Running to defeat AIDS

In summer, the high temperatures and humid conditions of Beijing tend to slow people down. But one group could be found sweating away under the scorching sun on July 25, when more than 150 people gathered in Beijing Olympic Park to commemorate Nelson Mandela International Day in a charity fitness run.

The United Nations General Assembly launched International Nelson Mandela Day on July 18, 2009, in recognition of the former South African leader's birthday.

All participants in the Beijing event ran 6.7 kilometers in 67 minutes in honor of Mandela, who fought injustice for 67 years.

The event was hosted by the China-Africa Business Council, the China Social Assistance Foundation's Increasing Love for Decreasing AIDS Fund and the Heart Fly Volunteers Union.

Increasing Love for Decreasing AIDS is an international public welfare fund started by people who care about the Sino-Africa Relationship and AIDS prevention.

Eric Wang, secretary-general of the China-Africa Business Council, says: "The fund has raised over 350,000 yuan ($56,400) since it was set up in March."

The money will be donated to treat African women infected with AIDS. Technology can now prevent mothers from transmitting HIV to fetuses during pregnancy.

According to the China-Africa Business Council, the number 67 represents several things: 6.7 yuan can provide a day's worth of vitamins to a pregnant women with HIV/AIDS; 67 yuan is the cost of medical treatment per day, and 670 yuan is the entire cost for a prevention of mother-to-child transmission treatment.

"Every Woman, Every Child" was the theme for the charity run. The slogan was launched by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon during the United Nations Millennium Development Goals Summit in September 2010, which aims to save the lives of 16 million women and children by 2015.

Wang says the prevention of transmitting HIV from a mother to her child is an established and effective technology, but the coverage of treatment in Africa is not uniform. In 2013, 83 percent of pregnant women with AIDS have successfully received this treatment in southern Africa however the statistic in Northern Africa is 23 percent.

"For the first step, the fund is focusing mainly on the general public and young people while businesses are the next goal. We hope we can encourage more people and Africa-related enterprises to become engaged in our charitable program," Wang says.

"More than 5,000 people have participated in our donation drive in four months. The money we've raised is not much, but the impact is enormous. A high school student once says during a sharing session impressed me a lot. He says 1,000 yuan donated by 10 people is better than one person giving that amount."

Zhou Yiwei, deputy managing director and chief financial officer of Reed Sinopharm Exhibitions, took part in the charity run and won first prize. He also took his 10-year-old son to the event.

"I want my son to know that charity is an attitude rather than a fashion trend," Zhou says. "I have been to Africa, and my company has several cooperative projects there. I would like my son to know that there are a lot of people suffering around the world while he is enjoying happiness. The charity run is a meaningful activity. I believe my son will talk about charity awareness to his friends and classmates."

Wang says: "It is especially important to provide young people with awareness about charity, information about Africa and the concept of HIV/AIDS prevention."

xinxin@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily Africa Weekly 07/31/2015 page25)