Give children the gift of information Children are at risk from
HIV and AIDS Over the last 20 years, HIV and AIDS has evolved
from a health burden to a serious development crisis with
visible social and economic effects on the entire community.
Many people do not understand how it spreads and their lack of
knowledge places them at risk of catching the disease. Some
believe there is no way to protect themselves from the virus,
while others hold cultural beliefs that actually make them more
vulnerable. Children, particularly teenagers, are especially
vulnerable as their sexual behaviour can lead to increased rates
of infection. There are now over 7,000 new HIV infections per
day amongst 15 to 24 years olds in sub-Saharan Africa. There are
effective and practical solutions we can implement to reduce the
risk and impact of HIV and AIDS within the communities where we
work. By ensuring that children and the wider community have
access to information on preventing HIV and AIDS we can help
reduce the risk of the dis