World Aids Day - 1st December 2011
26/10/2025

Those of us of a certain age well remember what our reaction was when we first heard of HIV-AIDS the then incurable and frightening disease that came to prominence in the early 1980s. The stigma and ignorance surrounding the disease made the crisis all the more difficult to deal with. The Western World has come a long way since then in terms of attitudes towards the disease and treatments for it. Many people diagnosed with the disease in the West now live full lives and have a much more positive outlook.

The situation in Africa is very different.

An estimated 22.5 million people living with HIV resided in sub-Saharan Africa in 2009, representing 68% of the global HIV burden. East and Southern Africa remains the area most heavily affected by the HIV epidemic. Out of the total number of people living with HIV worldwide in 2009, 34% resided in 10 countries of Southern Africa. The vast majority of people newly infected with HIV in the region are infected during unprotected heterosexual intercourse. New HIV infections among children due to mother-to-child transmission of HIV are also significant in the region.*

The consequences of the spread of the disease and the lack of adequate or even access to treatment are that as many as 80,000 people may be losing their lives every week. As a result of the lost generation orphaned children are estimated to between 14 - 20 million; many cared for by grandmothers, many also living on / off the streets. Those living with the disease may also be stigmatized and even excluded from school, community, housing, access to work or treatment. Sadly, despite these disturbing statistics, this story is not breaking news on our Western media.

So what can be done and how can you help? We ask firstly that Transition Year pupils raise awareness both in their school and local community about the challenge and terrible consequences on the Worlds Youth. AIDs destroys the family unit as we know it and leaves many children as heads of households and some as young as 5 yrs and even below, on the street alone, desolate and without rights. We want Irelands Youth to be aware of this reality as they make their own journey so that they can identify ways to change this reality.
As you lead, guide and mentor the next generation of our nations Youth; potential World leaders, we ask that you remind them of both the privilege of their education and their responsibility as a result. J K Rowling in her commencement address at Harvard University in June 2008 said it best:
If you choose to use your status and influence to raise your voice on behalf of those who have no voice; if you choose to identify not only with the powerful, but with the powerless; if you retain the ability to imagine yourself into the lives of those who do not have your advantages, then it will not only be your proud families who celebrate your existence, but thousands and millions of people whose reality you have helped change. We do not need magic to change the world; we carry all the power we need inside ourselves already: we have the power to imagine better

We ask you as Parents, Teachers and Leaders of our Youth to remind your children and students of this terrible atrocity and to stand in solidarity with our Global family on World Aids Day on December 1st.

We have prepared a WAD Information Pack and Candles which are available to every Secondary School in Ireland to mark World Aids Day. We have distributed these to many Principals and Deputy Principals at the recent NAPD Conference in Killarney and also through our network of ongoing visits to schools.
But if you have not received your schools Information Pack you can now down load it [the guidelines, poster, reflection, 5.5 minute Cd  etc] from APA website: www.apa.ie;  and for your WAD Candle please email us at   with your details and we will endeavour to get it to you.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the schools throughout Ireland that are already working with us to support this WAD campaign to raise awareness of the tragedy that is happening every minute of every day.

Aids Partnership with Africa (APA) is the only Irish founded charity whose sole focus is on the support of those affected by AIDS and its prevention for the next generation. APA methodology of a multi sectored, grass roots approach has been recognised as Best Practice by the governments of Ethiopia and Tanzania and is supported by the Irish Aid also United Nations and people throughout Ireland. 

*Source UNAIDS

« back to list