The twelfth anniversary of World AIDS Day will be held on December 1st, 2010 and Safari Professionals would like to do our part to raise awareness for such an important day. This year, people worldwide will don red ribbons, stage marches, gather to hear speeches, hold fundraisers, participate in spiritual services, host memorials in honor of loved ones, hang posters and pass out educational material all in an attempt to raise awareness about the AIDS pandemic. Every year, a new theme is selected to focus upon. For 2010, the theme is “Universal Access and Human Rights”. The devastating effects being caused by the AIDS pandemic will certainly be a central issue. However, global leaders and AIDS organizations would also like to spotlight the breakthrough research and successes that occurred in HIV/AIDS research in 2010. Certainly, the overriding emphasis is gaining universal access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and promoting awareness worldwide.
The World Health Organization first declared December 1st as the official World AIDS Day in 1988. According to the WHO, there are 41 million people living with HIV/AIDS across the globe. 2.3 million of which are children, with 90% having contracted the retrovirus from their mothers either in the womb, at birth, or while breastfeeding. This occurs most often in developing countries, where the medicines used to prevent mother to infant transmission is generally unavailable. There are also millions of children who have suffered the loss of one or both parents due to HIV/AIDS… 20 million to be exact. This astounding figure shows the incredible importance of AIDS awareness organizations, such as Mary Martin Niepold’s Nyanya Project. The Nyanya Project spotlights an often forgotten victim of the AIDS pandemic – African grandmothers. We feel honored that The Nyanya Project has chosen Safari Professionals to design their 2011 “Safari Celebrating Hope: Making A Difference For African Grandmothers and Their Families.”