An update on my day

{ 19/05/2009 @ 10:51 } · { Uncategorized }

Here is an update of the HIV and AIDS summit I went to today:

It wasn’t in english but they mixed zulu and english, so I generally understood what was going on. Unless someone got excited and forgot English.

I met some very nice people who were so excited to meet me and tell me about their culture.

From what i did understand:

• The municipality I am living in is one of the highest prevalence rates in SA (so probably in the world) .
• There is a 40% prevelence rate of HIV (omg)
• In the Carolina hospital they detected that between 8 and 9 of every 10 mothers tested positive for HIV.

These stats are unbelievable. I cant even tell you how they make me feel. I want to cry just thinking about them. What is going to happen to this country?

As I have said a thousand times, what more needs to be done? I love thinking outside the box, so I had better get on it.

Additionally, I was putinto the education and awareness task team, and they elected me to do some special work. On the one hand I feel proud (yea! they liked what I had to say!), but on the other I feel apprehensive (shouldn’t a South African be doing this? This isn’t my country/ culture/ language etc). So I will see what happens. But it feels good to be a part of “something,” desite my doubts on how effective the iniative will be!!

I will cross my fingers and see what happens!