RED/BLUE by Rafidah Abdullah
Taken from The Sun 'Freespace' Column

Oh no!! Not another ribbon symbolizing another social cause!! I can’t keep up!!

Well let me update you. The red/blue ribbon, originated by UNICEF, symbolizes the fight for children and young people against AIDS.

Huh?

Ok. What comes to your mind when you hear the words ‘HIV’ or ‘AIDS’?

Dunno… a gay man dying in hospital?

Exactly! Most people are still stuck at this passé stereotypical image when they think about AIDS! No one thinks of children getting infected with HIV or being affected by AIDS!

That’s because children don’t take drugs or have sex, hence they are not that easily infected…

Wrong. EVERY MINUTE OF EVERY DAY, one child dies of AIDS and one child gets infected with HIV.

Wha-??? How???

First of all, if parents indulge in risky behaviour, children too are made vulnerable. They may be born infected, or they could get infected from sexual abuse or incest (which seems to be a huge problem in our country, by the way).

Secondly, lets not kid ourselves: youth = a time of experimentation + feelings of invincibility. It’s a lethal combo, especially when fearful adults insist on keeping vital information away from children and young people. (This is a logic that I truly don’t understand. Why can’t HIV/AIDS education and religious/value-based education go hand-in-hand?)

Also, let’s not forget that children can be affected by AIDS in other ways, even if they are not infected themselves.

How so?

In Malaysia alone, it is estimated that 25,000 children have been orphaned because of AIDS. Who are taking care of these kids? Who are willing to take care of these kids?

And what about children whose parents are too ill to put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads? Where do they seek help when our society is still so prejudiced against HIV+ people, even when those people are family?

Come on… in this day and age, surely there isn’t that much prejudice anymore?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! Sorry, you must have missed the whole ‘let’s put all these people on an island’ gem from one of our dear Muftis.

Okay, so what can I do to help?

Now we’re talking! The first thing to do is, get informed. The more you know about HIV/AIDS, the more equipped you will be to protect yourself and your (potential) children. Not to mention the fact that knowledge is highly effective in erasing prejudice! A mine of information on this subject is the Malaysian AIDS Council (www.mac.org.my). For teenagers, check out PROSTAR (www.prostar.gov.my), a youth programme where you can get information about HIV/AIDS from other teenagers.

Secondly, speak up. If you hear people saying ignorant things (especially if they are people in power, and even more especially if they think they represent you), challenge them. Debate. Dialogue is a good thing.

Thirdly (if you are passionate about this issue and want to make a bigger difference), get to know AIDS workers and organizations in your area and ask them how you can help. Perhaps you can sponsor medication for a HIV+ mother, or volunteer your time as a caregiver for the kids. Here are some contacts to get you started: WAKE ( Kuala Lumpur ) 03-26926861, Rumah Solehah ( Kuala Lumpur ) 03-91737373, Pelangi Foundation (Terengganu) 019-3604031 or www.pelangifoundation.org, Prihatin (Kelantan) 09-7651596.

Um… can’t I just slap on one of these red/blue ribbons?

Typical apathetic Malaysian … Er, sure! Just make sure you know what to say when people ask you what it means!

I heard that first bit!!

+ Click to comment