(Susan Segu: HIV +)
More than 25 million people have died of AIDS since 1981.
Africa has 12 million AIDS orphans.
By the end of 2005, women accounted for 48% of all adults living with HIV worldwide, and for 59% in sub-Saharan Africa.
Young people (15-24 years old) account for half of all new HIV infections worldwide - around 6,000 become infected with HIV every day.
Of the 6.5 million people in developing and transitional countries who need life-saving AIDS drugs, only 1.3 million are receiving them.
AND....Global Military Spending now tops $1T
Not so long ago Donald Rumsfeld aimed critisicm at China's military spending, suggesting that; “Since no nation threatens China, one must wonder: Why this growing investment? Why these continuing large and expanding arms purchases?” A question he may well ask of himself. According to a report recently released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute Global Military Spending topped $1Trillion in 2004. The United States accounted for 47 percent of all military expenditures, while Britain and France each made up 5 percent of the total. In all, 15 countries accounted for 82 percent of the world's total military spending. The BBC reported last month that Chinese military spending increased by 12% in 2004 to $25Bn - or one twentieth of what the US spends.
Makes me want to puke
The problem is not just about Aids it’s about poverty. As photojournalist Don McCullin describes: ‘this isn’t just a medical situation. It’s a combination of things. But the primary cause is poverty, which leads to hunger and despair.” Whilst in Tanzania a couple of years ago I met with a group of women (Susan being one of them), all of whom had tragic stories to tell, all of whom are (if still alive) living with full blown Aids, all of whom (bar one) would be leaving children behind when they die – this they said was the hardest part of living with the disease. I remember stopping writing when they told me this because there were no words to describe how I felt...
11 comments:
Puking right along beside you....
Here is a link to a woman journalist who is writing about AIDS in Africa. Her book, 28, was published last year. Each chapter is the story of a person living and dying of AIDS. Poignant and heartbreaking.....
http://www.stephanienolen.com/
I think the only way to reach the heart and minds of others is through the mighty pen.....to describe the lives of the beautiful human beings who are suffering from AIDS and of the little ones and other family members who are grieving their tragic losses.
We should put a moment aside each day to remember AIDS.
thank you for the nudge.....and for sharing the picture of a beautiful woman named Susan.
the link to Stepanie's website also has links to other readings. The one in particular you may be interested in takes you to Stephen Lewis.....you will find it by clicking on "Dispatches."
Despair leads to hunger and poverty. Not the other way around.
People with AIDS need love, and all of them (and everyone else) need to carefully review the choices they face.
What they don't need is the government tossing money at them for the sake of political gain.
If you were going to make the case that private charities should do more to help those who suffer from AIDS (and how we ought to contribute to them), you would have my ear. Governments lack the capacity to 'love'. The true duty rests squarely on the shoulders of individuals.
To say, 'I care about those with AIDS because I voted against the Iraq war...' makes me want to throw up.
I love the hope on her face, this is a very powerful photograph. History worthy.
Can't say as much was made of AIDS awareness day this year...not that I could see here, and I have friends who went looking to see what was being done...
no red ribbons, not much said about it...in fact it would have been easy for it to pass by without a second thought - I wonder why...
Hey Paul.
Moving image....stunning and powerful.
Been thinking of you. I am finally back. I am so glad. have a Happy New Year over there! :)
Hello the aids is a problem world wide we never going to lose this terrible problem it spread to fast and the worst is that our specialist cant get a cure for this problem.
medifast diet plan is a good way to lose weight .
Post a Comment