Your Stories

PROCLAIM MAY 7 - WORLD AIDS ORPHANS DAY (WAOD)

World AIDS Orphans Day brings together mayors and elected officials, organizations, concerned individuals and the media to advocate for donor governments to dedicate 10% of all HIV and AIDS funding to support children affected by AIDS.

The death of nineteen-year-old Cecily Eastwood inspires her family to carry on her legacy by helping thousands of AIDS orphans and vulnerable children attend school.

Started in 2004, African Orphan Outreach works in Kenya to help address the AIDS orphan crisis, which has left nearly 1.7 million Kenyan children orphaned. 

Hannah Walker, a college student in Albany, NY, shares an essay about her inspiration for helping AIDS orphans in Malawi and the creative fundraising effort she initiated to raise awareness.

UNAIDS (2008) estimated that by the end of 2007 there were approximately 6.5 million children orphaned by AIDS in Southern Africa. Millions of additional children in the region feel the triple effects and impact of HIV/AIDS, poverty and conflict. While there is no doubt that all these children have to be provided with basic services like food, shelter, education and healthcare, they also need care and support to cope with the emotional side of these difficult life situations.

In Thailand, a women's weaving group is selling traditional woven products to raise money for AIDS orphans and their families. The project, selling 100% natural woven products, is working in a collaborative effort with AIDS Orphaned Children's Initiative, to provide orphans with education services and vocational training.

Michelle Vidro’s jewelry line “14 Cows” is comprised of necklaces, bracelets and earrings made entirely of African beads. Half of the line’s proceeds are donated to benefit AIDS orphans in Kenya.

The Orphan Trust in the Murewha District of Zimbabwe directly benefits children orphaned by AIDS.

TROUSSELIER AND L'OISEAU DE PARADIS SUPPORT FXB :

For the purchase of a Purple Rabbit, “3 Euros” are given by Trousselier to help FXB to pursue its mission on the field.

Denis and Annita have both lost their parents to AIDS. Denis and Annita sent us their stories of suffering and hope from their home in Uganda where they receive assistance from the Nyaka School. Read their stories.

Austin Guttwein, age 14 from Arizona is the founder of Hoops of Hope, an annual basketball shoot-a-thon to raise awareness and funds for children who have been orphaned by HIV/AIDS. Hoops of Hope events are held across the country involving thousands of young people and families.

Albina du Boisrouvray, Founder of World AIDS Orphans Day, tells her personal story of how and why she has dedicated her life to supporting the children left behind by AIDS and poverty at the Clinton Global Initiative.  Read more speeches by Countess du Boisrouvray.

It is said that more than 40 million people in the world are infected by HIV. To confirm this with my own eyes I traveled to Africa, the problem had not yet come to Japan, and there I was presented with another reality: the children left behind by AIDS… the existence of AIDS orphans.

Narrated by Danny Glover, Tiny Tears is a documentary on the AIDS epidemic and its impact on children. This beautiful film offers a glimpse into the lives of children living and dying from this disease and the people and organizations working to save and improve these innocent lives.

The Ubuntu Education Fund's Jana Zindell tells of their work to support, Neliswa a nine-year-old girl orphaned by AIDS living in South Africa's Eastern Cape Province. Neliswa is also HIV positive.

Watch Andrew perform an original song about AIDS orphans. We were moved by his motivation and heartfelt support for AIDS orphans.

Help spread the word about World AIDS Orphans Day by clicking the YouTube link and rating this video.