TITLE: Mission Outreach
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HIV/Aids


A threatening cloud descends over Africa

A threatening cloud descends over Southern Africa... it's HIV/AIDS

Ten percent of the world's people live in Africa yet it has 90% of the world's HIV/AIDS infected children. With a total of 4.2 million people infected, South Africa has the largest number of people living with HIV/AIDS.

Please help us assist our Missionaries in Southern Africa affected by HIV/AIDS and our programs in the Pacific and other parts of the world, by making a donation today.

Sr Sally Duigan fdnsc was appointed HIVIAIDS co-ordinator for the Diocese Tzaneen Aids in South Africa

Sr Sally Duigan fdnsc was appointed HIVIAIDS co-ordinator for the Diocese Tzaneen earlier this year. She shares her experiences of an AIDS Forum , which she attended.

I have just returned from the first National Children's Forum on HIV/AIDS, which was organised by Children's Institute attached to Cape Town University, and was held over four days in Cape Town. I travelled with five gorgeous children. It was an amazing trip from beginning to end.

    Duncan (17) - both parents have died in the last two years and are buried at the side of the house in two graves side by side. Twenty-one year old Natalia cares for Duncan, Khomotso, Mandy and Presley. She did not finish High School because she cared for her parents (we are organising a bursary for her to do Grade 12 next year).

    Lerato (18) - both parents have died, her mother dying only in March this year. Her brother, Stanley, and herself live with their grandmother who cannot afford to keep them. Her life is very miserable.

    Theresa (13) - cared for her mother who died in December and then for the baby who died in April. Her father is ill with AIDS. She looks after her three brothers. There is no income in the family.

    Nthabiseng (11) - her father has died and her mother is in prison.

    Hlysani (7) - the youngest of three boys; their parents have both died. He has been relocated with three families in his short life. Now he lives with relatives who already have four children and very little income.
We prepared the children for the forum for a few months prior to departure. There was a process followed which involved a lot of hard work but they were determined to finish it. The children were prepared to present their needs at the forum. The big presentation was to be on the last day. Seventy politicians had been invited to attend and all accepted the invitation. Two buses were sent to Parliament to collect them but only six came. This was devastating for the organisers, but the children were not aware of what had happened. There were many other people there, including representatives from Save The Children, UNESCO, UNICEF, and The AIDS Council.

When the children stood up and presented their needs it was incredibly moving and emotional. Several had been raped and were HIV positive, and some have AIDS. Many belong to child-headed households. Three caregivers were selected to speak as well.

I was asked to go to a press conference in which I tried to explain how so many people with AIDS were in fact dying from starvation. Afterwards I was surrounded by media and as a result the producers of a current attairs program will be coming here in a few days to film some of the stories. Another media person has told me she wishes to help Theresa, one of the children who attended the Forum, as she was so touched by her story.

As a result of this Forum and the media coverage we are hopeful that some good will come at last to the families and children affected by HIV/AIDS.

We are getting clearer in our efforts for AIDS



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