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TURNING REMEMBRANCE INTO ACTION INTERNATIONAL AIDS CANDLELIGHT MEMORIAL COMMEMORATION BY HOPE worldwide KENYA |
19 May 2005
Pictures from the occasion
A program of the Global Health Council, The International AIDS Candlelight Memorial Campaign is a 12-month mobilization project that encourages communities and individuals around the world to become more involved with HIV/AIDS work through participation in a worldwide memorial. The Memorial takes place every year on the third Sunday of May.
The AIDS Epidemic report for 2004 by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that last year 3.1 million people died from AIDS (1), 2.3 million of those in sub-Saharan Africa.
The official date for the IACM this year was the 15th of May. HOPE worldwide Kenya (HWW-K) held its IACM commemoration a day earlier, at the Huruma Sports ground in one of Nairobi's lower income neighbourhoods, drawing a crowd of approximately 2, 000.
A day of fun, festivity and fanfare, with about 2000 in attendance, was brought into focus when, after many high-energy events, Benedict Othieno, living positively with HIV, took to the stage. He shared from his life and urged those present, "The best thing to do is to abstain. No one ever died from not having sex." At that point he had shared how after initially having nightmares for a while after finding out that he was sero-positive, he learned to dream again - "I want to have five or six children," he said - not only living on Anti-Retroviral drugs (ARVs), but working as both an adherence counsellor to help those on ARVs to take their medicine as required, and as a VCT counsellor. He thus illustrated the theme of this year's IACM, "Turning Remembrance Into Action."
Some of HOPE worldwide's partners were present, setting up information booths, but also bringing a large number of staff to participate and assist in the event. The German Development Co-operation (GTZ), SOS Children's Village, Family Planning Association of Kenya-Nairobi Youth Centre, and GOAL Kenya, who help HWW-K in many ways on an on-going basis, helped to make the day a great success.
High profile guests were the professional football player, Charles Okwemba, of Tusker Football Club, and the local music superstar, Lenny. Sharing with a crowd of boys, Charles said, "You've got to know what you want in life, and use your talents well," encouraging the boys to uphold disciplined and responsible behaviour.
Lenny moved the crowd, singing two of his smash hits, and engaging the youth in a dance competition. He then, together with Nicasius Kamani of HWW-K and Margaret Mwaila of GTZ, led the way in lighting candles in remembrance of those who have died as a result of HIV/AIDS.
Earlier, there was a street procession to start the day's activities, a workshop for teenage single mothers, dancing, crazy football, eating competition, sack race and drama, all woven together excellently by the MC's of the day, Molex of the Reuben Youth Star Association and Jodi, a volunteer at SOS.
Beyond special showcase events such as the IACM, let us all, on an individual and personal level, not only remember, but act as well - remember those whose lives have been cut short due to AIDS, but also act, purposely and decisively, to reduce stigma towards those living with HIV and to terminate the spread of the virus. Let us turn remembrance into action.
(1) AIDS epidemic update: 2004, ISBN 92 9173390 3, English original, December 2004. p. 79
For more information about the International AIDS Candlelight Memorial, log on to www.candlelightmemorial.org
A program of the Global Health Council, The International AIDS Candlelight Memorial Campaign is a 12-month mobilization project that encourages communities and individuals around the world to become more involved with HIV/AIDS work through participation in a worldwide memorial. The Memorial takes place every year on the third Sunday of May.
The AIDS Epidemic report for 2004 by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that last year 3.1 million people died from AIDS (1), 2.3 million of those in sub-Saharan Africa.
The official date for the IACM this year was the 15th of May. HOPE worldwide Kenya (HWW-K) held its IACM commemoration a day earlier, at the Huruma Sports ground in one of Nairobi's lower income neighbourhoods, drawing a crowd of approximately 2, 000.
A day of fun, festivity and fanfare, with about 2000 in attendance, was brought into focus when, after many high-energy events, Benedict Othieno, living positively with HIV, took to the stage. He shared from his life and urged those present, "The best thing to do is to abstain. No one ever died from not having sex." At that point he had shared how after initially having nightmares for a while after finding out that he was sero-positive, he learned to dream again - "I want to have five or six children," he said - not only living on Anti-Retroviral drugs (ARVs), but working as both an adherence counsellor to help those on ARVs to take their medicine as required, and as a VCT counsellor. He thus illustrated the theme of this year's IACM, "Turning Remembrance Into Action."
Some of HOPE worldwide's partners were present, setting up information booths, but also bringing a large number of staff to participate and assist in the event. The German Development Co-operation (GTZ), SOS Children's Village, Family Planning Association of Kenya-Nairobi Youth Centre, and GOAL Kenya, who help HWW-K in many ways on an on-going basis, helped to make the day a great success.
High profile guests were the professional football player, Charles Okwemba, of Tusker Football Club, and the local music superstar, Lenny. Sharing with a crowd of boys, Charles said, "You've got to know what you want in life, and use your talents well," encouraging the boys to uphold disciplined and responsible behaviour.
Lenny moved the crowd, singing two of his smash hits, and engaging the youth in a dance competition. He then, together with Nicasius Kamani of HWW-K and Margaret Mwaila of GTZ, led the way in lighting candles in remembrance of those who have died as a result of HIV/AIDS.
Earlier, there was a street procession to start the day's activities, a workshop for teenage single mothers, dancing, crazy football, eating competition, sack race and drama, all woven together excellently by the MC's of the day, Molex of the Reuben Youth Star Association and Jodi, a volunteer at SOS.
Beyond special showcase events such as the IACM, let us all, on an individual and personal level, not only remember, but act as well - remember those whose lives have been cut short due to AIDS, but also act, purposely and decisively, to reduce stigma towards those living with HIV and to terminate the spread of the virus. Let us turn remembrance into action.
(1) AIDS epidemic update: 2004, ISBN 92 9173390 3, English original, December 2004. p. 79
For more information about the International AIDS Candlelight Memorial, log on to www.candlelightmemorial.org