? They know there are too many deaths; there is a coffin maker in every town, even if there are not many other businesses. There is always need of a coffin during this pandemic that is HIV and AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. And the grannies continue on, caring, loving, doing as best as they can, in a situation that does, at times feel overwhelming.
Grandmother Grace with her grandson, Emmanuel
But, there is HOPE. A recent report, prepared by the WHO with UNICEF and UNAIDS, states that there has been significant progress in care of people living with HIV since the beginning of this decade. This report states that 42% of people in the developing world who are infected, and should be on ARV medication are now on medication. Just a few years ago, there was still debate among AIDS experts about the safety of offering a difficult treatment program to people in areas of the world most affected. Dignitas International has proven that it is safe, feasible, affordable and completely doable. As Jane Philpott has said, “AIDS is outrageous….and solvable”. I’m not sure I entirely agreed with Jane before I went to work in Africa with Dignitas International, but I sure do now.
Published by: GiveADay on December 4th, 2009 | Filed under Give a Day 2009, HIV/AIDS in Africa, Recipient News, World AIDS Day 2009Comment now »
World AIDS Day 2009 – We Share This Path Together
Dr. Jane Philpott, Give a Day Founder writes…My love of African proverbs is no secret. It always makes me happy to stumble on a new proverb about health or education or justice. This week I learned a new proverb from Burkina Faso that speaks to the work of the Give a Day movement. It says: “If you want to walk fast, walk alone; if you want to walk far, walk with others.”.
To reach a world without AIDS, we have to walk far. We must therefore walk the path together.
How I wish we could walk fast and see this pandemic ended immediately. Every extra day that it takes means a difference between life and death for thousands. The solutions are not simple. Clearly we need to “walk with others”. When we do work together, I’m convinced the problem of HIV is solvable.
Yesterday in this blog, Tim O’Shea wrote about the heartwrenching statistics on vertical virus transmission. He said that “The fact that transmission of the HIV virus from mother to child continues to occur at such rates at a time when we know how to reliably manage this risk should be source of shame for the entire international community.” I wholeheartedly agree. So what will it take?
It will take money… large amounts of money from the international community and smaller amounts of money raised by movements like Give a Day.
It will take political will… which is built by movements like Give a Day where ordinary people act in solidarity with people they will never meet to address an injustice that affects us all.
It will take solid infrastructure to be built and maintained in order to deliver and sustain the top-quality healthcare systems that everyone with HIV must be able to access.
It will take a concerted commitment to address all of the global issues that impact health including food security, gender equity, education and more.
We may be daunted by the magnitude of the task. But we have already come a long way. In the five years since the Give a Day movement started, the number of people in the world on antiretroviral treatment has increased by ten-fold! This has happened through extraordinary efforts of countless people around the world.
To reach a world without AIDS, we have to walk far. We share this path together.
Please engage in an act of solidarity today. Please give a day’s pay… because a day makes a world of difference.
Dr. Jane Philpott, Founder of Give a Day to World AIDS
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Give a Day on CBC’s Metro Morning with Andy Barrie
Listen to an interview with Dr. Jane Philpott, on CBC’s Metro Morning at www.CBC.ca/metromorning
Published by: GiveADay on December 1st, 2009 | Filed under Give a Day 2009, HIV/AIDS in Africa, MediaComment now »
Reflections on the AIDS Epidemic Update for 2009 – Dr. Tim O’Shea
Dr. Tim O’Shea, Give a Day supporter writes…UNAIDS recently released their AIDS Epidemic Update for 2009. In previous blogs I have emphasized how important it is to keep in mind the personal stories behind the staggering statistics associated with this virus. However, reflecting on the information contained in the update, it becomes clear that the numbers do indeed speak for themselves. The overall numbers are jarring; in 2008 there were 33 million people living with HIV, an astounding 2.7 million new infections and 2 million deaths. Looking deeper at the statistics, however, reveals what for me is one of the most outrageous aspects of the HIV pandemic . The burden of this disease is being borne increasingly by the women and children of sub-Saharan Africa. Over 14 million children have been orphaned since the start of the epidemic, and astoundingly 91% of the 430,000 children born with HIV in 2008 were born in sub-Saharan Africa. The fact that transmission of the HIV virus from mother to child continues to occur at such rates at a time when we know how to reliably manage this risk should be a source of shame for the entire international community.
Reading and reflecting on statistics such as these can leave one alternating between feelings of deep outrage and depression, guilt and hopelessness. The scope of the pandemic seems so overwhelming, and the problems so complex that it is difficult to know how to make a difference. That is why it is so essential to learn about the work that organizations such as Dignitas International and the Stephen Lewis Foundation are carrying out. Visit their websites, attend a talk, volunteer, Give a Day. Getting involved with these groups will begin to replace your sense of rage with a sense of purpose, and your feelings of despair with hope.
Published by: GiveADay on November 30th, 2009 | Filed under Give a Day 2009, HIV/AIDS in Africa, Media, Recipient News, Workplace Campaigns, World AIDS Day 2009Comment now »
News from Malawi- HIV/AIDS is “Coming Out”
Dr. Lorna Adams, Give a Day supporter writes…It is becoming clear to me, as I spend more time in Malawi working in the HIV/AIDS Clinic run by Dignitas International, that HIV and AIDS are coming ‘out’ in Malawi. There are posters everywhere, encouraging people to “know your status”. Signs in stores and offices ask people to reduce transmission of the virus by using condoms, and there are education programs in schools about how the virus is transmitted. Posters encourage people to be tested, and there is a significant attempt to reduce the ‘stigma’ of being diagnosed HIV positive.
In the nursing school that is associated with the Zomba Central Hospital and the Tisungane Clinic, I walked by a sign showing two young people, gazing into each other’s eyes, with the caption “AIDS/HIV….if you don’t have it, don’t get it. If you have it, don’t pass it on”. It was quite clear and to the point.
I worked with Alice Kadzanja in Malawi, a nurse who was portrayed in Stephanie Nolen’s remarkable book, “28 Stories of AIDS in africa”. Alice is HIV positive, and supports people in their decision to consider being tested, using herself as an example of someone who was sick, and is now well because of treatment. Alice played volleyball on the Clinic Sports Day, proudly wearing her T shirt which declared “ARV’s are essential drugs for people with AIDS”.
Nurse Alice Kadzanja, Tisungane Clinic, Malawi
I met another woman on a bus, who was happy to have me photograph her with her shirt that proclaimed for all to see that she was on therapy. It is actions like this that reduce the stigma of being diagnosed HIV positive, and encourage people to discuss their risk of infection. The Dignitas Program has allowed many people in the Zomba area of Malawi to understand that AIDS is a treatable disease. In a continent where HIV infection knows no age, socioeconomic, educational, gender, political or cultural bias, this is a remarkable and very important step forward in the fight against this pandemic.
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Kingsway Harambee – Inspires and Entertains
Over 70 west-end Toronto guests were inspired as well as entertained at the Kingsway Harambee hosted by Jennifer Keenan and Jo-Anne Sheffield on November 21st. There was good food, great music from Soul Influence, a live auction of Shona sculpture from Zimbabwe donated by ZimArt and a motivating presentation from the Give a Day founder Dr. Jane Philpott.
The group at the Crooked Cue were gathered for the inaugural Kingsway Harambee to learn more about the AIDS pandemic and the Give a Day movement. Donation totals are not yet in but if the live auction was anything to go by, this event could be an annual highlight.
Wonderful music from Soul Influence
Host Jennifer Keenan
Host Jo-Anne Sheffield
Dr. Jane Philpott inspires the crowd
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Jaja Sylvia’s Story
The Stephen Lewis Foundation writes…This morning we accompanied Angela, St. Francis’ capable young Grandmothers Officer, on a visit to one of the jajas (grandmothers) in the community. We drove down Jinja’s bumpy red roads through the village, and came to a house set back from the road. Next door, there was a small barn, which houses chickens and two young calves. In the background, we could hear the bleeting of a goat and the grunting of pigs.
Angela, St. Francis' Grandmothers Officer, on a visit
On the way to Jaja Sylvia’s house, Angela told us more about St. Francis’ grandmothers programme. Although 120 grannies are currently receiving support – through granny groups, school fees, food parcels, the savings and loan programme, medical care, home visits and more – there are many more grandmothers in the community who would like to take part. One of the hardest things, Angela said, is having to turn grannies away because they don’t have the capacity to take on additional women at this time. There are so many grannies who could use the support.
The grandmothers being supported through St. Francis are either HIV positive themselves, or are caring for HIV-positive grandchildren, or both. On average, Angela said, they are caring for 8 or 9 children at home. I was surprised to learn that so many of the grannies are HIV positive themselves – an estimated 70 out of 120 in the group have the virus. HIV infection among older people is not frequently discussed, particularly in relation to sexuality – it is often seen as a taboo subject.
Jaja Sylvia
Jaja Sylvia first came to the St. Francis Health Centre in 2006. After caring for her adult children through the final stages of AIDS, she had seen the disease and the toll that it had taken on their lives. When she began to fall ill herself, she went and got tested at the centre, and learned that she was HIV-positive. St. Francis provided counselling, antiretroviral drugs and food parcels for her family, and her health began to improve dramatically. Today, she says, she is strong and feels healthy.
Sylvia was among the first grandmothers to be supported by St. Francis. She has lost four children to AIDS, and is now caring for five of her orphaned grandchildren, ranging from age three to fourteen. All of the grandchildren in her care are attending school – except the youngest, who is not yet old enough – and St. Francis is paying for their school fees. Jaja Sylvia is part of a local granny group and has been taking part in the group’s savings and loan programme. A few months ago, she was able to take out a loan of 100,000 UGS (about $50 CDN) to buy much-needed medicine and supplies for the new calves on her farm. She was able to repay the loan (plus 20% interest) within a month, and is assured future income and sustenance through the milk of the young calves.
"There are so many intelligent children," says Sylvia, "We want them to grow up to be whatever they want to be."
In August 2006, Jaja Sylvia was one of a few grannies chosen by St. Francis to participate in the Grandmothers’ Gathering in Toronto. She spoke of the excitement of meeting grandmothers from Canada and from across Africa, and to learn that she was not alone. “It was very encouraging to learn that grandmothers across Africa were facing the same challenges,” she said. After returning home to Uganda, Jaja Sylvia helped to set up the grandmothers programme at St. Francis. With funding from the Stephen Lewis Foundation, they began starting groups, giving out loans for income-generation, providing counsellors and paying school fees. As a result, she said, there has been a big change in the community.
Jaja Sylvia asked me to pass on to the grandmothers of Canada that she and her fellow jajas are grateful for their support and solidarity, and that it has made a difference in their lives. She hopes to meet more Canadian grandmothers in the future – perhaps at a future Grandmothers’ Gathering.
Her hope, like so many other grandmothers in the community, is for her grandchildren to be able to attend secondary school, and university or vocational training. “There are so many intelligent children,” she said. “We want them to grow up to be whatever they want to be. We want them to be good people – educated, disciplined. We want the same as everyone else.”
Published by: GiveADay on November 24th, 2009 | Filed under Give a Day 2009, HIV/AIDS in Africa, Recipient NewsComment now »
Markham Stouffville Hospital celebrates its 6th year of Give a Day to World AIDS!
The Markham Stouffville Hospital team enjoyed a fabulous Harambee on Friday November 20, 2009 at Bridges Restaurant in Markham. The Harambee was hosted by Dr. Paddy Whelan, Chief of Surgery at the hospital. A great group of hospital staff gathered to hear a report from Dr. Lorna Adams who recently worked at the Dignitas project in Malawi. Over $9000 in donations was collected that evening to support both the Stephen Lewis Foundation and Dignitas International. The evening was a great example of “collective efficacy” which has been described by Helen Epstein to be “present everywhere there is a spirit of collective action and mutual aid, a spirit that is impossible to measure or quantify, but that is rooted in a sense of compassion and common humanity”.
Bridges to Africa Host Dr. Paddy Whelan
Harambee Speaker Dr. Lorna Adams shares news from Malawi
Guests at the Harambee
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