October 1, 2007

Fighting Stigma and Raising Awareness in Swaziland

An HIV-positive man from California who has been living with the virus for 25 years plans to travel to the Southern African country of Swaziland to raise awareness about the virus and to inspire those living with HIV. Swaziland, one of the smallest countries on the continent, has the highest HIV prevalence in the world, at almost 45 percent.

Jonathan Craig plans to travel to the country later this month to aide the Swazi government in creating an HIV/AIDS hospital, speak about the virus in a national address at the National Stadium in Lobamba, educate the police and fire departments about HIV and meet with more than 6,000 army men and women in rural parts of the country.

"My main goals are to offer hope to the people of Swaziland and educate them on the disease," says Craig. "The sad fact is 45 percent of the population are basically social outcasts because their families are misinformed.”

Craig has traveled to Swaziland three times in the past to share his story, which resulted in a top military official in the country stepping forward to disclose his status and offer support for other HIV-positive troops.