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| by Christine Urquhart, age 17, Malvern Collegiate, Ontario, |
Jul 12, 2004 |
You examine the screen. You survey the dry and arid land of Africa. There it sits: desolate and thirsty. A young child, naked and around the age of four, pulls your attention. The dark pleading eyes lock yours. His skeletal frame, a mockery of a human body, fills the four corners of your plasma fifty-inch television screen. The semi-celebrity tells you that “For only thirty dollars a month…” You look away. You change the channel. You shift in your “La-Z-Boy” chair. Your feet begin to sweat inside your sneakers. Still, the guilt lingers. It begins to fester on top of your chest. The feeling of shame resonates for a few moments, and slowly melts away as soon as the new Gap commercial triggers you back to reality. It is our reality. Our reality is that in the twenty-five seconds it took to find out about Gap’s new fall line another person in Africa was infected with HIV/AIDS. That person will ultimately suffer and die because they could neither reach nor afford drugs. That is a reality on which we must not change the channel.
It seems that the issue of AIDS has become a social taboo. People don’t talk about it and, when they do, others only pretend to listen. People are too engrossed in their marks, cars, jobs, and paycheques to think of anything else. It is assumed that Africa is a lost cause and a depressing topic to think about: we do not see instant gratification, so we do not care. To be honest, most North Americans do not see themselves as the same species as Africans because our culture, society, and way of life are so different. This is not to imply that North Americans are a completely self-obsessed species void of any compassion. In our fast-paced nation, life does move quickly — there is not always time to think about and relate to people thousands of miles away. However, the reality is that we are ignorant of the condition of Africa, and we are turning our back on our African brothers and sisters. We are convinced there is nothing we can do to help.
The facts about AIDS are overwhelming and confusing. In Africa, AIDS is a pandemic, which affects women, men, and children. In fact, by 1999, AIDS had killed an astronomical 12.5 million children.1 In terms more North Americans would understand, AIDS in Africa kills the same amount of people as if there were two major airlines crashes every single day.2 The knowledge of this devastation is indescribable. No one likes to hear that South Africa’s life expectancy has dropped significantly: from 54 years in 1990 to a measly 33 years in 2001. This steady decline is most definitely a direct result of AIDS. No one likes to think of orphaned babies, sick people, and the rapid deaths of millions of innocent human beings. No one likes to think about death.
The average North American is left angered and hopeless after hearing statistics. We wonder: what is the reason for all of this? Why can’t the government deal with these problems and help the sick? There is one reason why people are dying at an alarming rate: a lack of funding. The AIDS clinics and health centres available in Africa are not only scarce but also inadequate. They have minimal clean water, few medical supplies, and not even enough chairs for the patients. Without drugs to combat this disease, and public awareness to educate the masses, Africa will only sink further into this cycle of death and relentless torment. African health care systems are already inadequate because of a weak and tried economy, and the overwhelming number of AIDS cases has strained an already frail system. In a Zambian survey, it was found that 66 percent of people have not even heard of antiretroviral drugs, let alone ever come into contact with them. There are simply not enough drugs and funding to make a dent on this devastating disease. Also, because of AIDS, teachers, skilled workers, and health care professionals are also dying, and thus contributing to the collapse of African society. Without funding, Africa will slowly but surely die. However, there still is hope.
Countries are beginning to take the AIDS pandemic in Africa more seriously and are becoming more proactive. Organizations such as UNAIDS (a global agency to combat the disease) have made significant contributions to battle the disease. They have recently launched a $7 billion campaign to provide 3 million HIV-infected Kenyans with the latest available drugs. Also, Zambia’s 2003 budget had the largest amount of funds to combat AIDS to date. Change is beginning to happen. Pop icons have even begun making public statements and raising money and awareness for the AIDS campaign. The most visible of these icons is Bono from the band U2. His noble efforts have brought AIDS into the public eye. Though all of this help is significant and important, it is just not enough. We need to start helping on a community level.
In our society, people are taught that instant gratification is the only type of satisfaction. However, I believe that, if placed in a positive environment where people can see results, they can make a difference. This is a revelation that hit me hard. In the midst of writing this essay I realized that if I was going to talk about action I should take the initiative and do something to spark change myself. I wanted to take action! I created, planned, and organized a project entitled “March for AIDS” which was held Sunday, March 21. This project was planned with two motives in mind: to raise funds for AIDS in Africa, and to raise awareness of this issue in my community. I visited local merchants in my area and asked them to donate merchandise to be given away in a draw. Through my correspondence, I received many generous donations, ranging from sweatshirts and gym bags to handmade South African ceramics. By having a wide range of prizes (African-influenced and North American-influenced), I feel I was able to link the two cultures together for the onlookers. I was able to show beautiful handmade African art beside typical North American products. This seemed to help the onlookers realize we aren’t really that detached. As for the actual event, it consisted of setting up a display with the prizes alongside information about the AIDS crisis in Africa on a busy public street. I feel this was a successful project, because the community was able to participate in a positive and successful event while learning about the desperate state of Africa.
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