A new association is in the making in Mariehamn, to support an AIDS orphanage in Kenya. As you might all know, children in Africa has been severely neglected in the response to HIV/AIDS.
According to UNAIDS estimates, last year 2 million children between the ages of 0-14 were living with HIV . Again, it has also beedn disclosed that 12.1 million children have also lost one or both parents to the AIDS epidemic.
These figures clearly shows that AIDS still remain a major problem in Africa and this is why a native of the Island, called Heidi, decided to mobilise some support in offering a helping hand to some of these children.
Heidi was born and brought up on Åland. She went to school in Norway and the United Kingdom. In the summer of 2005, she was in Kenya and worked as a volunteer on Rusinga Island, Lake Victoria. According to her, that region of Kenya is the worst affected by HIV/AIDS. There are lot of orphans on that Island and some of them live alone, without any adult to support them.
She was involved with an organisation called Kanyala Little Stars Women’s Group. This organisation is all out to support AIDS orphans by gathering money to pay their school fees, medicines among other things. The group also runs a day care centre for the youngest children.
On the 1st December is World AIDS Day all over the world. Heidi and her team intends to organise something in Mariehamn to raise some awareness about the association and getting the Island people to show solidarity to the many children in Rusinga, who needs happiness and a smile on their face.
The Red Cross and the Åland Multicultural Society has promised to support them, in organising a World Aids Day Cafe. This event is taking place at the Red Cross Building and the general public is higly invited to attend.
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