By Joy Foster Christie
HIV and AIDS
HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) first appeared in the USA in the early 1980s and was officially recognised by scientists several years later. As HIV reproduces, it damages the body’s immune system and the human body slowly becomes more and more susceptible to infection and illness. AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) is the advanced state of HIV infection.
The infections associated with AIDS are severe, and usually lead to premature death. There is no cure. HIV is spread through infected blood and can be caught by having unprotected sex with an HIV positive person. The sharing of needles and syringes can also transmit the disease, as can childbirth and breastfeeding.
In 2007, there were over 33 million people living with HIV. More than 59% of those infected were living in Sub-Saharan Africa, the most heavily affected region in the world.
HIV and young people
Every time a person dies of HIV and AIDS related illnesses, a family and community are affected. The impact of HIV and AIDS on young people is the most severe, particularly due to rising numbers being orphaned because of the disease. Young people are left in a vulnerable position with no adults to care for them. They are also affected by discrimination because of stigma attached to having HIV or AIDS, or losing their parents to AIDS.
Photo: Reza Vaziri
Many are denied schooling because they may be sick themselves, their teachers are sick, or they may have to stay home to care for their siblings or sick parents. These issues, as well as financial strains such as the cost of medical care and funerals, put many children and young people at risk and further deepen poverty.
The power of dance
Dance has long been a way of identifying and expressing culture. It plays an important role in society, not only preserving culture, but also recording new ideas and acting as a way to communicate.
Dance in indigenous cultures is performed to keep culture alive, to pass on stories to young people and teach them about their culture,
values and beliefs. It is used as a form of social interaction, and can express ideas and emotions or tell a story. In a way, dance equalises people and social differences, and reduces barriers. Around the world, dance is being used as a way to raise awareness and understanding of HIV and AIDS.
Dance4Life
Dance4Life is an initiative set up to get young people to stand up against the HIV and AIDS pandemic. Beginning as nothing but a dream of two men, Dance4Life developed into such a compelling idea that hundreds of thousands of people around the world have now turned the dream into a reality.
Dance4Life uses dance to get young people involved and inspired to help fight AIDS. Educators, dancers and musicians teach young people how to speak to an audience, tell a story and raise awareness with their dancing. Dance4life gives young people the chance to learn life skills and offers them the opportunity to become an Agent of Change and transform the world they live in today.
An Agent of Change is a young person who gets actively involved and participates in the Schools4Life activities, which use dance, media and music to promote a message of personal and community responsibility.
By 2014 Dance4Life aims to have one million agents worldwide, a goal that seems possible with over 55,000 youth becoming agents since 2003. Dance4Life targets young people due to the majority of new HIV infections every day being in people under 25 years of age. “Young people are the future and they have the power to halt the spread of HIV and AIDS. By uniting all over the world and demanding change, they can make a difference.” (Dance4life)
TAKE ACTION!
Each and every one of us has the ability to make changes in our lives and contribute to the global fight against HIV and AIDS. By learning more about the disease you will become more aware of the risks and will better prepared to take care of yourself and help others. Other ways in which you can raise awareness and educate your friends and family are listed below:
- Discuss HIV and AIDS with family and friends. Talk to your class about the issue, and encourage people to look beyond the stereotypes and stigma attached to HIV and AIDs.
- Raise money for an AIDS charity, or just raise awareness at your school by organising a dance-a-thon at your school. By organising a dance, you will raise awareness about the disease itself and show others how helping fight AIDS can be as simple as getting your dance shoes on. Get in touch with your school committee or other group that can help you plan the event.
- Write an article for your local newspaper, either raising awareness about HIV and AIDS or the ways in which dance can be used as a way of doing so.
- If you are really serious about the issue join a global campaign and contribute to the worldwide effort to start really making at difference you want to see.
LEARN MORE
If you want to learn more about HIV and AIDS, about the history of dance, or learn how you can raise awareness here are some sites that may help:
HIV and AIDS
www.dance4life.com
www.aids.org
www.worldaidsday.org
www.heifer.org
The foundation for AIDS research http://amfar.org
World AIDS Day - www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGcnc2tgjZI
Dance
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dance
Indigenous dance: Traditional and Contemporar
History of Dance
This article was originally published in the Global Focus pages of Tearaway Magazine.
Tags: children and young people, dance, HIV/AIDS