Soul star Beverley Knight got involved in HIV work at home and abroad after the loss of a close friend to an AIDS-related illness. She explains why, as far as she's concerned, every day is World AIDS Day.
'Obviously, it’s great that so many countries focus on 1 December to highlight the huge numbers affected by HIV and AIDS. Really, though, the issue should be on our minds all year round.
The millions living with HIV and AIDS. The rising HIV numbers here in the UK. The lack of access to antiretroviral drugs, particularly in those countries where they are most needed. The lack of financial support. All of these reasons make HIV important to us all.
There are many reasons why AIDS is important to me. One of my dearest friends, Tyrone Jamison, died as a result of HIV. It is only natural I’d get involved after this, and I am now a proud patron of the HIV charity, The Terrence Higgins Trust.
A life-changing trip
Christian Aid took me to Salvador in Brazil to see some of its HIV work. I visited partner organisation GAPA and saw how they use music and dance to educate kids about HIV, how to prevent it and how to deal with it if you are living with it. It was an amazing trip – it changed my life.
‘You don’t have to be Bob Geldof to get involved. We all have a voice, and we all need to speak out.’
In Brazil, the music they used made it like a carnival, and made me think about how you can use positive messaging to challenge negative stereotypes.
What I saw was people fighting to save themselves and their communities. Everything is by the people, for the people.
Beverley Knight dancing with local people at one of GAPA's events in Salvador.
It made me realise you don’t have to be Bob Geldof or Bono to get involved. We all have a voice, and we all have a reason to speak up.
What strikes me is that through something so intimate as the death of a friend, you look at the wider picture. After the trip to Brazil, I have been passionate in talking about HIV and AIDS whenever I can.
That’s what’s so great about the Stop AIDS Campaign. Eighty NGOs including Christian Aid and THT, all of whom share the same goals. More education, more care and attention and more funding from the world’s governments for this crisis.
Seventy per cent of people in the world who need access to antiretroviral drugs don’t get them, and there are nearly 40 million people in the world living with HIV.
Keeping up the fight all year round
It’s good that there is one day in the year devoted to the world AIDS crisis, but it’s a job for all of us, all year round.
If we all get involved, encourage kids to talk about sexual health matters, support the likes of the Stop AIDS Consortium, and keep up the pressure on our decision-makers, we can start to make a change.
We often talk about HIV education in developing countries, and that’s important. But education starts here. World AIDS Day 2007 doesn’t sound like a bad time to start.'