Campus group encourages students to Īget involved' in fighting worldwide epidemic

One hundred photographs depicting African children and adults who have experienced the effects of AIDS were displayed on campus this week ÷ spotlighting the disease that kills more than 5 million people every year and has left more than 13 million orphans in Africa alone.

The photography exhibit, "Broken Landscapes," went up Sunday in the Student Union Memorial Center's Diamond Atrium to kick off the awareness week at UA. It was moved to four different union rooms throughout the week.

"The purpose of the exhibit was to put a human face on the problem," said Alistair Chapman, director of the Student Health Advisory Committee. "Many students left desperately wanting to get involved."

Which is just what sponsors had hoped for.

The week was meant to educate students of the horror of "a crisis that will define our generation," said Adam Taylor, director of Global Justice.

Global Justice, a national organization dedicated to improving the AIDS situation through student involvement, helped sponsor AIDS week, along with local organizations including the Student Global AIDS Campaign and Students for International Change.

"Get involved" was the message of the week; there are several ways to do so.

"A lot of people don't know what's going on and that they can help," said Tina Wu, SIC program director.

SIC allows UA students to work together with students from Stanford University to help provide relief. They educate communities about HIV prevention and teach life-skills that help people deal with issues of poverty and disease.

This summer, SIC members will volunteer in Arusha, Tanzania.

"We will be teaching prevention methods to rural community members," Wu said.

The Student Global AIDS Campaign, a local chapter started within the Student Health Advisory Committee, is another outlet students can join.

"Anyone can be a part of it," said member Anan Mellan, a molecular and cellular biology sophomore. "Our main goal is to increase funding from the United States government."

The campaign has more support on the East Coast, but organizers said they are trying to increase involvement in the west, especially in Arizona.

Representative Jim Kolbe (R-Tucson) serves as the head of foreign operations.

"We're hoping since we are in his district that our voice will make a big difference," Mellan said.

"(We) recognize how valuable the student voice is in effecting decisions at the root of our government," Chapman said.

Taylor believes student voices could convince the government to allocate funds.

"The hope lies in this room," Taylor told the ASUA Senate Wednesday night. "In organizations that are trying to fight back."

A resolution was presented to the Senate, Wednesday, asking for a commitment to support a legislative bill for $3.5 billion to fight against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria in Africa.

"It's a drop in the bucket," Taylor said. "The United States has the · obligation · as the world's wealthiest nation to avert millions of new infections and to save millions of lives."

Earlier in the week, students attended a training session that taught effective ways to reach politicians about the issue of AIDS, including letter writing, e-mails and media attention.

The Senate has not yet decided to support the resolution. A decision is expected next week.

For more information on the fight against AIDS, check out www.sichange.org or contact Tina Wu at tina@sichange.org.