The HIV/AIDS virus is deadly, but AIDS rights advocates tell us that the real struggle is for those living with aids which is where a new charity comes in. They go by the name "Living with Hope" and hope is exactly what they want to give to the more than 2,700 people living with the disease.
The group will have its first major fund-raising drive on August 28th. Their goal is an ambitious $100,000 which they hope to raise through an equally ambitious ten hour radio and television telethon. Ambassador Dolores Balderamos-Garcia is spearheading the project and today she began the public awareness blitz by telling us why we all need to give hope.
H.E. Dolores Balderamos-Garcia,
"We do have about thirty musicians onboard already and we have some hosts, people who will be willing to host say one hour portions of the radiothon. The radiothon will be from 10 in the morning until 6 in the evening right from the Bliss Center and we will have the bank of telephones. BTL is helping us with the lines and we will be right there from 10 until 6 for the radiothon in which we will say ok call in your pledges and kind donations. And of course we will have a lineup of musicians during the day, I believe Supa G will be on during the day for example. Then at night we want to have a really nice put together good high class concert. Again it will be from the mainstage at the Bliss from 8 to 10 and yourselves here at Channel 7 and we have gotten Channel 5 onboard to do the televised aspect of it for us free of cost."
"We want to make up the target by having as many people as possible contribute. And it will make a difference because with the numbers of persons infected with HIV in Belize now we really need to make a difference as a community because the individuals themselves cannot bear the burden alone so we really want to appeal to the Belizean public to support this cause."
The telethon again is August 28th and it will be broadcast on a dozen radio stations and right here on channel 7. Donations can be made at the 'Living With Hope' secretariat at the National Aids Commission's office. For more on how you can help the "Living With Hope" project's website.