AIDS: XVII International Conference call for videos · Global Voices
Juliana Rincón Parra

The XVII International AIDS Conference will take place in Mexico City between August 3rd and the 8th, and Witness’ THE HUB has a series of videos uploaded by community members and organizations reflecting  diverse approaches to HIV-AIDS related issues. The innitiative is towards creating a repository of work, testimonies, video and photographs to be shared through their site before, during and after the conference. Videos already online in THE HUB's AIDS conference special coverage page include testimonials from India, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Malawi.
“Lives in Focus“, a website on living with HIV/AIDS in India brings us A Medical Miracle, a video interview with a young girl living with HIV in a shelter. For this child, receiving first line anti-retroviral drugs has made it possible for her to thrive beyond expectations, surpassing the short life expectancy that used to be the norm for children with HIV/AIDS.  In the 4 minute video, 12 year old Deepti sings her favorite song and tells about her life in the shelter.
From the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Ajedi-ka organization is prompting viewers into action through a video excerpt titled Awaiting Tomorrow where 25 year old Jean-Jacques speaks about the current situation in the Eastern Congo, where the government doesn't provide economic aid towards purchasing medications, thus reducing the life expectancy of HIV/AIDS + population, and the government has also ignored the requests for testing and treatment centers.
The Tichezerane AIDS Support group in Malawi has created a Participatory Video where they speak about their experience in the group, their daily activities and how the group has improved their lives. Their support of sick members, the workshops where they learn improved farming techniques so they can have fresh vegetables to eat and sell and the impact the group has had on married lives is also shown in the video.