World Aids Day Video

I finally found enough bandwidth to upload this totally amazing video of young men in Kakuma refugee camp performing their rap song for World Aids day. This was a preview performance they gave us while we were there on November 26th.




The lyrics:
Give me an H ......I give you an H
Give me an I ........I give you an I
Give me a V.......... .I give you a V

Give me a / ......... I give you a /

Give me an A.........I give you an A
Give me an I ......... I give you an I
Give me an D.........I give you an D
Give me an S .........I give you an S

CHORUS
Double XL (Stop AIDS, take the Lead)
Double XL HIV/AIDS

Make a decision base on facts and not fear.
Social forces, discrimination and poverty affect those who get HIV and what kind of treatment shall I get when I become so sick?
Some people would rather think that only bad people get HIV
(since if they themselves are good then they will not be infected)
this is not true, people and government need to accept that HIV is a problem for everyone and work together, hand in hand to stop the spread of the disease all over the world.
People with HIV have faced discrimination.
Here are some examples on how people have tried to stop this.
In 1997 Zimbabwe's government establish a national Code Of Practice that makes it illegal to discriminate against people living with HIV which Gonna be a big flow on years chart


CHORUS
Double XL (Stop AIDS, take the Lead)
Double XL HIV/AIDS

I remember, in some countries, some business owners ask people who are looking
For jobs to take an HIV test.
They also hire older workers who are less likely to have HIV and AIDS.
Activists are trying to tell employers not to use HIV test in deciding whom to hire
The government is also encouraging HIV testing for everyone, people going into army and those going for trainings
Many ways of explaining health and illness make some believe that HIV/AIDS is caused by a virus, others believe it is a punishment for wrong doing, cause by a bad spirit or is a result of jealousy.
Please take a look at all these complications and try to find out what people in our community believe.
Leaders and health worker organize group discussions among ourselves know what is going on here and there before we get into trouble


CHORUS
Double XL (Stop AIDS, take the Lead)
Double XL HIV/AIDS

We still facing the challenge of working and living with HIV every day
The virus inside a cells destroys the whole body immune system, no more cells to release antibodies; where are those ARV kind of drugs actually work to stop HIV Zidovudine, AZT, ddi, ddc, Nevirapine, d4t.
Helps avoid pointing fingers at others, African and Caribbean but understand HIV is a problem in every country.
Taking an action to stop the spread is important for the world.
Don't ignore the pandemic, it's not important to know where the virus started, it is important to know where it is going.
Most people with HIV are adults, twenty to forty years of an age we are dying at an age when we are vital members of our communities.

Time for some perspective

It didn't take long to get slapped with some much needed perspective this morning at Kakuma.

We visited the camp hospital, tun by the IRC and several programs including a sign language class for deaf and disabled children, a boys program where they performed an amazing rap song about HIV/AIDS and finally a women's aids group.

A woman stood up, and told us in Swahili thay she appreciated IRC programming very much. She appreciated it but needs more. She cannot feed her children because refugees here are not able to work or own land. Even if they did own land, it is impossible to grow anything here anyway.

She is trapped, but hopeful she told us. The only alternative for some of these women is to trade for sex so they can provide for their babies.

I think I heard my heart crack. I wanted to tell her, and all the women that I would be a proud father if my own girls could one day look impossible odds in the face and remain hopeful and strong.

Like I said in the title, time for some perspective.

PS - new pics in the gallery.

Kakuma

We landed at Kakuma a few minutes ago and had a nice chat with William, the camp manager. Afterwards, I cleaned up a bit in my WFP room, and realized the the water I stashed in my bag broke open, drenching my underwear, which is surprisingly absorbant!

Off to a full day of briefings!

Can't sleep

The bed is terrible! I get 2 hours of sleep and then keep waking up.

I just watched Beyond Sunrise with Ethan Hawke and Jukie Delpy - yikes that is a romantic, awkward and hopeful movie. I think Ethan should do a PSA for the IRC. Anyone know him?

Earlier today I read Shawn Wallace's "The Fever" which is a play in which the main character is in a hotel room looking out at poverty and death in a 3rd world country pondering his life, good fortune and place in the world (thanks for the book Tim). It's a quick and powerful read, but I fear that I can't relate quite yet but that a cure is forthcoming.

I am excited to see Kakuma in a few hours. After reading "What is the what" and "They poured fire on us" - and watching "God grew tired of us" I have an image of what Kakuma is going to be like. I think it will be surreal to actually be there.

I need to get back to sleep!