Wednesday, June 21, 2006

Soweto thirty years on... with funding being cut this year in the area of HIV prevention, the issue of HIV/AIDS in South Africa needs the attention it deserves.

While on an assignment in South Africa Jon and I produced a short piece on the AIDS epidemic. We wanted to show what local communities are doing in the fight against AIDS, and not what "famous westerners" do.

Of course any effort whether it be from the west or from local communities is extremely important in the fight against AIDS, but it always seems that the issue only gets covered when either Prince Harry or Bono jet into South Africa.

This report takes a look at the youth of Soweto and what is being done to combat the epidemic. It addresses the confusion created by the political leadership in today's South Africa and touches on the reasons behind the rising figures of HIV patients.

We found an enormous amount of optimism and hope in the children of today's South Africa and it was inspiring to talk to these youths and discover that once again, the children of South Africa really are the catalyst for change, just as they were thirty years ago.

Alternatively, if it doesn't load from here, go to: http://www.current.tv/studio/media/7044967