Fighting The AIDS Stigma

[Mr. G]

From Shravasti Dhammika's blog:

As she sees her daughter return home after school, 31 year-old Nha beams with pride and love for the little girl. Eight year-old Thuy gives a mischievous smile to her mother and swiftly gets on her lap to cuddle. “It is only when Thuy turned four years old that we found out she was also HIV positive. She had always tested negative. The news came as a shock. I love my daughter so much. I felt worried and depressed. I was starting losing hope in the future”, Nha recalls. Thuy is now studying in grade 3. “I like going to school a lot”, she smiles. “I have friends and I am learning many things every day.” At her school, nobody is aware of her HIV status. “Thuy looks very healthy. She is tall and strong. When she was younger, she often got sick”, Nha says. “I have friends who decided to be open about the fact that their child was HIV-positive. When parents of other students came to know it, they refused to let the child come back to school. This is how bad it can get. I do not want my daughter to suffer. So I just keep quiet”.

Read More Here...

[Beatzen]

So much sickness is rooted in poverty. I know in the united states, "rich person diseases" like cancer get more research funding than AIDS or malaria.

How does one act to relieve their suffering? Thank you for raising awareness by posting the article. But I feel frustrated. I wish my government still funded aid in the form of condoms and sex Ed to poorer countries. I don't have to be a "liberal" to at least wish that the American people could share like that. Makes me sad.

[Mr. G]

Yes, I think it's one of many issues that not just engaged Buddhists, but all people should be made aware of.

Compassion in Action: The Cambodia AIDS Project
Buddhist Hospices