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Saving One Child at a Time
"[In] Sub-Saharan Africa ... An estimated 25.8 million people were living with HIV at the end of 2005 and approximately 3.1 million new infections occurred during that year. In just the past year the epidemic has claimed the lives of an estimated 2.4 million people in this region. More than twelve million children have been orphaned by AIDS." (avert.org) Numbers tossed around during National Aids Day, such as, 8000 people die every day from AIDS in the world, and 26 million people are infected with HIV/AIDS in Africa. "Four million of the infected have been identified as needing urgent treatment, but so far only 10 percent of them have access to treatment" (Lewis, AIDS pandemic could escalate in Africa: UN) Sub-Saharan Africa has just over 10% of the world’s population, but is home to more than 60% of all people living with HIV. Do these facts sound a little scary? 6000 people a day are contracting AIDS in the world, and half of that number are young people (avert.org). There is much educational work to be done, money to be spent and lives to be saved, an enormous task. This essay will not only explore what exactly HIV and AIDS are, but also divulge how average people can make a difference in the life of a child living with HIV/AIDS.
"In 2005, around 700,000 children under 15 became infected with HIV, mainly through mother to child transmission. About 90% of these MTCT [Mother to child transmission] infections occurred in Africa where AIDS is beginning to reverse decades of steady progress in child survival." (avert.org) The progress, that was slowly starting to being made, is starting to retract, because of the absurd number of children being infected. However, on the positive side, when it is discovered early enough, people with HIV have a much better chance of living a healthy, happy life.
Like with any other disease such as, cancer or TB, there is a better chance of the body responding efficiently with the help of medication. "In many countries, primarily in Africa, there are programs in place called PMTCT, Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission. Unfortunately, most of these are merely pilot programs: fewer than ten per cent of HIV- positive pregnant women have access to PMTCT. That, in itself, is scandalous." (Statement by Stephen Lewis on World AIDS Day) By providing the mother with a tablet of nevirapine, during labour and the liquid equivalent to the child within 48 hours, the chance of the child being HIV+ drops by 50% (Stephen Lewis). PMTCT is one of the marvellous programs out there, however, it needs funding to keep it running and available to people in need. This is wonderful, but regardless of the child staying negative at birth, as soon as the baby is breast fed the positive mother, the virus is retransmitted and there is another HIV+ baby in the world. It's like any other disease, it's treatable, even though HIV remains in the body’s system; now there is the ability to live a somewhat normal life, with the help of antiretrovirals.
Antiviral treatment can help keep the count down in the body, so that a person with HIV+ is able to continue their daily activities. With the help of antiretrovirals, they can live a normal healthy life, until the body rejects the drugs or a mutation occurs. This results in a new drug resistant strain of HIV, so now a new drug combination has to be found. The largest problem, for the locals in Africa, is getting access to these drugs. Even though Africa has 60% of the world's AIDS population, less than 1% of them have access to treatment. This reality and the social stigma regarding HIV/AIDS is negative, making accurate testing next to impossible. Most sources say between 25-30% according to testing, however, this is in actuality closer to 40%, because most people are afraid that they will be chastised by their families and or community if the truth is known. (vanDijk)
Due to lack of education, most people do not know there is a difference between HIV and AIDS. As the two are often combined, it is almost assumed that they are one in the same. However, this is not true. HIV is the virus that lives in and attacks the human immune system, which is how your body naturally fights infection. AIDS, Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, is a "Percentage of people with advanced HIV infection receiving ARV therapy according to nationally approved treatment protocol (or WHO/Joint UN Programme on HIV and AIDS standards) among the estimated number of people with advanced HIV infection." (WHO Health Stats 2005, 83) Basically, HIV develops into AIDS when the HIV virus has weakened the system,symptoms of the disease developed antiretorvirals are needed.
Education is one of the best tools that can be shared; knowledge equals power. Those fortunate enough to have the ability to care for themselves, must maintain their own health and happiness, thus enabling them to have the well being to help others. (Nattrass) Lack of education and unwillingness to change personal opinions, occurs in both Africa and North America, causing similar negative attitudes and ignorance towards the disease and spread of HIV and AIDS.
Sharing crockery and cutlery; insect or animal bites; touching, hugging or shaking hands; eating food prepared by someone with HIV; or toilet seats, does not infect others with HIV or AIDS. (avert.org) These are the types of common misconceptions that lead to the stigmas happening in both North America and Africa. For example, in a household in Victoria, because of a wife's attitude towards the disease, not only does she avoid any physical contact with her husband's friend who is HIV+, but she also bleaches everything he eats with, and she refuses to eat at the same table as him. In Africa, there is a different kind of misinformation regarding the disease, such as the witch doctor's theory of having sex with a virgin being the cure of AIDS. Consequently, this only furthers the spread of the disease, also increasing instances of child rape. Currently trying to kill this myth, posters are placed all over hospitals and clinics, "Child Rape does not cure AIDS-> Report Child Abuse" (vanDijk)
Taboos surrounding HIV/AIDS are due to lack of education affects children the most. These effects are felt by all people with the disease causing fear, neglect, and are reluctance to be tested because of the surrounding stigma. Not knowing that AIDS is the cause of death seems to be more honourable for the family who would otherwise disown them if the true disease was disclosed. For one mother who found out she had AIDS the last couple years of her life, it was devastating. Having four kids that were ashamed, a mother that disowned you and walled your room off from the rest of the house, knowing she's not going to receive a proper burial after she's gone, and knows that there is no one who wants to care for her children, this is 51 year old Laetitia Hambahlane (not her real name). Only recently, have doctors had the confidence to release the truth on the death certificates. Four years ago, a very shocking article was released in the Times that pointed out that "The victims don't cry out. Doctors and obituaries do not give the killer its name. Families recoil in shame. Leaders shirk responsibility. The stubborn silence heralds victory for the disease: denial cannot keep the virus at bay." (McGeary, Death Stalks a Continent)
Within federally run state homes, and badly run care homes and orphanages, it is easy to tell the quality of care when there is no noise. When a baby or child knows it does no good to cry when they have needs they no longer cry because the institution is not facilitated properly to answer the needs of the children. Compared to privately run homes such as, The Love of Christ Ministries (TLC) "[A] 'farm' is a 23 acre smallholding in Eikenhof, about 10 kilometres south of Johannesburg. " (Jarvis, TLC), where in walking into the home, which houses 30-40 babies 2 years and under with a international and local team of volunteers. Thea Jarvis and her 25 adopted children are supported by international funds and sponsorships. Their promise is, once a baby has been abandoned and been taken in, they will not let it be abandoned again, therefore saving one child at a time. Although their first option is always to reunite the baby with the family, this is not always possible, especially babies that are HIV+. However, 15-20% of the babies are reunited with their families. Secondary issues such a poverty and already too many children being cared for in a family, also weigh in the decision of whether they can care for the child.
A typical story due to lack of education and the stigmas would go as follows. “A little baby Lucindi was positive and very sick and Granny came to visited her. Then Aunty came to visit and didn't know why he was sick, Granny had kept it hush hush and the mother had just died of TB [a less stigmatized death] and he was just a sick kid.” (vanDijk). Pregnant girls as young as 15 with HIV and AIDS, birth these babies at 7 months because their bodies have the stress of the child in addition AIDS and malnutrition and therefore, premature babies are born as light as 1 pound, their head being not much bigger than a small grapefruit. Leading by example, by caring for mothers sick with AIDS until their death or until they can bring down the count to stabilize the HIV count, TLC models to the surrounding communities that it is not an unclean thing to care for someone with AIDS and they will not get sick from it. (vanDijk)
Trying to change the level of education in the surrounding communities is one of TLC's goals. With the new generations, it's becoming less taboo and programs are welcomed as people go to talk in the schools. Emphasizing three main point to illustrate to kids that they have rights too, rights to stay healthy and uninfected. Abstinence and safe sex is a point emphasised almost everywhere, as well as stressing "women empowerment", girls watching out for and protecting themselves. The idea they are trying to impress upon the lads is that "no means no". For it is in Johannesburg that 1 out of 4 girls are raped before they turn 18 (of reported cases) making it the rape capital of the world. By working on both genders and impressing upon them the importance of safe sex, this will hopefully slow the spread of infection. Jarvis is often asked to speak at local schools, and in cooperation with hospitals, also leads to a fuller understanding of AIDS for those who are willing to accept the tool of knowledge. Thus, by changing the attitudes towards AIDS, all people are making the difference. A pandemic, HIV and AIDS, though not curable, it is treatable as long as it caught early enough; a person can live fairly comfortably, with the help of antivirals. Individuals, when working together, can pressure their governments to keep promises that they've made such as contributing to the Global Fund. Countries of East Africa and the Indian Ocean are determined to keep the goal of universal treatment, but are frightened by the prospect of not having sustainable resources, knowing that treatment once it’s started can not be interrupted. (Lewis, World's AIDS Day statement) Public awareness around HIV/AIDS was made on December 1, 2005 and money was raised to provide funding for the programs already in place, as well as, providing new facilities and resources to reach those still in need. Different things that people can do to help children with HIV/AIDS are: sponsor a child, donate time, money and supplies to family care homes and where the funds directly benefit the children. Everyone (specifically health workers, local governments, world organizations, researchers, volunteers, and the average citizen) can pitch in to help and support people living with HIV/AIDS. With this funding, people with HIV/AIDS will be able to maintain their immunity’s productivity, so that their body can control the virus with the help of anti-rets. Through education and other prevention measures, slowing the spread of AIDS is possible. Support can be provided to the mother who births a now HIV- baby, so she can live to see it's first birthday and return to her motherly instincts, so she is not forced to abandon it in the streets, sewage drains, public toilets or the fields. So through places like TLC, of the 4000 babies abandoned a day in South Africa (A Gift of Life), a difference is made, one baby at a time.
Cited Works
Arthur Asiimwe, "AIDS pandemic could escalate in Africa: UN." International. 28 Nov. 2005. 6 Dec. 2005.
Simple and straight forward, this article offered statistics and quotes from well know Canadian writer Stephen Lewis. To the point, it provided shock and awe numbers helping entice the reader into the opening paragraph.
Avert. HIV and AIDS in Africa. 6 Dec. 2005.
This has been quite a helpful website, although you have to flip around to find information, it is
accessible. Lots of little helpful quotes and numbers can be found.
Gift of Life, Story of TLC Ministries, A. Videotape. By Get Reel Productions, 1992.
Visuals and additional facts, it has substantial information as well as a personalized story of people actively helping children with AIDS and supporting the parent if needed. Vivid images in addition to concrete facts is informing and heartwarming.
Jarvis, Thea. TLC- The love of Christ Ministries. 20 Oct. 2005,
Changing the lives of the children in the community and providing a specialized care facility for premature babies, this web site has only further verified what the interview revealed first hand. Real life stories of a children's home making a difference that one child at a time, reflects the positive work that is able to be accomplished.
Lewis, Stephen. "Statement by Stephen Lewis on World AIDS Day." The Stephen Lewis Foundation. 1 Dec. 2005.
Acclaimed author and writer on the subject, he is well respected in Canada and internationally. His statement was filled with lots of helpful information, general as well as specific, using language anybody can understand.
McGeary, Johanna. "Death Stalks A Continent." Times 12 Feb. 2001: 36+
This look at AIDS in Africa not only presents an overview, but provides life stories and vivid language to describe the information. It gave a variety of facts and concrete stories that were relevant to the information gathered.
Nattrass, Simon. Personal interview. 2 Dec. 2005.
Having friends and associates with first hand experience with the disease, it is good for the comparison between attitudes in North America and Africa. Relations with HIV+ people gives him first hand knowledge and a personalized knowledge of the subject.
vanDijk, Shoshanna. Personal interview. 22 Nov. 2005.
Volunteering at TLC for the past 2 consecutive years, and going down again in the spring, has given her life experience and she has furthered her own educational background information with an abundance of readings. She provides a personal touch and first hand experience to the work.
World Health Organization 2005. World Health Statistics 2005. Switzerland, 2005.
This brochure of statistics and definitions very helpful and clear, and the table of contents makes it very easy to use. Definitions are sometimes hard to find pinpointed so it was wonderfully clear.
so it's pretty long... probably 2200 oddish... It was supposed to be between 1800-2000... so I'd rather be a little over than a little under. yeah umm, it's already handed in so try not to make me feel too bad:P
but I've been at my computer pretty much all day.... minus when I went to a little bit of my Japanese class and then had a drink at the Nexus thing, really just should have ordered two drinks at once, but I didn't want Katherine to be mad at me, again. I'd really just rather stay out of her books, and off her damn lists.... lol I'm NOT on that bloody list!
So yeah. the weekend should be pretty tight. mmmm I'm hoping Matt's working Saturday... b/c Rachelle sure isn't, and Julia's in New Zeland. I mean good for her and she totatally deseves a break (she's been working 6 days a week for the last couple of months maybe) but really bloody busy time of year to take two weeks but oh well. We'll manage:) We'll be just fine.
I'm staying at Chelly's for a week:D yeah!!!! (starting on the 18th or 17th... whatever the Saturday is.) so yeah:) hehehehe:D
mmmmm yeah. that's about all I'm going to share for now. email me if you want to get a hold of me I've been checking my mail at least once a day, usually twice to three times b/c I'm just that much of a whore:P but cropping's my main profession:D lol
Oh it'd be nice to start biking again in the morning's, Chelly? whenever you're one or phone me! ;) love ya babe!
to the rest of you, have some good holiday cheer, and if you don't celebrate chirstmas, lighten up and just have some fun!!!!! go nuts, get smashed whatever floats your boat.
peace out!
Nicolle:D