The reality of HIV/AIDS

There is one thing that I learnt about everything we do in life, it's our intention of doing that which we do. I realized that our intentions shape our realities. Over the years government agencies, non- governmental organizations, faith organizations and world leaders have been engaged with fighting HIV/AIDS in our world, but they all seem to focus more on Africa where the epidemic seem to naturalize. Several policies and programmes as well as interventional activities have been implemented in our bid to deal with the pandemic.

These interventions may have seen some positive results yet the rate of infections and its tripling effects needs urgent attention and a scale up of some positive interventions. Many organizations are formed and equipped financially to sponsor organizations working on HIV/AIDS, a job created specially for them. Politicians' constructs good grammars on HIV/AIDS during campaign in order to gain popularity and votes, stars use the victims of HIV/AIDS for show buzz, and the media use HIV/AIDS for commercials. EU, AU, G8 and so forth keep meeting to recycle empty promises such as EU donated $40m for AIDS in Africa, USA to donated $60m to tackle AIDS in Africa. Big headlines and nice words, but where do all these money go? Remain unanswered question.

NGOS who establishes close personal contact with the donors develop programmes that make no sense at the end of the day, rather enslave the victims in the name of helping them. For example in East Africa where a center is opened to gather these young victims of HIV and feed them at six o' clock in the evening. So what happens with the rest of the day? It is the same thing with other African centers who give anti-retroviral drugs to hungry people who takes the drugs on empty stomach. That means it's not just about the food and the drugs but about empowerment.

The rights based approach to Development is about empowering people by enabling them to participate in the process of Development for an equitable distribution. It is about giving the poor and vulnerable a stake, a voice and protection in society. However good intentioned all these agencies may claim to have on this deadly epidemic, HIV/AIDS, humanity's highest public health crisis gets worse and continues to be the number one enemy for human race today particularly in Africa where the pandemic is on a high side. Africa, south of the Sahara, the pandemic has taken close to 30 million lives and threatening many more. To set the record straight, on the 10 and 11 of August 2007, MAFED foundation international in collaboration with GGD Amsterdam put together a forum debate among African youth and organizations on the future of Africa with HIV/AIDS. The debate came under the theme “HIV/AIDS has an African face? And addressed the following points;

1The nationality and economy of AIDS (who makes job, fame and money with AIDS)?

2 How can we avoid catastrophe?

3 Should abstinence be promoted among all young people or Christians alone?

4 Can human rights address the issue of HIV/AIDS

5 Condom moment (When is a condom moment?)

6 Feminization of HIV has increased the spread of HIV

Our objectives were to create a forum for African youth and Diaspora organizations to interact on issues affecting their lives. To provide opportunity for African migrants to brainstorm and create strategies to fighting HIV/AIDS among African young people for the interest of our future. Provide access to ideas and thought sharing among one people with a common goal. Creating local connections among African youth in the Netherlands in order to build a team of volunteers. To empower African youth and Diaspora organizations working on HIV/AIDS to create strategies for African youth to join the global economy to enable them fight poverty and HIV/AIDS. This will realize the potential of the youth and engage them as development actors in the improvement of their communities, having in mind, a way out diseases in Africa.

In this way we will maximize MAFED's efforts in attaining its great objectives and mission. The discussion heated with the amazing questions from the young people who were very eager to know why HIV/AIDS naturalized in Africa.

At the end of the day, the audience suggested that promotion of alternative/traditional medicine will help African economy in fighting HIV/AIDS and that condom and antiretroviral drugs be manufacture in Africa to reduce cost and promote usage in Africa. Thinking on those living with HIV/AIDS, we all agree that people living with HIV/AIDS benefit by having restored health, economic productivity and social functioning. Although the programme was so interesting that people wouldn't stop talking, we begged that the discussion continue on our online weekly debate board every Tuesday at 19.00 hour. In this way the group keeps contact with the team members of MAFED.

For more information on this issue or how to join the debate send email to [email protected].