The First Lady of Malawi and Vice-President of the Organisation of African First Ladies against HIV/AIDS (OAFLA), Gertrude Mutharika, has spoken to Chinese high school students about the impact of the AIDS epidemic on African women and children. The First Lady spoke at an event in Beijing, China, on 31 October celebrating the participation of the Affiliated High School of Beijing University in an ongoing campaign called China–Africa Hand in Hand: Chinese Youth’s Campaign for the Social Benefit of Africa.
Students from several high schools in Beijing and representatives of UNAIDS, the China–Africa Business Council (CABC), the China–Africa Development Fund and volunteer groups participated in the event.
The CABC and partners have established the Increasing Love for Decreasing AIDS Fund, which has raised US$ 200 000 for HIV programmes in eight African countries. High schools participating in the youth campaign are helping to collect donations for the fund. The campaign is also encouraging young people to join hands with their counterparts in Malawi and other African countries in order to build a brighter future together.
“The vision of the Organisation of African First Ladies against HIV/AIDS is of an Africa free from HIV and maternal and child mortality, where women and children are empowered to enjoy equal opportunities. OAFLA believes that teenagers are the future of China–Africa relations and looks forward to more engagement with Chinese teenagers for the development and public welfare of Africa.”
Gertrude Mutharika First Lady of Malawi and Vice-President of the Organization of African First Ladies against HIV/AIDS
“The Increasing Love for Decreasing AIDS Fund is striving to promote prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and to contribute to achieving an AIDS-free generation. Through our campaign, students in China start to know better this beautiful continent, meanwhile also learning how to protect themselves from HIV and to join the global efforts to respond to it.”
Eric (Xiaoyong) Wang Secretary-General of the China–Africa Business Council
“I am convinced that with more young people joining the movement, we can end the AIDS epidemic. We can reach our goal of creating an AIDS-free generation. This was called for by the First Ladies of China and Africa at the Johannesburg Summit in December 2015. I know it is achievable.”
Catherine Sozi UNAIDS Country Director, China
