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HIV/AIDS is a devastating epidemic. Just some of the realities of HIV in 2006: 39,5 million people around the globe were living with HIV; 4,3 million people were newly infected with HIV; 2,9 million people died from AIDS, the majority of these lived in Africa, the most affected continent. More than 15 millions children lost one or both parents to AIDS; a staggering 12 million orphans live in Africa alone. New HIV infections are higher among youth and three quarters of young people being infected are girls (UNAIDS: 2006 Report on the global AIDS epidemic).
In poor countries, less than 11% of HIVpositive pregnant women received treatment to prevent transmission from mother to child. The life-saving drugs kwnown as antiretrovirals are only available to 28% of those in need around the world. Of the children estimated to be in need of HIV treatment, less than 15% have access to it. Proper paediatric formulations such as pills, chewables or syrups are needed to improve HIV treatment for children. (WHO: Towards Universal Access. Scaling-up priority HIV/AIDS interventions in health sector. Progress report, April 2007).
The HIV/AIDS pandemic has affected almost every family in the Kingdom of Swaziland. The country has the highest percentage of HIV-positive people in the world, with nearly 36% of those between the ages of 15 and 49 living with HIV. AIDS has contributed to reducing the average life expectancy in Swaziland from 58 to 32 years (National Emergency Response Council on HIV/AIDS-NERCHA, 2007. Swaziland).
Of extreme concern is the issue of orphans in a country of just more than 1 milion people an estimated 220,000 people are living with HIV. More than 70,000 children have been orphaned by AIDS. According to UNAIDS, the number of orphans will continue to grow at an alarming rate with a projection of 120,000 orphans in the country by 2010. (UNAIDS: 2006 Report on the global AIDS epidemic).
Now the older generation must take care of their children’s children, particularly the grandmothers or Gogos, as they are called in Swaziland, bear the brunt of this burden. How best to care for these growing number of children has become a huge challenge for communities, humanitarian organisations and the government of Swaziland. (UNICEF: Enhanced protection for children affected by AIDS. A companion paper to The Framework for the protection, Care and support of orphans and vulnerable children. March 2007).
Perhaps one of the most challenging situations is that of child headed household. As parents and relatives die, children of all ages are forced to care for their younger siblings.
In September 2006 FC Barcelona and UNICEF signed a global alliance. This alliance detailed a commitment from FC Barcelona Foundation of €1.5 million per year over five years that would benefit children affected by HIV/AIDS across the developing world. Along with the funding, the club also features the UNICEF logo on its 2006-2007 jersey, the first agreement of its kind in the club’s 107-year history. This commitment to the world’s vulnerable children reinforces FC Barcelona’s motto, "More Than a Club" in the world.
FC Barcelona’s first-year donation to UNICEF will support programmes in Swaziland aimed at: Increasing access to voluntary early diagnosis, especially in rural areas; Scaling-up prevention of HIV transmission from mother to child; Increasing the number of children who have access to antiretroviral treatment; Preventing HIV infection among youth and adolescents, especially girls; Providing care and support for orphans and other children made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS; Increase access to education and sports activities; improve birth registration at clinics, and installation of safe water and sanitation facilities at schools.
In response to the crisis of the ever increasing number of orphans Swaziland has taken an innovative initiative to care for vulnerable children: the "Neighbourhood Care Points". These centers are created within the communities allowing children to remain close to their roots and the areas where they were raised. There are currently more than 625 NCPs, supporting more than 33,000 children on a daily basis, and the number will increase in the next few years. (UNICEF: Report on the Assessment of Neighbourhood Care Points. Swaziland 2006).
Education and sports programs will be strengthened to provide better protection, care and support for orphans and vulnerable children. This program will also raise public awareness to limit the spread of AIDS.
The FC Barcelona Foundation organizes in collaboration with UNICEF, the Exhibition HIV/AIDS IMPACT: LIFE and hopes OF SWAZI ORPHANS, presenting a recent work of the photographer Pep Bonet in Swaziland.
This photography’s exhibition aims to show us the real situation of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Swaziland, a country of just over a million people between South Africa and Mozambique.
Swaziland is the country with the highest percentage of HIV-positive people in the world, with nearly 39% of the population infected, especially adults between 15 and 49, particularly girls. In just five years, AIDS has reduced the average life expectancy from 58 to 32. More than 70.000 children have become orphans due to AIDS and the estimates by UNAIDS show that in 2010 it will raise to 120.000 orphans.
In the framework of the agreement signed between FC Barcelona and UNICEF in September 2006, the FC Barcelona Foundation will make a contribution of €1.5 million per year during five years in benefit of vulnerable children, especially those infected or affected by HIV/AIDS in developing countries. This first year they have been destined to Swaziland.
This first year, the contribution of FC Barcelona Foundation has the following objectives: improve the lives of Swazi children through strengthening education, health and sport programs to provide a better support, protection, and care to orphans and other vulnerable children. These programs will also increase social awareness about the importance to fight HIV/AIDS at global level. With this program in place, children and mothers will improve access to early diagnosis and treatment to prevent HIV transmission from mother to child, but specially will scale-up access to voluntary testing and antiretroviral treatment that prolongs life to all people in need.
The exhibition is an initiative from FCB Foundation to promote the signed agreement with UNICEF