AIDS is a stalker of the poor and marginalized, as well as the rich and educated. It is a stalker of innocents—children born with the virus, children who acquire HIV through their mother's breast milk, women who have no authority, wives of polygamous husbands, young girls who have been sexually abused, and orphan children who are left vulnerable.

• Five million people were newly infected with HIV in 2003.
• 1,918 children (15 years or younger) are infected each day with the HIV virus.
• 40 million people worldwide are living with HIV/AIDS.
• In 2003, 2.5 million adults and 500,000 children died of complications from AIDS.
• AIDS epidemics are growing in Asia, Europe and South America.
• Southern Africa, with 2% of the world's population, is home to about 30% of those affected by HIV/AIDS*

The Good News is that Jesus personally knows what it means to endure pain because he walked on this muddy earth too. Jesus tells his followers to honor, heal and love those who suffer, and to give them the hope that comes from knowing Jesus. SIM is involved in many responses to the world AIDS crises; one of these is through radio broadcasts.

SIM partners with radio stations in Africa and South America to produce broadcasts in 38 languages. In many countries, radio is the best way to reach masses of people with accurate, life-saving information about this terrible virus. SIM and its partners want to prioritize HIV/AIDS education and prevention in their broadcasts as well as in literature that is sent to listeners. That's why we have created a project dedicated to raising funds for this area of need. We want to bring hope to those infected and affected by AIDS... one radio broadcast at a time; one listener at a time.

"AIDS has become the most devastating disease humankind has ever faced." (U.N.)

"Jesus is the most despair-defeating Hope that humankind has ever faced." (follower of Jesus)

If you would like to give towards the creation of culturally-relevant HIV/AIDS education and prevention materials, please contact your nearest SIM office or give online using the links provided in the sidebar. Thank you for your prayers and concern for this important work!

*Note: Information here is from UNAIDS and other generally accepted sources. Some analysts are now arguing for lower numbers in some countries. SIM is not equipped to verify statistics. But wherever we serve, we see the devastation caused by AIDS.