Ordinary lives, extraordinary stories – WHO, International HIV/AIDS Alliance and Christian Aid present faces of the HIV/AIDS epidemic

News from the International HIV/AIDS Alliance

21 November 2005

WHO, in collaboration with the International HIV/AIDS Alliance and Christian Aid, releases on its HIV/AIDS website (www.who.int/hiv) "Voices of Hope" - photo stories of communities affected by HIV/AIDS.

A set of 13 photo stories of people living with HIV and AIDS in Africa, Europe and Latin America presents some of the real faces of the epidemic. By the end of 2005 40.3 million people were living with HIV/AIDS; more than 40% of whom are women and 2.3 million children.

The stories include powerful images by Don McCullin, one of the worlds' leading photojournalists, working in collaboration with Christian Aid; and Gideon Mendel, a well-known contemporary photojournalist, who documented community action on HIV and AIDS in collaboration with the International HIV/AIDS Alliance.

Don McCullin recorded the destruction of lives and families decimated by HIV /AIDS in South Africa and Zambia. Some images, however, deliver a message of hope, of lives regained thanks to access to HIV treatment.

Judith Melby, of Christian Aid, a leading UK charity advocating for more support on HIV/AIDS in developing countries, says "These photographs confront us with the hard reality, not only of the unfolding human tragedy, but of how governments have the power to tackle HIV/AIDS, and we appeal they do."

In the photos by Gideon Mendel, people living with HIV and AIDS show that they are not just victims of misfortune, but a key part of the response to stop the spread and devastation of HIV and AIDS.

"These stories are full of compassion and courage and explain why and how, ordinary people can make a difference. They show why more support needs to be channelled to community responses," says Alvaro Bermejo, Executive Director of the International HIV/AIDS Alliance.

“They show people making a huge difference with very little support, and help us all understand what works in each community. They are the living proof that it can be done.”

The photo stories are featured at www.who.int/hiv.

Ends

Editor’s notes

  1. For more information, please contact Simon Moore, Head of Communications Team, International HIV/AIDS Alliance, Telephone +44 (0) 123 771 8744, Email: smoore@aidsalliance.org, Judith Melby, Christian Aid, Telephone: +44 (0) 207 523 2408, Email: jmelby@christian-aid.org, and Tunga Namjilsuren, Communications officer, HIV/AIDS Department of WHO, Telephone: +41 (22) 791 1073, Email: namjilsurent@who.int.
  2. All WHO Press Releases, Fact Sheets and Features as well as other information can be obtained on Internet on the WHO home page: http://www.who.int/ .
  3. The International HIV/AIDS Alliance has been supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries since 1993. It has worked with community organisations from over 40 countries, provided financial support to over 3,000 projects (implemented by over 2,000 community and faith-based groups). Expenditure in 2005 alone is expected to reach approximately USD 45 million.