More than twenty five years into the HIV/AIDS pandemic, it remains one of the most serious challenges to global public health. Almost a quarter of people living with HIV are under the age of 25 with young people aged 15-24 representing 45 percent of all new HIV infections. At least 95 per cent of all new infections occur in less developed countries—sub-Saharan Africa being the hardest hit region, followed by the Caribbean with Eastern Europe and central Asia experiencing some of the fastest growing HIV prevalence rates. In Eastern and Southern Asia, the numbers of infected people are staggering—in India alone, 2.4 million are infected with HIV. Throughout the world, almost 3500 youth ages 15 to 24 are infected with HIV each day.

 

As an awareness campaign, the World Assembly of Youth is organising a matching gift program which aims to raise RM500,000.00 (USD 166,000.00) for WAY’s future programmes like the HIV counseling groups, HIV donation drives to clinics, and also for the expenses of using our volunteers and sending them to remote areas to raise awareness about HIV and also donate ARV treatments to those who cant afford.

 

This method is a way of involving the stakeholders to share the responsibility with WAY by having an alliance with national governments, NGOs, bilateral donors, multilaterals donors, private sector, and media in a global community.