Thirty-five million adults and 2.1 million children were living with HIV at the end of 2003, according to estimates from the UNAIDS 4th Global Report (2004). The numbers are large, but there is hope. Efforts to reduce the amount of people infected with HIV/AIDS are underway on campus and around the world.

Nigerian-bornOgochukwu Nzewi, a visiting lecturer at the University, is living with AIDS but remains committed to her goals. In fact, she said her disease gives her the extra drive she needs to fulfill her dreams.

In 1999, Nzewi discovered she had AIDS. She recalled the experience, saying “the first thing I thought about was death.” She later learned that there was hope.

“Everyone has a death sentence from birth. Having AIDS doesn’t make my death sentence any different from anyone else’s,” she said.

Nzewi decided to use her disease to her advantage by campaigning for funding and aid to people with AIDS. She is also working on a reality radio program called Sounds and Voices. The program’s purpose will be to educate, enlighten and work to eliminate the disease’s stigma, especially for women. It will present HIV-positive women from a wide range of ages to tell their life stories and experiences.

University students have several opportunities to help with the AIDS crisis as well. By going to the Career Center’s Web site, www.careercenter.uiuc.edu, and clicking on the internships and volunteer programs link, a student will encounter several different links to organizations. Some examples of AIDS-fighting include UNAIDS and the World Health Organization that are devoted to raising money and HIV/AIDS awareness. The All Walks of Life Walk for AIDS is an annual event students can participate in to raise money and learn about AIDS.

McKinley Health Center workers are making efforts as well. The McKinley Web site offers extensive information on the disease and offers anonymous and confidential HIV testing to students.

“We give outreach presentations for various campus organizations to help raise awareness,” said Kim Rice, of McKinley’s health education program.

Members of the Champaign-Urbana community are also getting involved in the issue. The African-American HIV/AIDS Awareness Project helps educate the community about the effect of AIDS on families, and provides information and knowledge about the disease. The group places brochures in local businesses. In addition, they provide education and support-based workshops at local churches and other popular businesses. ÿ

“Getting the society involved is crucial because if we don’t raise awareness, we can’t make people safe,” said Jacqui Davis, head of the project. Davis said the AIDS crisis is everyone in the community’s issue. Davis stressed that the entire community must get involved in the issue to make the world a safer place.

Alicia Aguirre, freshman in LAS, agreed.

“It’s definitely important to raise awareness about AIDS because sex is a huge issue on college campuses. A lot of people have unprotected sex and need to know the consequences for doing that,” she said.

Nzewi said she has embraced life.

“AIDS is more than death. Every day, I wake up happy. I’m privileged to be where I am now, and I hope to continue and go as long as I can,” she said.