HISTORY OF WORLD AIDS DAY
Remembering Those with HIV/AIDS on December 1

For twenty years, World AIDS Day has stood as a time to remind people of the AIDS crisis and to rembmer those who have been lost to HIV/AIDS.

Every year on December 1, organizations, groups, and individuals around the world plan events to participate in World AIDS Day. These events highlight the overwhelming number of individuals suffering from HIV/AIDS and honor those who have passed away. Many organizations also use this time to focus on prevention efforts.

The First World AIDS Day

The first World AIDS Day was organized by the World Health Organization on December 1, 1988. Originally, the day was organized by UNAIDS. UNAIDS chose a new theme each year after consulting with other HIV/AIDS organizations to determine the most pressing topics. In 2005, UNAIDS officially gave responsibility of World AIDS Day to The World AIDS Campaign (WAC), an independent HIV/AIDS organization..

Since WAC took over the campaign, the theme has been “Stop AIDS: Keep the Promise.” This theme is meant to target policy makers and health authorities to encourage them to meet the targets that have been set on the way to providing universal access to HIV treatment, care, support, and prevention services by 2010. The theme “Stop AIDS: Keep the Promise” will continue until 2010, with sub-themes chosen each year.
Past World AIDS Day Themes

The following have been the themes of World AIDS Day for the past 20 years:
2008 - Stop AIDS; Keep the Promise – Lead- Empower- Deliver
2007 - Stop AIDS; Keep the Promise - Leadership
2006 - Stop AIDS; Keep the Promise - Accountability
2005 - Stop AIDS; Keep the Promise
2004 - Women, Girls, HIV and AIDS
2003 - Stigma & Discrimination
2002 - Stigma & Discrimination
2001 - I care. Do you?
2000 - AIDS : Men make a difference
1999 - Listen, Learn, Live: World AIDS Campaign with Children & Young People
1998 - Force for Change: World AIDS Campaign With Young People
1997 - Children Living in a World with AIDS
1996 - One World, One Hope
1995 - Shared Rights, Shared Responsibilities
1994 - AIDS & the Family
1993 - Act
1992 - Community Commitment
1991 - Sharing the Challenge
1990 - Women & AIDS
1989 - Youth
1988 - Communication
World AIDS Day 2008

For World AIDS Day 2008, the sub-theme is “Lead- Empower- Deliver”. This is the second year that the theme has focused on the topic of leadership. This theme is meant to highlight the fact that many individuals and organization have already offered up their leadership skills, and now policy makers need to find the resources to deliver on their promises. The campaign is calling on everyone, including families, communities, civil society organizations, and governments to take the initiative in helping meet the target goals.

References:
World AIDS Campaign Official Website

SAVOURING THE EXPERIENCE!
Its another conference year, and this time all road leads to Dakar, the capital city of Senegal for the 15th International Conference on Aids & STI's in Africa (ICASA 2008) which will hold from 3-7 Dec,where His excellency Prof. Souleymane Mboup would be welcoming delegates to His wonderful country, as the chief host of the event. This conference which stands out as Africa's leading forum for discussion of HIV developments and trends, is the place of hope for africa’s future in defeating the challenges of HIV & AIDS, and its is a “flower-bed” for emerging leaders that will write the new world order in every sphere. All had been done at W.I.N for our reprsentative to attend this year’s conference, but are lack of funds thwarted our plans and efforts. So,we are savouring the unforgettable past experience of the last edition of the conference in Abuja-the Icasa 2005.
Many are those who think, the International Conference on Aids and STI’s in Africa, is all about health talks, analysis, abstract presentation and stories about ARV’s and Microbicides. But, alas! It is more than that. Because, it is a melting pot where great ideas for Africa’s liberation lies. We had an experience of the conference in 2005, and we have since then understood the reason why we (young people) need to be involved in this cause to safeguard the future. Our future!
For more than three years, we have been voluntarily involved in the fight against the spread of the HIV/AIDS infection in Ogun state, Nigeria. Now known as the Wellbeing Initiative Nigeria, we began our journey with a campus group known as the Campus Students Against Aids (CASAA) in early 2005.After which we moved to become part of the pioneer members of the EDUTAINMENTORS, a student organisation with a broader perspective of health issues.particularly , awareness/advocacy on HIV & AIDS in september 2005. The EDUTAINMENTORS had three functional wings; the music,drama/poetry & dance, with all focusing on educating,entertaining and becoming mentors to our peers and younger target audience. And all these we strived to acheive.
In december 2005, Abuja, the beautiful capital city of Nigeria played host to the prestigious 14th edition of the ICASA programme, tagged “Hiv/Aids and the family”. Actually we had prepared a theme song (titled-hope is here) for the conference, but logistics and some other vices beyond us, outplayed our efforts & desire to render the song at the conferences’opening ceremony . But fortunately,though a young, not well recognized organization of young people, we were opportuned to perform some of our powerful songs at the conference's film festival centre and the community village also known as the Yar’adua centres respectively. And on several occassions, irrespective of thier age, status and number,we sang to the amazement of several wonderful and extremely appreciative audiences. The performance at The Foursquare Gospel Church Asokoro (including Hiv/Aids awareness songs) crowned the strings of a wonderful conference experience.It was life changing, and we sure left the audience at every performance, better equipped with useful information, than we found them.
We also had the opportunity to dine with participants of the conference who are living positively with the disease, at their lounge. it was sure an eye opener and an unforgetable experience for all of us present at the lounge.
We met with quite a number of people which we can't remember all by names now, but the few we can’t forget includes; Mr.Richard Mofe Damijo-a veteran Nollywood star,who gave a talk at a seminar at the film festival venue, Dr.Femi Soyinka, Seun Kuti-son of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti,the legendary afrobeat king, Ambassador Dayo Israel-ADYF, Miss Catherine- a canadian delegate, Mr Felix, Apostle Emmanuel Etim-CEO,Center For Development Action International, Mr Tony Ajibade(lounge coordinator), Mr Joe-president of YASIA/N, Mr Femi George-leader of the SURVIVOR team,Mr Buzuz-member of the survivors team, that did awareness walk from lagos to abuja for the conference. Pastor Mrs Ibukun Odusote, Pastor B.B Olowodola-presiding pastor 4square gospel church asokoro district, Hope Worldwide representative from kenya, Queen Williams, Miss Jaqueline-the representative of Ithaca films USA. Ali baba-Ace Nigerian comedian, Miss Samantha-a delegate from swaziland, and the President of the 14th ICASA conference,Professor Soyinka, amongst others.
The International Conference Centre , The Yar’adua Centre,The Merit House, The National Radio House, Rockview Hotels, Le-Meridien, Sheraton Hotels, all in the beautiful city of Abuja, were among notable places, where notable events that we cannot forget in a long while took place. Icasa2005/Abuja- the place of the paradigm shift!

WHAT IS MALARIA?

Malaria is an infectious disease caused by a parasite, Plasmodium, which infects red blood cells. Malaria is characterized by cycles of chills, fever, pain and sweating. Historical records suggest malaria has infected humans since the beginning of mankind. The name "mal 'aria" (meaning "bad air" in Italian) was first used in English in 1740 by H. Walpole when describing the disease. The term was shortened to "malaria" in the 20th century. C. Laveran in 1880 was the first to identify the parasites in human blood. In 1889, R. Ross discovered that mosquitoes transmitted malaria. Of the four species of malaria, the most serious type is Plasmodium falciparum malaria. It can be life-threatening. The other three species of malaria (P. vivax, P. malariae, and P. ovale) are generally less serious and are not life-threatening.

HOW IS MALARIA TRANSMITTED?

The life cycle of the parasite is complicated (for life cycle details, see http://www.cdc.gov/malaria/biology/life_cycle.htm) and involves two hosts, humans and Anopheles mosquitoes. The disease is transmitted to humans when an infected Anopheles mosquito bites a person and injects the malaria parasites (sporozoites) into the blood. Sporozoites travel through the bloodstream to the liver, mature, and eventually infect the human red blood cells. While in red blood cells, the parasites again develop until a mosquito takes a blood meal from an infected human and ingests human red blood cells containing the parasites. Then the parasites reach the Anopheles mosquito's stomach and eventually invade the mosquito salivary glands. When an Anopheles mosquito bites a human, these sporozoites complete and repeat the complex Plasmodium life cycle. P. ovale and P. vivax can further complicate the cycle by producing dormant stages (hypnozoites) that may not develop for weeks to years.

WHERE IS MALARIA A PARTICULAR PROBLEM?

Malaria is a particular problem and a major one in areas of Asia, Africa, and Central and South America. Unless precautions are taken, anyone living in or traveling to a country where malaria is present can get the disease. Malaria occurs in about 100 countries; approximately 40% of the world population is at risk for contracting malaria. To get information on countries that have current malaria infection problems, the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) has a constantly updated website that lists the problem areas in detail: http://gis.hhs.gov/website/mrisk9/viewer.htm

WHAT ARE THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF MALARIA?

The symptoms characteristic of malaria include flu-like illness with fever, chills, muscle aches, and headache. Some patients develop nausea, vomiting, cough, and diarrhea. Cycles of chills, fever, and sweating that repeat every one, two, or three days are typical. There can sometimes be vomiting, diarrhea, coughing, and yellowing (jaundice) of the skin and whites of the eyes due to destruction of red blood cells and liver cells.

People with severe P. falciparum malaria can develop bleeding problems, shock, liver or kidney failure, central nervous system problems, coma, and can die from the infection or its complications. Cerebral malaria (coma, or altered mental status or seizures) can occur with severe P. falciparum infection. It is lethal if not treated quickly; even with treatment, about 15%-20% die.

WHAT IS ASTHMA?

Asthma is a chronic disease that affects your airways. The airways are the tubes that carry air in and out of your lungs. If you have asthma, the inside walls of your airways are inflamed (swollen). The inflammation (IN-fla-MAY-shun) makes the airways very sensitive, and they tend to react strongly to things that you are allergic to or find irritating. When the airways react, they get narrower, and less air flows through to your lung tissue. This causes symptoms like wheezing (a whistling sound when you breathe), coughing, chest tightness, and trouble breathing, especially at night and in the early morning.

Asthma cannot be cured, but most people with asthma can control it so that they have few and infrequent symptoms and can live active lives.

When your asthma symptoms become worse than usual, it is called an asthma episode or attack. During an asthma attack, muscles around the airways tighten up, making the airways narrower so less air flows through. Inflammation increases, and the airways become more swollen and even narrower. Cells in the airways may also make more mucus than usual. This extra mucus also narrows the airways. These changes make it harder to breathe.



Asthma attacks are not all the same—some are worse than others. In a severe asthma attack, the airways can close so much that not enough oxygen gets to vital organs. This condition is a medical emergency. People can die from severe asthma attacks.

So, if you have asthma, you should see your doctor regularly. You will need to learn what things cause your asthma symptoms and how to avoid them. Your doctor will also prescribe medicines to keep your asthma under control.

Taking care of your asthma is an important part of your life. Controlling it means working closely with your doctor to learn what to do, staying away from things that bother your airways, taking medicines as directed by your doctor, and monitoring your asthma so that you can respond quickly to signs of an attack. By controlling your asthma every day, you can prevent serious symptoms and take part in all activities.

If your asthma is not well controlled, you are likely to have symptoms that can make you miss school or work and keep you from doing things you enjoy. Asthma is one of the leading causes of children missing school.

MALUMFASHI IN RETROSPECT.
by segun daniel..
Unless you have been there and have had a first hand experience of this most welcoming, warm and accommodating set of people dwelling in northern Nigeria, you will continually hold a wrong impression of them. Considering my background as a member of an anti AIDS club from school in the south western part of the country, the NYSC posting to the home state of our amiable president-Umar Musa Yar’adua, while he was still the executive Governor of Katsina, was a privilege and an opportunity to reach out to the youth population about AIDS and its devastating effect on our future as youths. As a UNICEF trained peer educator and the president of the UNICEF ANTI AIDS CLUB, we moved around with our awareness campaign throughout the length and breathe of the Malumfashi zone, Katsina state Nigeria and here are some of the events in retrospect.

AT THE FCS RALLY .
Influencing your peers positively was the theme of this annual one week camp programme organised by the fellowship of the Christian students in Malumfashi zone in Katsina state. the programme which was a religious one encouraged our coming to speak, convince, inform and educate their members about health issues most especially the reality of HIV/AIDS in our society. So on the final day of the rally we were invited to talk to this cross-section of young adolescents from the entire Malumfashi zone of Katsina state on positive values for better living and health related issues such as Aids. The participants benefited from a number of topics ranging from right decision making, assertiveness, being focused, goal setting, building a sound self esteem, making the right friends and so on. and these topics were spoken on and taught by these resource persons ;Mr. Abu Fred, Mr Ularan and was led by Mr Segun Daniel, who also talked about pertinent issues of HIV/AIDS as it relates to all the mentioned topics. However, there were IEC’s that were distributed to all the participants present....

AT THE GOVERNMENT SECONDARY SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF.
At this event that took place at the Government Secondary School for the deaf, a large number of students benefited from this one of a kind HIV/AIDS awareness campaign which was organised and conducted with a view of reaching out to all and sundry with this advocacy message about AIDS. We were warmly received by the school and the teeming population of students who have been anxiously waiting for our arrival, in order to learn and enrich their young minds with the relevant information they needed to have about AIDS –the possible ways of infection, prevention and most especially vital issues of their reproductive health, which ordinarily have been relegated to the background by the society around them. Though it was extremely challenging, it was worth it. The question/answer session was very interactive and with sign language, pictorial illustrations, posters, handbills, and a standby interpreter who was put to use for the benefit of those with partial hearing disability, the point was driven home that AIDS IS REAL and easily contractible but PLAYING SAFE IS KEY to prevention.


SPREADIND THE MESSAGE AND NOT THE VIRUS at G.U.S.S.
On this beautiful, bright and sunny day it was time for another life changing HIV/AIDS awareness session and this time it was about “SPREADIND THE MESSAGE AND NOT THE VIRUS” campaign. And guess what! Right inside the dinning hall of the Government Unity Secondary School Katsina, issues of the HIV/AIDS and reproductive health was being broken down to bits and was served to the student in their hundreds not leaving out their teachers who were in attendance as well. It was a session of simple approach interaction like never before as it was made to be a wonderful on-the-hot-seat interview-like session. And surely it was an unforgettable outing in the duty of advocacy and awareness campaign in our entire Katsina state experience. The student were enlightened on what hiv/aids is, what STD’s are, how one can fall into danger zone of contracting HIV, out-lining risky behaviours that could make one vulnerable [like premarital sex],issues of peer pressure and hiv, modes of protection and prevention ,why we need to go for voluntary counselling and testing, why there should be no need for discrimination and stigmatization against infected people, how to educate other people with what they know and have learnt about HIV/AIDS and reproductive health issues-[which happened to be the most endearing to these students] and so forth. I must confess that it was quite an experience with these students who were hungry for knowledge about the HIV/AIDS pandemic, and with the fun part of quiz and question and answer session and folksongs on AIDS rendered, YOU CAN BE SURE THAT WE LEFT THEM BETTER THAN WE FOUND THEM.


GOVERNMENT SECONDARY SCHOOL KANKARA
In yet another school this time, it was the turn of the government secondary school Kankara located in a remote town in Katsina state. The acceptance was mind blowing and awesome, it was as if the messiah that knows all things had come to teach and show them the way. uttermost and most commendable was the leadership virtues that was put in to play by the principal of the school who joined in and stayed with us till the end of the campaign, leaving all official matters to rest as long as the we were there. That was an exceptional character of leadership by example on display. He even took it upon himself to do the job of interpreting and thoroughly explaining all that is being said, in the native language [Hausa], so as to make sure that none of his students go home with an excuse of not understanding some terminologies that were sometimes used in driving home a point.
With the assistance of the principal the campaign was successful as the students gained tremendously from the interpretation done by the principal, and now they are equipped to stand against the ignorance that has kept them in the dark for too long a time. Also, we are convinced that with people like the principal around the kankara community would not be the same again for education about HIV/AIDS would set the people free from the scourge that would have been feeding fat on their ignorance.

*Some of the participants and the coordinator,at the HIV/AIDS and Sexual Reproductive Health training 2005..

The UNICEF/NYSC Anti AIDS Club 2005/2006 president-Mr Segun Daniel receiving a certificate of recognition, presented by the NYSC resident inspector for malumfashi zone, Mr.Okoliko in appreciation of the various awareness and sensitization campaign programmes on HIV/AIDS carried out throughout the zone.

In all of this i and my team at the Anti AIDS Club are sure that we left all of these people in Katsina, better than we found them. And that is fulfilment on our own part..

Dear reader,
One week after the tragic events of Cyclone Nargis, the path of destruction in Myanmar is evident. Reports indicate that 22,500 people are reported dead and close to 100,000 are still missing, indicating that death tolls can be expected to rise in the coming weeks. Millions more are now left homeless without food or access to clean water or medicine.
PSI, the parent organization of YouthAIDS, has a team of 600 staff on the ground throughout Myanmar they have already begun efforts to supply medical supplies and clean water to those in need. Working with other local organizations, PSI has delivered enough water for 1,000,000 people for one month and is working with its network of Sun Quality Health doctors to deliver medicine and health services to those desperately seeking medical attention.
They are racing against time. The situation is dire, catastrophic hunger and major diseases lurk at the edges of the 6 million+ community living in the area hardest hit by the cyclone. The people of Myanmar need your help. In the coming months, PSI will require an additional $1,000,000 to address the longer-term health implications of Cyclone Nargis’ devastation and avert more deaths in this time of need.
Your gift will help us deliver critical supplies and health services in Myanmar and restock supplies for the coming months. Please make a donation and read more about how the parent organization of YouthAIDS plans to save lives.
for more information visit; www.youthaids.org

AT THE PRESTIGIOUS OOU DINNER
In the quest for service, borne out of the vision to leave useful information at the fingertips of every individual and also create a platform for educating and encouraging people-involvement in HIV/AIDS advocacy, we registered our presence and made an indelible impact, in the lives of hundreds of students of the prestigious Olabisi Onabanjo University (s/w Nigeria), who were in attendance at a dinner event, organised by a group of students.
The crowd at the event was large and was too tempting to let go,without giving them an information that would influence major decisions of their lives and particularly that of the evening for good. And though it was an impromptu performance we are glad to have reached out to such a massive crowd ( such that you would never have found on that campus, in a seminar addressing issues of AIDS), with the song –THINK TWICE, which is one of the numerous advocacy songs we have put together and have been using as our advocacy tool at W.I.N.
It was the kind of song they wanted but with the message they needed. And we are convinced that the message of the song THINK TWICE, which is an all round advocacy song with a groovy feel,will spread beyond the immediate audience that listened to it first-hand that night, to several other people (like friends,colleagues and of course family members) and will cause the desired attitudinal/behavioural changes in their approach to sexual activities,thereby leading to safe and responsble living.

The Turning Point

The 14th International Conference on Aids & STI's in Africa,held in abuja Nigeria in 2005,was an eye opener and till date still marks the birth of this noble organization..it was quite an unforgetable experience for us,in terms of knowledge aquisition and impetus to impact the world around us.. And here we are reaching out to you, and we implore you to join in whatever way you can to change the world around you for good..

it pays to be involved!

THE BEGINNING.-(iReport)

As observed in a simple research conducted, we discovered that no lay-person (especially youths) feels so patient and comfortable enough to sit in a seminar where talks/lectures on HIV/AIDS issues is being discussed, for long period of time. Everyone of them thinks it’s a boring and an unprofitable exercise to be involved in. Rather than sit in a place where all sorts of medical-jargons are being talked about, they rather would appreciate being addressed entertainingly, through movies, comical representation, music, jingles or as a simple summarised statement such as; zip-up and live responsibly.

Haven understood this fact; we underwent a little creative reconstruction on our intended approach and came out with a unique (project) idea called the Text Project, to start up in 2007. It is a simple basic approach that worked tremendously, with the use of sending simple HIV message through SMS to people’s phones.

The project was a success to us, compared to what we had envisaged. The feedback was awesome; it went from good, to bad, to the ugly and to the beautiful. Some people thanked in appreciation while some expressed scepticism and some fired missiles of insults back at us. But in all we were glad that our messages at every point in time really went a long way to hit people in the right spot of thoughts. And that the overall objective was achieved.