AEGiS-IFRC: Libya's HIV children get out to play

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2003. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

Libya's HIV children get out to play

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Cresent Societies - 30 October 2003

His friends ran away from him at school after his blood tests showed that he was HIV positive. Little by little, the friends were moved to new schools by their parents. After one week, his mother told him he no longer had to wake up early for school, because she would teach him everything he needed to know at home. This is just one story of the 500 children affected by HIV/AIDS in Libya.

"Children with HIV face discrimination on all levels. Colleagues, neighbours, even family members avoid any contact with them," says Fawziya Alfirjany, gender programme coordinator at the Libyan Red Crescent Society.

"Can you imagine a child who hasn't been hugged for years?" she asks with tears in her eyes.

In an attempt to change this, the Libyan Red Crescent has been organising training courses to disseminate HIV/AIDS awareness in 48 branches around the country. "Some neighbours participated in the course, changed their attitude after having been informed on how HIV can spread, and they started asking children with HIV to come and play with their kids," Alfirjani adds.

Persuading society to accept children with HIV is a major challenge in Libya.

Hospital patients have been known to leave their beds when a child with AIDS is admitted to a ward. Those who dare to stay watch every gesture, taking turns to supervise the children, fearing that a mere handshake could spread the virus.

"Libyan Red Crescent HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns have been a great success because they are managing to break the taboo around discussion of the disease in a conservative community," explains Hossam Sharkawi, the International Federation's Middle East health delegate. "The campaigns not only created some sort of understanding about the disease and about the people living with the virus, they also highlighted the idea that people with HIV/AIDS need social and psychological support as much as medical support," he adds.

In parallel with the HIV/AIDS prevention campaign, the Libyan Red Crescent has published a booklet highlighting the issues children living with the disease face through the story of one child whose community dealt severely with him.

"The prisoner will get out of his prison one day, the traveller will come back home. But children with HIV will always be affected by the disease," Alfirjani laments.

"Standing by people living with HIV and showing a little kindness does much to relieve the unbearable suffering of social exclusion," says Bernard Gardiner, head of the Federation's global HIV/AIDS programme.

In order to make the life of children with HIV more joyful, Red Crescent volunteers are organizing trips to the zoo, the beach and summer camps. As part of its psychological support activities, volunteers visit the children and offer gifts, especially during ceremonies and holidays.

"The Libyan Red Crescent is a courageous and inspiring role model. Reaching out to these children and families is putting our humanitarian values into action, so the world can see what Red Cross Red Crescent stands for," Gardiner adds.

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