What Can I Do? HIV/AIDS

Inspired by Yinka Jegede-Ekpe? Find out more about ways you can help.

• CARE: HIV/AIDS. "Poverty is both a cause and consequence of HIV/AIDS. The impact of the disease is disproportionately high in the developing world, which is home to more than 95 percent of the estimated 40 million people infected with HIV/AIDS. In response to this global crisis, CARE strives to give people information and tools to protect themselves. We promote grassroots efforts to mitigate the effects of HIV/AIDS in poor communities, and help local organizations better respond to local needs." (http://www.care.org/campaigns/hiv.asp?source=&channel=)
  
  
• Change.org: Stop AIDS in Africa. "Change.org is a social network for social activism, incorporating nonprofits, politicians, and people across the globe. Change.org aims to transform social activism by serving as the central platform that connects likeminded people, whatever their interests, and enables them to exchange information, share ideas, and collectively act to address the issues they care about." (http://www.change.org/changes/change_page/2)
  
  
• Doctors Without Borders: HIV/AIDS. "Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has been caring for people living with HIV/AIDS in developing countries since the 1990s, and began offering antiretroviral (ARV) therapy in its programs in Cameroon, Thailand, and South Africa in 2000....MSF is currently providing ART to 100,500 patients in 32 countries: " (http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/news/hiv-aids/index.cfm)
  
  
• Do Something: HIV/AIDS. "We hear about it almost everyday in some way or another, but how much do we really know about HIV/AIDS in our own backyard? As of the year 2000 (the latest year for which data is currently available) there were about 1 million people in the United States living with AIDS, one quarter of whom are unaware of their infection. About 40,000 people each year are newly infected with HIV and over half of them are under the age of 25. The only way to help prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS is to know the difference, understand how it is spread, and inform others about the importance of getting tested." (http://www.dosomething.org/node/20272)
  
  
• Generation Why: HIV and AIDS. "There are 42 million people in the world right now living with HIV/AIDS, and 8,000 people dying of the disease every day. Around 95 per cent of these victims live in the developing world, and seven out of ten in sub-Saharan Africa. The spread of HIV/AIDS is accelerated by poverty, migration, conflict and gender inequality. If it is to be halted, it is essential that effective education is in place; that women and girls are given more economic rights, and better access to preventative measures, care and treatment; and that there is community support for HIV/AIDS sufferers." (http://www.oxfam.org.uk/generationwhy/issues/hiv/)
  
  
• GYCA (Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS) “GYCA is a youth-led, UNAIDS and UNFPA supported alliance of over 3000 young leaders and adult allies working on youth and HIV/AIDS in 150 countries world-wide. It was proposed by youth worldwide, including the youth attendees of the XV International AIDS Conference in Bangkok 2004 and XIV International AIDS Conference in Barcelona 2002. GYCA empowers young leaders with the skills, knowledge, resources and opportunities they need to scale up HIV/AIDS interventions amongst their peers.” (http://youthaidscoalition.org/pages.html?page=Background)
  
  
• NetAid: HIV/AIDS. "The Global AIDS Pandemic is a leading challenge of our time. It affects over 40 million people worldwide, yet the full extent of the impact of HIV/AIDS is still not completely understood. Since HIV was first documented in 1981, over 25 million people have died of AIDS. In 2005, 4.1 million people were infected with HIV, roughly the same number of people living in the state of Colorado."(http://www.netaid.org/global_poverty/hivaids)
  
  
• ONE. “ONE is Americans of all beliefs and every walk of life – united as ONE – to help make poverty history. As ONE, we are asking our leaders to do more to fight the emergency of global AIDS and extreme poverty. ONE believes that allocating more of the U.S. budget toward providing basic needs like health, education, clean water and food would transform the futures and hopes of an entire generation in the world's poorest countries.” (http://www.one.org/aids_poverty)
  
  
• TakingITGlobal: HIV/AIDS. "TakingITGlobal.org is a global online community, providing youth with inspiration to make a difference, a source of information on issues, opportunities to take action, and a bridge to get involved locally, nationally and globally." Their website section on HIV/AIDS is very informative." (http://www.takingitglobal.org/themes/hivaids)
  
  
• UNICEF Voices of Youth Campaign: HIV/AIDS."How can you help stop the spread of HIV? Almost 12 million young people are living with HIV today - and millions more are working to find a solution. Find out more.."(http://www.unicef.org/voy/explore/aids/explore_aids.php)
  
  
• youTHink (World Bank): AIDS. "Here you'll find information about global issues that matter to young people today. Explore the research, knowledge and experience gathered by World Bank experts on issues like poverty, development, and conflict." (http://youthink.worldbank.org/issues/aids/)