Africa and its people have suffered at the hands of the HIV/AIDS epidemic for so many years now, it is now almost a way of life for many. The damage caused by the epidemic is unreal no one knows what will happen in the next few years in terms of help, medical advances. But the African people have hopes and dreams of a better future for not only themselves but their families.

How many people in Africa are infected with HIV?

Sub-Saharan Africa is the region of the world that is most affected by HIV & AIDS. An estimated 25.4 million people are living with HIV and approximately 3.1 million new infections occurred in 2004. In just the past year the epidemic has claimed the lives of an estimated 2.3 million people in this region. Around 2 million children under 15 are living with HIV and more than twelve million children have been orphaned by AIDS.

The extent of the epidemic is only now becoming clear in many African countries, as increasing numbers of people with HIV are now becoming ill. In the absence of massively expanded prevention, treatment and care efforts, the AIDS death toll on the continent is expected to continue rising before peaking around the end of the decade. This means that the worst of the epidemic's impact on these societies will be felt in the course of the next ten years and beyond. Its social and economic consequences are already being felt widely not only in health but in education, industry, agriculture, transport, human resources and the economy in general.

Personal stories:

Tokello from South Africa

It's hard for me to sit down and write this message. I have been HIV+ for 3 years. I had even forgotten that I had the disease until I became sick this year. That's when the reality of the whole thing struck me. It's so painful, for when you become sick it comes back to you with the notion that the immune system is becoming sick. Accepting the disease was to first forgive the person who gave it to me in the first place, and now whatever I want to have I strive so hard to get it, the reason being I don't want to be sick or die before I have achieved all my goals.

There are days when I ask myself why can't I be strong, for the only people who know are my sister and her husband, my parents don't know and I am still trying to find a way to tell them without any disappointment. There is one thing that I would like to say to the youth out there who are still careless with life: life is too short to take for granted. All my dreams of having a child are shattered and gone. The only way is to love other people's children. Also the dream of working in another country is gone. I have just turned 25 and I have 1/2 of what I wanted because of the disease.

Tokello

Tokello 1 year later

I wrote in last saying that I was sick and worried, I was diagnosed with pneumonia and I lost all hope of seeing the year through (2001). Its over a year now and I have never been sick after that, I always take everything to the Lord in prayer, for if it was not for his grace I would not be alive today. Each day I thank him for making me not loose hope and faith in him and I know that there is a purpose that he has put me in this world.

I don't have much to say but I almost took antiviral drugs.

I recently went to have a test and my CD4 cell count is up from 624. It went up to 946 (17/10/2002) which made say that the lord looks after us.

What I am trying to say with all this, is to all those that are HIV+ never lose faith. What I have learned also is that eating a healthy diet and also keeping fit helps no matter what other people say.

Keep well.

Tokello,from South Africa.

The damage caused by HIV/AIDS