World AIDS Day

Youth development programs are probably not the first things that come to mind when thinking about World AIDS Day, but young people around the globe are doing their part to raise awareness. Their efforts are particularly important in Russia, where the HIV prevalence rate is the second highest in Eastern Europe and Eurasia. Students don’t learn about AIDS in school and in general it is an extremely taboo topic.

Maybe it was just luck that my bicycle tire blew out right in front of the bike repair stand in the Freedom Compound shanty town. I took that same road every time I travelled between my village and the town of Monze during my Peace Corps service in Zambia. I usually pedaled as quickly as I could through Freedom Compound in order to avoid all the beckoning calls of “Mzungu”, white person or foreigner. This time I had no choice but to stop. As soon as I slowed down I was rushed by people trying to help me. “No, no, it’s fine, I can manage myself” I told them.

There are 33.4 million people living with HIV/AIDS throughout the world. Today is World AIDS Day - a day of opportunity to raise awareness and educate about the disease which affects all nations at the most local level.