Spotlight on HIV/AIDS
Worldwide, 38.6 million are living with AIDS, and 4.1 million new cases are contracted every year. The Peace Corps is fighting the spread of the HIV/AIDS pandemic with 20 percent of its Volunteers assigned specifically to HIV/AIDS projects. Twice that percentage are involved in HIV/AIDS activities in some capacity. This month, the World Wise Window commemorates World AIDS Day, on December 1.
Lesson Plans
- All About HIV and AIDS—Understand HIV and AIDS by understanding the human immune system and the transmission of the virus. This engaging lesson helps elementary school students grasp the fundamentals of HIV/AIDS.
- Understanding and Avoiding HIV/AIDS—High school students will investigate what HIV/AIDS is, how it is caused, the effects of the disease, and how to prevent it.
World Wise Readings
- "Brand New Muti"—How can traditional healers help alleviate South Africa's HIV/AIDS crisis? Peace Corps Volunteer Amber Bechtel takes a look at traditional medicine's role alongside new treatments for HIV/AIDS. The story includes discussion questions.
- HIV/AIDS Vignettes—From the stories Peace Corps Volunteers capture every day, World Wise Schools has collected a few vignettes.
- "Where Life Is Too Short"—Allison Howard, a Peace Corps Volunteer in South Africa from 2003 to 2005, captured the HIV/AIDS pandemic in this intensely personal essay written for high school students. Includes lesson plan.
Other Resources
- Poster—Download World Wise Schools’ latest poster commemorating World AIDS Day.
- Life Skills Manual—Use what Peace Corps Volunteers are using in the field. Pages of HIV/AIDS lessons designed to work around the world.
- What’s the Peace Corps Doing?—Learn more about how the Peace Corps is helping to alleviate the HIV/AIDS pandemic through this interactive module, complete with HIV/AIDS quiz.