I don’t like cricket, I love it!

 The 2011 Cricket World Cup is coming to an end this weekend. There has been a big push in partnership with UNAIDS to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS on the sub continent with teams wearing red ribbons during matches in the tournament. The International Cricket Council launched a project called “Think Wise”, and have utilised the sport’s biggest stars to raise HIV awareness in cricket playing countries.

It has been interesting to see the sport used in this way. Cricket is the major sport in the region with over a billion followers currently watching the India vs Pakistan semi final. It is a platform where fan of teams such as Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and South Africa will sit up and take notice.

The Bangladesh cricket captain Sakib Al Hasan was more than happy to use his public profile to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS.

Players from the Indian, Sri Lankan, South African and West Indian teams have all visited villages and met people living with HIV. Players from the Bangladeshi team have also thrown major support behind “Think Wise” and their captain Sakib Al Hasan has publicly encouraged people to not “discriminate and stigmatize anybody in the name of HIV.”

This is all encouraging to see but, it would have been better to see a united front from all teams. England for example; rates for new HIV infections have doubled over the past decade. Using the England team in a similar way would also have widened the audience for awareness. Maybe sometimes we forget that HIV can affect anyone. Not just people living in countries in Africa or in Asia – everyone.

In case you were wondering,  Pakistan are currently 70 for 1 in reply to India's 260 for 9*.

*At time of posting

Dame Elizabeth Taylor - The original AIDS crusader

Dame Elizabeth Taylor, February 27, 1932 – March 23, 2011

This week saw the passing of Dame Elizabeth Taylor. She was arguably one the last type of actresses of her generation, which saw her mix her acting ability, undeniable beauty and her image, to make her a global superstar.

But behind all the fame and flashbulbs was a cause that was close to her heart; she was one of the biggest contributors to AIDS research and awareness. Through her life, she donated over $100 million to numerous AIDS charities and helped create the American Foundation for AIDS Research (amFAR).

She also started her own charity, the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation after she found out that her close friend, actor Rock Hudson, had been diagnosed with HIV in 1984. There was not much known about HIV/AIDS at the time as it was a very new illness, only having been discovered clinically in early 1981.

Unfortunately Hudson’s AIDS was fatal and lead to his premature death, aged only 59. He is reported to have said, “I am not happy that I am sick. I am not happy that I have AIDS. But if that is helping others, I can at least know that my own misfortune has had some positive worth.”

This is what spurred her personal motivation in helping so many people that have been affected by HIV/AIDS. She not only considerably raised the awareness of AIDS, but also donated huge sums of money to support AIDS charities and boost research into the illness that left her without a dear friend.

Dame Elizabeth Taylor sadly passed away on 23rd March 2011, aged 79, she will be greatly missed and not forgotten for years to come. She can rest in peace knowing that she helped move the world a few steps closer towards discovering a cure for AIDS.

HIV/AIDS: 30 years on

 This year will mark the 30^th year since the first case of AIDS was reported in the United States. During the past three decades, the United Nations has increased its commitment to combating HIV/AIDS and working to alleviate the suffering of people living with HIV.

Over the past year they have focused on improving Universal Access, and have been supporting countries and regions around the world to undertake a review of their progress to achieve Universal Access. This programme will end this year, when they will review what more needs to be done in order to achieve universal access and ultimately the Millennium Development Goals.

Universal Access to healthcare is an important aspect to improving the quality of life of those living with HIV. This is still one side of the problem. Focus should also be put on preventing HIV transmission, through education and awareness.

In June of this year, the UN will hold 2011 General Assembly High Level Meeting on AIDS, with a focus on Universal Access. IHIVF will be represented at the meeting by the UK Consortium on AIDS and InternationalDevelopment, of which we are members and look forward to consulting with them on how we can participate in the AIDS response.

30 years on, and after 30 million deaths, HIV/AIDS still remains prevalent especially amongst women and girls. Let’s hope that in 30 years time, we will closer to eradicating HIV/AIDS forever.

Families and HIV (By Ayla Wahid)

If someone within the family is diagnosed with HIV, this is likely to immediately put a strain on the bonds that a family shares, no matter how tight-knitted they may be. The thought of not having that family member present at all during the important milestones of your life; graduation, marriage, the birth of your children even; not being there to share these special events with you is frightening.

You may be scared, confused or even angry. You’ve heard stories from friends, colleagues and on the news of how others have suffered from HIV but, you never thought this would happen to your family. Alas, it has and you cannot comprehend it. You may deny it or choose not to think about it but it will always be on your mind. You sit there and think how could it happen to us?

Even though it may be one of the most difficult things you do in your life, you must accept it. And remain strong, not only for yourself and the rest of your family but most importantly for the sufferer. This is the time they need you most, your love, support and care. Do not treat them differently; treat them like the loved family member that they are. You may or may not choose to talk about their illness. Some may feel better by revealing what they are feeling or not keeping their emotions bottled up inside of them. Others may decide that it is too painful. It should not be the topic of every conversation or even the most important for no-one is perfect, no matter how hard they might try to be.  Share the experiences that you can with them, add to the memories that you will cherish, show them that you care and most of all, let them know that you love them unconditionally.

A country called Japan (By F.Khanum)

Japan. First came the earthquake, then the tsunami, then the nuclear plant explosion and then the snow. 

Currently there is wide-spread fear of the long term effects of radiation. There are however other longer term challenges that countries’ with natural disasters often come face to face with. One of these is the dramatic increase in the vulnerability of people. Often with natural disasters we witness the rise in an unequal opportunity for safe environments, limited risk awareness, and education. The horrors brought on by something like a major earthquake or tsunami can also severely reduce a person’s coping capacity. Furthermore, as was the case with the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, thousands of people can die in a very short space of time. Estimates suggest between 227,000 to 280,000 deaths occurred in the 2004 tsunami. We are yet to have final estimates of those who have died in Japan over the past week.
What we need to remember however is that these deaths can and do represent a household’s main income earner. The loss of an income source can place particular vulnerability on dependents to feed themselves and obtain other much-needed amenities. A potential consequence of this is that some people feel the only way they can support themselves is through things such as sex work. As worldwide cases show, sex workers are one of the major risk groups when it comes to the contraction of HIV.
This is not to say that Japan is currently faced with this particular issue as a core dilemma, but it is important to note the pattern of social consequences that can occur from the result of such natural disasters.

There is of course a solution to this. It is the same solution to all social problems in the world: cooperation and mutual support. Whether people be next door neighbours, neighbouring countries or continents, cooperation and mutual support helps redevelop a communities infrastructure so that people do not become vulnerable to societal problems.

Latest HIV and AIDS estimates on Japan (2009, UNAIDS)

Number of people living with HIV = 8,100 [6,300 - 10,000]

Adults aged 15 to 49 prevalence rate = <0.1% [<0.1% - <0.1%]

Adults aged 15 and up living with HIV = 8,100 [6,300 - 10,000]

Women aged 15 and up living with HIV = 2,700 [2,100 - 3,400]

The Never-Ending Story of *Achievement* (By Dr Hany El-Banna)

There is no end to achievement.

Achievement is a process of delivering what the community needs. Achievement is felt by the people, not just the individual. Achievement is not a one-off process; it is something which will carry on with life after you.

What is the best monitor of achievement?
It is the continuation of the success of your message being carried at a later stage in your life.

Who is the greatest achiever of humanity?
It is Prophet Muhammad (saw), who led the greatest and fastest growing mission on any scale.

How can we say this is an achievement?
If you measure it on any scale it is there, it is evident.

This Creation (By Ishrath Ali)

A beautiful flower who blossoms,
In the lives of everyone.

Her gentleness embraces all,
Like an Ocean's breeze.

The whole world shines,
Through her beautiful soul.

Like Nature, She gives birth,
With Love and Compassion.

Honored and Respected,
She holds a Crown,
Wherever she goes.

As a mother, she rules,
Like a Royal Queen.

When a daughter,
She is treated like a Princess.

A sister, quite a leader,
Responsible in all her affairs.

A wife, a delight,
To a man's heart.

A protecting shield,
For the Innocent children.

A companion of her husband,
Honor of the Family,
Strength of Every Nation.

Of all the treasures,
That doth exist,
In this world.

There is no treasure,
Truly dear to everyone,
Than a Woman.

Special thanks to Ishrath Ali (USA) for submitting this beautiful poem to us in  recognition of International Women's Day.

The cult of celebrity vs the socially deprived

A fashionable trend going round today is to be part of the cult of celebrity. But sometimes being part of this cult, means we forget about the socially deprived people on the other end of the spectrum. But how can we find a common ground between the two ends?

The answer is through the cult of the “new celebrity”. This means helping the socially deprived to become the new celebrity through aid and education.

Are we being honest with ourselves, with our socially deprived brothers and sisters or even with the celebrities?

I believe that my answer is no, we are not honest, because we are using celebrities as a cash cow and we are abusing the socially deprived people as materials of different exhibitions.

What’s lacking in this situation is the moral element of this relationship which ensures a rise in the dignity and profile of the socially deprived and a decrease in the size of the ego of the celebrity.

In an atmosphere of equal partnership between both parties, we can talk about dignity; we mean the rights of the socially deprived on the wealth of their knowledge and beliefs. We need to help the socially deprived achieve their potential.

On the other side, the ego of celebrity is another social problem, affecting the celebrity themselves, as well as others, by boosting their sense of self. So they can only see themselves at centre stage all the time surrounded by an entourage and “isms”.

So while we are treating the socially deprived as people in need of provision of food, housing and education; we should also treat celebrities’ ego as people who might need to have psychological treatment.

Humanitarian organisations need to be on hand to advance the relationship and be the common ground between these two and not to be driven by the glamorous light of celebrity which might dim the lights of other socially deprived stars.