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Support World AIDS Day: 1st December 2009

11/30/2009 9:34:52 AM

Sub-Saharan Africa is more heavily affected by HIV/AIDS than any other region of the world. MicroLoan's financial services provides its clients with more money to spend on benefiting the health and well-being of their families.

World AIDS Day, on 1st December 2009, is dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection.

Between 1981 and 2008, AIDS killed more than 27 million people. An estimated 33.4 million people worldwide now live with HIV/AIDS, making it one of the most destructive epidemics in recorded history. Despite recent, improved access to antiretroviral treatment and care in many regions of the world, the AIDS epidemic continues to dominate: 2.7 million people were newly infefcted with HIV in 2008.

Sub-Saharan Africa is more heavily affected by HIV/AIDS than any other region of the world. Malawi, MicroLoan's largest area of operation, has an extremely high prevalence of the disease which affects an estimated 16% of people aged 15 to 49 and accounts for about 70% of hospital deaths. Nearly one-third of all infected mothers pass the virus to their babies and 57% of all orphans are AIDS orphans.

A typical MicroLoan client in Malawi supports five dependents, of which at least one is normally an AIDS orphan. The businesses which our clients set up enable them to generate enough profit to spend money on the health and education of their children, thereby providing vital services both for treating those children with HIV /AIDS as well as for educating future generations about the disease.

Donate now and help to improve the health and wellbeing of MicroLoan's clients and their families forever.

Read more about the AIDS crisis in Malawi

Visit the World AIDS Day website