Dec. 1 is Worlds AIDS Day, a time set aside for raising awareness of the epidemic caused by HIV, which has taken the lives of millions since organizations began effectively studying it in 1981. Millions more live with HIV today.
Beginning this year, and through 2015, World AIDS Days is taking on a theme: "Getting to zero: zero new HIV infections. Zero discrimination. Zero AIDS related deaths." While organizations that push toward the "zero" goal, such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations, must focus their efforts on influencing change at the government and policy levels, individuals can also make a difference by becoming better educated about HIV and AIDS or contributing to the cause.
To encourage people to educate themselves, teach others, and otherwise contribute to the fight against AIDS and HIV infection, we've collected some of the best online sources for learning and making donations.
UNAIDS. The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS, or UNAIDS, is one of the best sources of information about the disease. In particular, its data analysis tool lets you explore statistics related to HIV and AIDS in an engaging and interactive ways. Similarly, the U.N. has a data-rich iPad app that shows you how AIDS and HIV affect different countries around the world.
WHO. The World Health Organization is another rich source of official information related to HIV and AIDS. In its latest report, WHO shows that "despite unparalleled progress in HIV response over the past decade, access to life-saving HIV services remains uneven in many regions and countries," pointing to demographics in need of the most attention: "adolescent girls, injecting drug users, men who have sex with men, and other marginalized population groups in all regions."
FFunction. A Montreal-based data visualization company, FFunction, last year released an interactive graphic that shows the worldwide change in AIDS-related deaths and new cases reported year over year from 2001 to 2009. Drag the time marker through the years to see both numbers peak in 2005, then decrease every following year.
Remembering. Many people will remember the AIDS Memorial Quilt, which still exists but is too large to be displayed in one place. Pieces of the quilt, which comprises squares made in remembrance of those who have died of AIDS, are still shown publicly, and new patches are still quilted and contributed to the project. Parents and educators can share the story of the AIDS Quilt with young people who might not be aware of it and search for panels at the online site.
Here are some ways you can donate your time, ideas, and money to helping fight AIDS.
Time. Foldit is a computer game that takes players' moves and leverages them as scientific research related to protein folding. One of the primary areas of research that benefits from Foldit is AIDS and HIV. As the game's Web site explains, "The HIV virus is made up largely of proteins, and once inside a cell it creates other proteins to help itself reproduce."
Ideas. Designed specifically for young people, CrowdOutAIDS is a collaborative online project that encourages students to get involved with UNAIDS by collaborating about ways to combat HIV. The idea is that young people will, in the very near future, be tasked with coming up with strategies for solving global problems, so it makes sense to empower them now to come up with ideas, discuss them, and make decisions.
Money and More. AIDS Research Alliance, a community-based non-profit medical research institution seeking a cure of HIV/AIDS, lets you donate money via an online form, or by mail. The organization also accepts used vehicles as donations.
amfAR, the American Foundation for AIDS Research, accepts monetary donations but also encourages political advocacy. Sign up for the organization's newsletter to get notified of ways you can participate in pushing for legislative change.
Many many more AIDS charities and non-profit organizations accept donations internationally and locally. To make sure your donations are going to a legitimate organization, cross-verify the institution's non-profit status (when applicable), and always collect a receipt for your donation. If an organization can't provide a donation receipt for any kind of donation—from money to vehicles to clothes—don't donate, as it's a sign the organization may not be legal.
How will you observe World AIDS Day? How are you using technology to spread awareness? Share your comments below.