In a few days, the International Aids Conference in Mexico City starts. It is the biggest global gathering of scientists, advocacy groups and policy makers in the field of HIV and Aids. Already a few days prior to the main conference, the Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance brings together Christians fighting Aids in a Pre-Conference.

In both conferences, LWF Youth is represented by Vivian Boateng, a 23 year old Lutheran from Ghana. Here she writes about her expectations for the conference:

“After teaching Sunday school for so many years I understood that children do not know much about HIV or AIDS. This is not because they do not want to know but the problem is that they have been left out of the discursion of AIDS.

Most parents in Ghana find it difficult to talk about HIV and AIDS   especially in Christian homes and the community as a hole, where discussions on  sex with children is not common, even though young people are still getting infected with this disease  day after day..

As a Sunday school teacher who teaches these children, the question was what can I do to help the situation?

By the help of some people in the church,   HOPE DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION was formed.

This Foundation is determined to make a difference in the lives of children and create awareness of HIV/AIDS among other things.

My duty is to create awareness of HIV or AIDS in these children.

Some few months ago I log on to LWF Youth website and I saw this opportunity to attend an AIDS conference in Mexico City. I applied for it and by the grace of God I was chosen to attend this conference.

I have great expectation since it is my first time to travel outside my country.

It is my expectations that, the conference would come out with some urgent measures to help reduce the rate of infection of HIV/AIDS worldwide.

It is my expectation that I will be able to acquire new skills and knowledge to help provide education to my Sunday school children and the community.

The conference should be able to come out with some measures through which HIV/AIDS infection with women and children can be reduced especially in Africa.

It is also my expectation that the conference should be able to adopt ways through which EVERY PERSON with HIV/AIDS will not be stigmatized but will have free access to drugs for free as soon as possible.

It is also my wish to meet more people to share ideas.”