world aids day

i'm off from work today so i made sure i caught up with sleep. woke up at a comfortable hour. showered and went downstairs to see what mum had cooked. she was glad that i decided to stay at home today. so am i.

had lunch while watching 'staying alive' on mtv. it's a show by Staying Alive to bring forth the current status of AIDS/HIV awareness around the globe. i found it really surprising to know that there still many many young people in the most advanced countries who know very little about AIDS/HIV. it is believed this is because of complacency. not knowing much makes one feel that he/she has no chance of getting AIDS/HIV. i think it is dangerously ridiculous for anyone to smile and claim that someone with AIDS would have tell-tale symptoms such as dark spots.

gawd!

the show also featured the efforts made to educate the masses in countries such as india, china and tanzania. these are the places where the number of people living with AIDS/HIV are the highest in the world. in india, there are about 5 million (mostly youngsters) . in china, 10 million. and in tanzania, every 7 out of 10 people have AIDS/HIV. i'll let that sink in...

india and china utilize the media and celebrities to spread the message and this includes tv shows and major films. but i like what they do in tanzania: performing arts. you see a group of people putting up a show on the streets. roadside theater! i'd love to go there just to watch the little kids in funky costumes doing funky dances while singing "KILL AIDS!"

it warms my heart greatly to see how people do whatever they can to take part in the fight against AIDS/HIV. these are our real heroes today.