Venezuela

September 8, 2005
Somewhere between Venezuela and Brazil in the Atlantic

Venezuela has come and gone and I am getting a sense that this program is going to be over in a blink of the eye.

Venezuela was great.

As you know we are looking at the global effects of HIV/AIDS on young people around the world. While we were in Venezuela we visited with Feliciano Reyna who several years ago co-founded Accion Solidaria (www.acsol.org). Accion Solidaria is a center in Caracas that is a resource for anyone who is HIV positive or for anyone who is interested in learning more about the virus.

During our visit with Feliciano over 3 days we met two youth who attend the centers summer camp. These youth were amazing; they spoke eloquently about the center and everything they took away from participating in the camp. The most amazing thing about these youth is that they were not HIV positive, nor did they have AIDS, they were youth who for some reason found themselves attending this camp that is primarily for HIV positive youth.

The result of their camp experience and their camp relationships is that they have willingly become the voice for the silenced and the face for the unseen. The stigma that these HIV positive youth live with in Venezuela is incredible and you must not forget most of these youth were born with the virus. Unfortunately or fortunately, we were not able to meet with any HIV positive youth and have them speak on camera for us.

Check out the webumentary section of the CURRENTS site and watch a clip about these HIV negative youth who are speaking out for their “positive” friends.

Signing off from fairly calm seas off of Brazil.

-Chris

Comments

[Brian Reeder]

Time for a new blog, brother. Your fans await...