| has taken important steps toward treating the | | | | Werner is receiving food, medicine and other supplies, |
| condition in the 25 years since the first cases of a | | | | which are helping him to grow up strong and healthy. |
| nameless, deadly disease now known as the human | | | | Soon he will be going to school. |
| immunodeficiency virus were recorded in the U.S. The | | | | "The fight against the HIV/AIDS pandemic is not an |
| problems of one group affected by the disease, | | | | easy one. Through successful partnerships like our |
| however, need addressing in a different way. | | | | relationship with Kimberly-Clark, we can bring hope to |
| Over the last quarter century, the tragic story of | | | | children affected and infected by HIV/AIDS and |
| HIV/AIDS has often been told-but the story of | | | | offer them a brighter future," said Charles J. Lyons, |
| children orphaned by this disease is often forgotten. | | | | president of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF. |
| Without mothers, fathers, doctors and community | | | | Although Sub-Saharan Africa receives the most |
| leaders, millions of children are left unprotected and | | | | attention regarding HIV/AIDS, there are many other |
| deprived of a normal childhood. Children are suffering | | | | areas of the world that are at a crucial juncture in |
| because the world has not recognized that the | | | | their response to the disease. For example, now is a |
| disease is wreaking havoc on childhood. | | | | pivotal time to address HIV/AIDS in China. The |
| The AIDS pandemic is unraveling decades of | | | | country has seen unprecedented economic growth, |
| progress for children. School enrollment, immunization | | | | but the social stigma of HIV and AIDS is still very |
| rates and child survival around the world are suffering | | | | negative. Given that 20 percent of the world's |
| significant reversals because of the impact of AIDS. | | | | 10-to-24-year-olds live in China, ensuring the health |
| To date, an estimated 15 million children worldwide | | | | and well-being of the world's children cannot be |
| have been orphaned by HIV and AIDS. In | | | | accomplished without considering this country. |
| Sub-Saharan Africa, the world's hardest-hit region, | | | | The estimated 530,000 children in China who have |
| eight out of 10 orphans lost their parents to AIDS. | | | | lost one or both parents to AIDS, or who are living |
| Meanwhile, in Latin America and the Caribbean, it is | | | | with parents who are currently ill, are often outcast |
| estimated that 752,000 children have lost one or | | | | from their schools and ostracized by their |
| both parents to the disease. | | | | communities-and they fall victim to inadequate social |
| Through its Unite for Children, Unite Against AIDS | | | | services. |
| campaign, UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund) | | | | Recognizing this, UNICEF and Kimberly-Clark have |
| hopes to record significant global progress in | | | | expanded their partnership to China to ensure that |
| addressing HIV/AIDS by 2010. UNICEF's goal is to | | | | children made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS have the |
| prevent mother-to-child transmission of the disease | | | | opportunity to lead normal lives. The goal is to keep |
| by offering services to 80 percent of women in | | | | orphans in loving, caring families and communities, and |
| need; increase pediatric treatments to 80 percent of | | | | to provide them with access to education, health |
| children in need; reduce the percentage of young | | | | services, medicines and psychological support in the |
| people living with HIV by 25 percent; and reach 80 | | | | face of negative social stigma. |
| percent of the world's children most in need with | | | | Together with the Chinese government, UNICEF has |
| support services. | | | | launched a campaign to help to reduce the shame |
| In 2001, UNICEF and the Kimberly-Clark Corporation | | | | and discrimination of the disease through awareness |
| partnered to support children orphaned and made | | | | efforts and to protect those children who have been |
| vulnerable by AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin | | | | orphaned and made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS. |
| America. The $5.2 million pledged by Kimberly-Clark | | | | Kimberly-Clark support of this campaign will help to |
| has helped UNICEF to ensure orphans are fed, | | | | provide subsidies for school fees, summer camps and |
| protected and educated. The evidence of the | | | | a youth ambassador program. The company will also |
| effects of these programs can be measured one | | | | help to fund UNICEF-established Red Ribbon Centers |
| child at a time, such as Werner, a bubbly 3-year-old | | | | in local communities, where vulnerable children and |
| who was brought to San Jose Hospice in Guatemala | | | | families receive care and support through education, |
| by his mother, who later died from HIV/AIDS. | | | | training and income-generation activities. |
| Through UNICEF-supported programs at the facility, | | | | |