IRIN HIV/AIDS Weekly - 316
Africa
29 December 2006


NEWS:

MALAWI: HIV/AIDS leaves young people struggling to survive
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: Teaching street children about HIV

EVENTS/RESOURCES

1. Fourth IAS Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention 
(IAS 2007)

VACANCIES

1. Country Director, ActionAid - South Africa



NEWS:

MALAWI: HIV/AIDS leaves young people struggling to survive

Chisomo Jonasi, 12, who lives in Lirangwe, on the outskirts of Blantyre, 
Malawi's second city, lost both his parents to AIDS-related illnesses 18 
months ago. He now spends most of his time doing odd jobs in people's 
gardens to support his three siblings, the youngest of which is five.

Were it not for HIV, he said, his parents would be alive and he and his 
two sisters and brother would have continued their education. "As the 
situation is now, our future looks gloomy."

Like most other families in the area, Chisomo's relatives are too poor 
to take them into their homes. Instead, the children have remained in 
the grass-thatched mud house left by their parents. "It is not easy, but 
we are surviving. My hope now lies in those who wish us well," said 
Jonasi.

More details:
http://www.plusnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=6623


CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: Teaching street children about HIV

Appalled by the deaths of their friends from AIDS-related infections, 
the street children of Bangui, the capital of the Central African 
Republic, did not hesitate when offered the opportunity to learn more 
about the disease.

"I saw many of my friends die of AIDS - they did not know where to go 
for treatment because they were street children," said Bienvenu Samba, 
25, who has spent 11 years living on the streets. "Many of them were 
HIV-positive or had sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), like 
gonorrhoea or syphilis."

The Central African Republic, ravaged by years of civil conflict, is one 
of the poorest countries in the world, and the United Nations has 
estimated that 10.7 percent of the country's approximately four million 
inhabitants are HIV-infected.

More details:
http://www.plusnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=6624



EVENTS/RESOURCES:

1. Registration, abstract submission and exhibition sales for the Fourth 
International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and 
Prevention (IAS 2007) to be held in Sydney, Australia, 22 - 25 July 
2007, are now available online. http://www.ias2007.org

IAS 2007 will feature reports on the latest developments in the areas of 
basic, clinical and prevention science. The conference will continue its 
strong emphasis on treatment and pathogenesis, while building upon the 
biomedical prevention agenda introduced in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 
2005.

As a defining feature of this conference series, IAS 2007 will examine 
how scientific advances can, in very practical ways, inform the global 
response to HIV/AIDS.


CALL FOR ABSTRACTS

The abstract submission deadline is 7 March 2007, midnight CET (Central 
European Time). Abstract submission guidelines, programme tracks and 
other abstract related information are available here: 
http://www.ias2007.org/abstracts


ONLINE REGISTRATION

To encourage broad participation in the conference, organizers are 
offering a two-tiered fee structure, with lower registration fees for 
delegates from low- and middle-income countries and students/post-docs. 
Delegates are encouraged to register before 1 February 2007, midnight 
CET, to avoid a surcharge.

Click here for information on the types of registrations and the 
corresponding fees: http://www.ias2007.org/registration

Click here to create a conference profile and then register for the 
conference: http://www.ias2007.org/profile


EXHIBITIONS, SATELLITES AND SPONSORSHIP

Exhibition sales are available until 10 May 2007. Click here to read 
more about exhibitions, satellites and sponsorship opportunities: 
http://www.ias2007.org/satellites


IMPORTANT DATES:

- Standard registration fee ends: 1 February 2007
- Abstract submission closes: 7 March 2007
- Late registration fee ends 10 May 2007
- Exhibition sales close: 10 May 2007 (subject to availability)



VACANCIES:

1. Country Director, ActionAid - South Africa

ActionAid International works in partnership with local NGOs, CBOs, and 
governments across the world, to support the poor and excluded people to 
have rights to education, food, democratic governance, security, gender 
equality and life and dignity in the face of HIV/AIDS. ActionAid is 
looking to recruit a committed and competent Country Director in the 
Africa Region.

Responsibilities and Requirements:

- Expand and deepen partnerships, programmes and accountability

- A proven track record in leading and managing institutions and 
development programmes

- Experience being part of social movements or as an active member of 
civil society

- Actively committed to gender equity

- Strong financial management and control skills

- High level of people related skills

- Courage of conviction in taking public stands against issues of 
injustice and experience of dealing with governance issues

- Perspective and competencies for rights-based and policy advocacy 
work; fundraising and donor relations

- Ability and maturity to act and demonstrate independence in a 
polarized political environment

Deadline: 12 January, 2007

To apply, send CV, cover letter and at least two names of referees to 
cdsa.jhb@actionaid.org.


IRIN-SA
Tel: +27 11 895-1900
Fax: +27 11 784-6759
Email: IRIN-SA@irin.org.za


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