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FRIDAY
30 November
2007
COVER
STORY
Taking
responsibility
IF YOU are in your teens or early 20s, you have never
known a world without HIV and AIDS. Although the epidemic has only been in existence in the past three
decades, its impact has been devastating in some countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.
In Malaysia, an average of four people between 19 and
29 years old are newly infected with HIV each day.
Yet, this remains a largely invisible epidemic because
we dont see or hear from HIV+ people. It is like they do
not exist. It is also easier to be in denial about the risks of
being infected because so much moralising surrounds
HIVs modes of transmission from having unprotected
sex to sharing needles when injecting drugs.
People living with HIV still feel compelled to keep their
status secret for fear of stigma and discrimination.
While the availability of affordable treatment now
means that people with HIV can stay healthy for longer,
there is still no cure for HIV, despite rosy reports of HIV+
people being able to lead normal lives.
The good news about HIV is that we know exactly how
it is being transmitted. So, technically we are all able to
prevent from being infected.
The bad news is that we are also humans with all our
frailties and failings.
Young people are vulnerable to being infected with HIV
because the very sense of invincibility with which we
embrace life to the fullest also makes us reckless.
Prevention methods experts advocate such as using
condoms when having sex may not work for some of us
for many reasons; maybe we do not know how to ask our
partners to wear one, or we cannot afford to buy or get
our hands on one, or we are trying to start a family.
In the end, perhaps the best defence against being
infected with HIV is acknowledging how we are vulnerable, and then taking the action to protect ourselves. It is
hard, especially when you are young and still unsure
about so many things, to be assertive about such matters
as addiction, sex and relationships.
Harm reduction is a controversial topic, but it is also
vital that everyone knows how to ensure they are safe
from HIV even when they are engaging in unsafe behaviour.
The reality is that HIV is not going away soon; not even
with scientists toiling to find vaccines and cures, or politicians shouting about abstinence and good values.
Preventing ourselves from being infected with HIV will
be a lifelong effort. So, start by acknowledging that every
one of us is vulnerable. Perhaps only then will we all pay
more attention to HIV/AIDS awareness campaign and
take the messages seriously.
Many youths are leading these efforts, even amid much
scepticism and indifference from their peers. This years
World AIDS Day theme Stop AIDS, Keep The Promise
Leadership celebrates people who are at the forefront and
taking the lead to stem the spread of HIV.
Todays R.AGE highlights students initiatives in leading
the response to HIV/AIDS and youths perspectives on this
disease.
Dr Illias Adam
Yee
empowers youn
g people
in HIV/AIDS an
d sexual
reproductive he
alth issues.
t. The bubbly
DS Council even
AI
n
sia
ay
al
M
IDS.
llai (left) at a
ts about HIV/A
Thilaga Socky Pi
condary studen
se
to
s
lk
ta
s
ve
girl gi
COVER
STORY
Mohd Syuk
rin
Mohd
Shamsudin
(in
black) has
been
actively inv
olved
in HIV/AID
S
awareness
efforts since
his
school day
s.
FRIDAY
30 November
2007
Doing it together
various issues, including HIV/AIDS.
MIYC has integrated HIV/AIDS educational talks/seminars/workshops within its
leadership training and educational programs for Malaysian youths in and out of
school, in order to create awareness as well
as develop peer educators among the participants.
To find out more, call 03-4270 3050 or
email indianyouth@hotmail.com.
AIESEC
Global student organisation AIESEC is a
leading body in the area of HIV/AIDS awareness emphasising on peer-to-peer education, members use themselves as tools to
spread the word.
International relations student Ariff Ali is
taking a leadership role in Standard
Chartered-AIESEC HIV/AIDS Learning
Network programme, facilitating HIV
educational workshops to parents and
youths.
The 23-year-old Universiti Kebangsaan
Malaysia (UKM) student has dedicated his
time and energy to spreading awareness on
HIV/AIDS for two years now.
Peer education is something that seems
to be working, as young people are more
willing to listen to their friends than figures
of authority, according to AIESEC member
Geralynn Wong.
You probably wouldnt listen to your
mum, dad, or aunt if they tried to sit you
down and talk about AIDS. But if someone
your age, someone you can relate to,
approaches you, it will sound more like a
chit-chat than advice or instructions, says
Geralynn.
Ariff feels that it is most important that
youths know they are not alone in spread-
Ariff Ali (bottom right), facilitates in HIV/AIDS educational workshops under his student
organisation AIESEC.
ing the word and fighting the epidemic.
Thats why peer educators exist to try
and relate to young people, because we
know what its like to be them, he says.
Most recently, AIESEC peer educators got
involved in the 3R-Unicef AIDS Education
workshops in secondary schools around
Malaysia.
Along with the hosts of popular TV show
3R, they play interactive games with the
students and present facts about the dis-
PROFILE
FRIDAY
30 November
2007
Being positive
For three HIV+ youngsters, living positively
means changing their lifestyles and
re-adjusting their priorities.
BY NIKI CHEONG
ISSUE
Knowledge is
BY SHARMILA NAIR
power
ONE effective way to prevent from HIV infection is by being aware of the risks. Many people lack
even the basic knowledge of how HIV is transmitted, the effects of the disease or what treatments are available for the HIV-infected.
With as many as 16 new cases of HIV reported on average daily last year, it is extremely important to drive the HIV/AIDS awareness message home.
However, many young Malaysians feel that there are not enough HIV/ADS awareness messages in their communities. Here is what they have to say about why the messages dont seem
to be getting through.
FRIDAY
30 November
2007
Ivan
Cheong, 23,
Electrical
Engineering
student
I think that
theres not
enough impact
from the messages that we
see today. In fact, I
dont even remember the last time I saw an AIDS
related message, be it advertisements or posters.
There are only so much of the lame advertisements that an intelligent person can take such
as a man walking into a brothel or injecting himself with drugs.
We dont need ads like that anymore. Get real
HIV+ people to come out and talk about their
story. If theyre afraid, then re-enact their lives in
a real way. True to the heart testimonials make
the greatest impact.
"Dangerous"
Angelina Ang, 23
Mass Communication student
"Catastrophic"
Mike Cheng, 23
Sales Representative
"Scary"
Navina Govind, 19
Computer Technology student
"Death"
Jonathan Woo, 19
Graphic Design student
"Unfortunate"
Daneya Surya, 18
Mass Communication student
"Stop"
Priya Ananthan, 24
Public Relations officer
"Epidemic"
Edora Ariff, 20
Creative Multimedia student
"Taboo"
Elizabeth Lee, 19
English Language student
"Disaster"
Wong Pek Mei, 23
Mass Communication student
"Unexposed"
Chin Pei Ling, 19
English Language student
"Unwanted"
A. Anulia, 24
Accounts executive
"Disease"
Renita Che Wan, 24
Writer
The
people's
paper
GRAPHICS 2007
VOX
VOX
It wont happen to me
Young people share with R.AGE why they feel that they are safe from HIV/AIDS.
FRIDAY
30 November
2007
FRIDAY
30 November
2007
I live my life to
the fullest yet in
a very healthy
way. Puteri
Nur Eiman, 23,
communications
student
I am loyal.
Zainuddin Salim,
25,
student/model/
singer
I choose not to do
drugs and remain pure
until marriage
Charis Geevarughese
(left), 23
I use
protection.
Mike, 23,
journalism
student
Im not gay
Joseph Benjamin,
23, engineer
Im not a drug
addict. Alex Hooi,
23, journalism
student
Im aware and
Im safe.
Ash Nair, 27,
singer
I have been
aware of it all
my life. Ellie
Chee, 18,
architecture
student
QUIZ
9
FRIDAY
30 November
2007
Are you
Today's generation of youth has not lived in a world without HIV/AIDS. Scary
thought, isn't it? Have you ever asked yourself how much you know about this
disease? Well, take this quiz to test your HIV/AIDS knowledge.
savvy?
1
2
3
HIV is...
Scientists have worked hard to find a cure for AIDS and ...
a. Finally they found it in avocado seed.
b. They still have not found the cure.
c. Have made it available on eBay. In fact, you could get a
discount
8
9
10
b. Today
1 to 3
Hmm ... time to start reading up on the virus
Google is a good option. Knowing about
HIV will help you prevent the virus and like
what people say, prevention is better than
cure ... and that's a good thing because there
is no cure just yet.
4 to 6
Not too bad. You do know something about
HIV and AIDS but really, there's no harm in
wanting to find out more, you know?
7 - 10
Well done. You are very well aware of the
epidemic. It'll really be good if you don't just
keep the information to yourself and share it
with your family and friends instead. You
know, talking about HIV and AIDS is the best
way of getting the message across.
c. Yesterday
Answers: 1. a,
2. b, 3. c, 4. c,
5. b, 6. b, 7. c,
8. a, 9. c, 10. a
10
Pope speaks
PEOPLE
WATCH
FRIDAY
30 November
2007
Kick me
HOLLYWOOD star
Samuel L Jackson
and blogger Perez
Hilton (pic) are
endorsing a childish
prank but for a
good cause.
American youth
organisation
YouthAids has
roped in the celebrities to
join in its Kick Me! campaign. Kick Me! is based on
the prank of someone sticking a Kick Me sign on
someone elses back without their knowledge. This is
in tandem with the unfortunate fact that 90% of people infected with HIV/AIDS may not know that they
are carrying the virus. The project calls on young people in the United States to wear a YouthAids Kick Me!
sign on their back to raise funds for the cause. To find
out more, log on to www.youthaids.org/.
Message in a bottle
One million Coca-Cola bottles with messages from former South
African leader Nelson Mandela will be distributed in the run-up
to this years World AIDS Day. Reports state that Coca-Cola
South Africa initiated this project as
part of their association with
46664 Initiative, a non-profit
organisation owned by the Nelson
Mandela Foundation which focuses
Nelson
on raising HIV/AIDS awareness.
Mandela
In October, Mandela had
announced that the annual 46664
Campaign Against AIDS Concert
would be held in Johannesburg for
the first time on World AIDS Day.
The campaign has been named
after Mandelas prisoner number.
Screen in silence
PT Foundation is providing anonymous HIV screening for those above 18 years old at the PT
Foundation Drop-in Centre. This service is provided
every Tuesday from 7pm-9pm with pre- and posttest counselling. To make appointments, call Hanafi
at 03-4044 4611 between 11am and 7pm,
Wednesday-Sunday.
Hannah Tan
Joey G
PEOPLE
11
FRIDAY
30 November
2007
An illustrated
mind map on
how HIV is
transmitted, the
consequences of
infection and
prevention
methods drawn
by deaf
participants of
the workshop.
SEX
Being aware
Baatile
Kobel
Benny
Kgolo
FRIDAY
30 November
2007
BIJAK
PANDAI
This generation of youths has never known a world
without HIV and AIDS. Whether infected or not, we are all
affected by this epidemic. So, make sure you know
everything about HIV, and how you can protect yourself
from being infected.
What is
and
Aids virus
is transmitted
through
> Sexual intercourse with a partner who is
HIV+
> Injecting drugs with a needle or syringe that
has been used by someone who is infected.
> Using unsterilised equipments for tattooing or
piercing.
> From a pregnant mother to the child
in her womb.
> When a HIV+ mother
breastfeeds her child.
Is there a
n
r Huma s.
o
f
s
d
n
a
ru
HIV st
iency Vi d
c
i
f
e
d
o
e
Immun
r Acquir ome.
o
f
s
d
n
AIDS sta ficiency Syndr
ode
Immun
Q&A
Testing for
12
for HIV/AIDS
Where to go
counselling
n
PT Founda6t1io
1
03-4044 4
WAKE
1
03-2692 686
re
Malaysian45C41a
03-7785
KLASS
03-4045 368
6;
PENGASIH9;
03-6201 317
Tenaganita1
03-2691 369
The
people's
paper
GRAPHICS 2007/GN