DOD humanitarian projects help fight HIV epidemic

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Marcus McDonald
  • 65th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
MOLEPOLE, Botswana (AFNEWS) --  One of five volunteer counseling and testing centers aimed at mitigating the effects of the HIV virus opened here May 9.

Two U.S. Air Forces in Europe Airmen assisted with this project funded by the U.S. Department of Defense's Office of Defense Cooperation Humanitarian Assistance Program.

Tech. Sgt. David Roux with the 65th Contracting Squadron, and Master Sgt. James Clark of the 65th Civil Engineer Squadron, both assigned to Lajes Field, Azores, Portugal, traveled to Botswana to inspect the finished project and assist in the selection of a contractor for the next center. This was Sergeant Roux's third visit to the country.

"I did not know what to expect the first time I visited," the sergeant explained. "But after visiting with many of the children and seeing the living conditions in many of the villages, I realized how much hope we are giving these people.

"The children do not know anything but suffering and death in many of these places," he said. "Without the support of our government and the Bill Gates Foundation, many of these children would never see any hope in the future as the average life span for men in Botswana is only 38 years old."

In addition to the counseling and testing centers, the DOD is helping build orphan daycares and youth centers, which provide day care, counseling, pre-school and after-school programs for orphans and children of all ages.

Sergeant Roux said the projects will provide care and educate the country's population in an effort to have an HIV-free generation by 2016.

"Most of the people do not know if they have the virus and continue to spread it to others," he said. "The after school centers are important because the children in these programs will be some of the parents of the HIV-free generation. Without proper care and education, the cycle would continue."

Sergeant Roux said he feels as though he's become a part of a project bigger than himself.

"I always knew that being in the Air Force was more than being a warrior against terrorism and other war-like missions," he said. "We are also warriors against the natural enemies of life such as HIV, famine and disasters. Every time I traveled to Botswana, I believe I changed someone's opinion of the United States and what we stand for ... hope of a better life."

In August, Sergeant Clark visited Botswana to inspect the construction of the first three volunteer counseling and testing centers and to assist in the selection of the contractor for the two remaining centers.

"These trips have really opened my eyes to some of the good things the U.S. military is doing to lend a helping hand to people around the world," Sergeant Clark said. "The projects in Botswana are just a small portion of the humanitarian work we're doing to help the people of Africa."

According to recent estimates, 17.1 percent of Botswana's 1.7-million people are HIV-positive.

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