goal6worksheet

One World Youth Project

Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Other Diseases

“Goal 6 aims to stop, and begin to finally reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis by 2015. HIV/AIDS affects not only the individual but the entire community. As more and more teachers die from HIV/AIDS, children are robbed of an education. Farmers dying of HIV/AIDS are unable to provide enough food for their families and communities. Malaria infects 500 million people each year and kills more than 1 million annually. Many researchers fear the situation could get worse due to climate change, civil unrest, population growth, and increasing resistance to drugs and insecticides. Tuberculosis kills close to 2 million people each year and the number of deaths each year is increasing. While HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis are preventable, solutions to these health problems remain out of reach for millions. Awareness, education, diagnosis and treatment for HIV/AIDS is still low in many regions.”

Source: United Nations Cyber School Bus Millennium Development Campaign

SEE

Are there any major/common diseases or health concerns in your community/country? If so, what are they?

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How might these concerns affect the people of your community? How might these concerns affect the way in which your community functions?

Are there incidences of HIV/AIDS, malaria, or tuberculosis in your community? Explain.

REFLECT

Look at the answers to your questions above. Based on your responses, how does Goal 6 relate to your community? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

ACT

How could you help achieve UN Millennium Development Goal 6? What could you do to help combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases locally and/or globally? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Can you think of a project you and your peers might be able to design and implement in your community in order to help reach Goal 6?

INSPIRE

“In Tanzania, 29% of the population is infected with the HIV virus. The Teenage Life Programme, which works to combat AIDS, began in Dar-Es-Salaam, where Lenny Boniface saw that a lack of awareness of HIV/AIDS and certain behaviors and attitudes of young people were helping to spread the disease. He started giving talks and workshops to create awareness not only about HIV/AIDS but also prostitution, rape, drug abuse, drunkenness, and social responsibility. At first it was difficult, with many young people not wanting to talk about such things, or thinking they were too busy to deal with serious issues, but soon he was welcomed by schools and colleges all over Tanzania. Lenny has even produced a nationally broadcast documentary which spread his message throughout Tanzania. Lenny says, ‘I want to wake young people up to the problems that affect our country now and in our future, so that they can tackle them. We need not feel quite so powerless.’

This story was adapted from a publication prepared by young delegates to the 2nd World Youth Congress under the leadership of Peace Child International and the Morroccan Youth Forum”

Source of inspirational stories: United Nations Cyber School Bus Millennium Development Campaign

One World Youth Project Curriculum www.oneworldyouthproject.org