"Mucho Amor Nos Une": the work of Silvia Casas
Silvia Casas was recently elected first councilwoman in Esteban Echeverría, running for the Frente de Todos party. Casas is the founder of the childcare home Casa MANU ("Mucho Amor Nos Une," meaning "Lots of Love Brings Us Together"), located in Monte Grande, Buenos Aires. This foundation, known as one of the best of its kind in the country, has been a shelter home for children with HIV for 20 years.
Casas' initiative came to be after her son Manu passed away. He was one of the first kids to be born with the virus in Argentina. Together with her family and friends, she decided to take her pain and turn it into advocacy to fight the stigma on this issue and provide support to the hundreds of children who were in need of it. So far, Casa MANU has cared for over 150 young people.
As Casas has explained in interviews, the childcare home works as a testing facility and offers community workshops. Additionally, in collaboration with UNAIDS (a Joint Programme of the United Nations on HIV/AIDS), Casa MANU has created a "friendly practice" for the trans community and for sex workers, to assist them and provide them with healthcare services and psychological and legal support.
For the health of people living with HIV
World AIDS Day is commemorated every December 1st. This observance was created by the Joint Programme of the United Nations on HIV/AIDS.
In Argentina, the legislation currently in force was enacted in 1990. According to the community of people living with HIV, it is insufficient to fully address their demands. Thus, another bill was introduced and is waiting to be discussed. Titled "New Law on HIV, Hepatitis, Tuberculosis and STIs," the bill aims at expanding people's rights but it is about to lapse. Find more information at Ciclo Positivo.
According to UNAIDS, the rate of new HIV infections is slowing down. This comes as a consequence of the increased access to treatment, which brings us closer to ending AIDS-related deaths. In 2020, 37,7 million people in the world were living with this virus.
Use the right words
According to UNAIDS, no one is infected with AIDS; AIDS is not an infectious agent. AIDS describes a syndrome of opportunistic infections and diseases that can develop as immunosuppression deepens along the continuum of HIV infection (from acute infection to death).
✅ Therefore, refer to people as being HIV-positive or as people living with HIV.