To celebrate World AIDS Day, December 1, 2009, the Children in Need Club held a film screening of "Tiny Tears" and had a guest lecturer, Rev. Dr. Mankekolo Mahlangu-Ngcobo, come to campus to spread the word that HIV and AIDS do not only affect adults, but children as well.
This semester, the Children in Need Club met weekly and discussed events that could be held on campus for World AIDS day to stress the fact that AIDS is not only harmful to adults but "it's devastating to the lives of children too," as stated by Monica Bauer, a senior at Loyola who helped to coordinate the campus events for World AIDS day. "Collin Powel once called HIV our world's greatest weapon of mass destruction and that statement is just so true. "
"Tiny Tears," a documentary film about children infected with or affected by HIV and AIDS throughout the world, was shown on Tuesday night with over 170 students in attendance. The film specifically focuses on children in Thailand, Uganda, Brazil, and the United States.
"It was such a privilege to have this film screening on our campus, being that the film has only been shown 17 times before," Bauer stated. Robert Corna, director of "Tiny Tears," also joined Loyola for the event. Bauer said, "I think many of us, in the audience, couldn't help but feel inspired by Robert and his commitment to telling the stories that need to be told."
Michele Steinmetz, a junior at Loyola who attended the screening, said that she had never realized how much of an impact AIDS and HIV can have on children. "I was aware that it did have an impact but I didn't know the specifics or the depth of the effects, until now."
The week continued with a lecture by Mankekolo, a native of South Africa, Founder and Pastor of Kalafong A.M.E. Mission Church in Baltimore, and HIV/AIDS activist.
"Now, in 2009, the face of HIV has changed from the gay community to women of color," Mankekolo stated. "Infections have increased rapidly among women."
When a mother is infected with HIV, her child can be easily infected as well. With the increase in HIV among women over recent years, it is of great concern for the children as well.
According to Mankekolo, in 2007, 2 million people died from HIV/AIDS, 2.7 million were newly infected, and 33 million were already living with HIV/AIDS. Bauer stated, " In Sub-Saharan Africa alone, 12 million children have been orphaned by AIDS. It's horrific, and it doesn't need to be. We have the medication, and we have the resources to stop the spread of HIV and to treat those who are already infected. "
In Sub-Saharan Africa "women don't have the power over the decision of their sexuality," Mankekolo said. "Women are at a disadvantage, socio-economically and culturally. Polygamy plays a huge part in the spread of HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa, according to Mankekolo.
Throughout the world, not just in Sub-Saharan Africa, when a mother is infected by HIV/AIDS, the child is often orphaned or raised by other family members, as stated by Makekolo. "Too many children have been orphaned by AIDS. It's unacceptable, and we ,as a society, can do better," Bauer said.
"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not. If we all don't start caring about these children, then who will?" said Bauer
According to Mankekolo, there are some measures being taken in Sub-Saharan Africa to help prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS from a mother to child. When a mother becomes pregnant, she is started on an antiretroviral drug to help prevent infections from spreading to the fetus. This is a government standard and is given to most pregnant women during pregnancy, according to Mankekolo.
Yet, as Mankekolo stated, during the administering of the antiretroviral drugs over the course of a woman's pregnancy, she needs to have a full diet, which frequently poses as an issue because many cannot afford it.
Bauer said, "Rev. Mankekolo's lecture on how HIV is affecting women in Africa really complimented the film because she spoke about mother to child transmission of the virus, and helped us all realize that if every women had access to the necessary medication and education, no child would be born HIV positive."
"The events brought an awareness to the campus," Steinmetz said. "It's also good to know that prevention is being put into action, which I believe will get more people active in the cause because they will know we can find a solution.
The motto for the Children in Need Club reads, "Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." Bauer said, "If we all don't start caring about these children, then who will? "
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