Barak Bruerd » AIDS

Converse

Barak — Mon, 10 May 2010 16:56:56 +0000

She is HIV+. She has no husband. She has 3 children, all of them are negative. She lives in a mud house on the edge of Addis Ababa. Her rent is 400 birr, or about $20. She lives on less than a dollar a day. You do the math. There’s no way I can understand her life – it’s as blurry as her photo. She speaks only Amharic. There’s no way I can converse with her. I look over my dusty, American shoes at the coffee she roasts, grinds and brews all by hand. Her smile lights up the dusty walls as she hands me a cup of black, sugary Ethiopian coffee. Amazing. How is it that something so simple has such power to create common ground.

AIDS Club

Barak — Thu, 06 May 2010 16:28:34 +0000

This is not your normal club. These are people living with AIDS that have joined together, both in support of one another and to stand up courageously in their community and demonstrate that, even in being HIV positive, there is life and joy.

Like Obama

Barak — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 06:17:04 +0000

I’m famous now. I don’t even bother to avoid the inevitable. I just introduce myself as “Barak… like Obama” and make cheesy jokes about being his white brother. Doesn’t matter – people love it and I make instant friends. These women were absolutely priceless – from Obama’s nearby village and all three living out incredible stories as they battle AIDS in their community and in themselves. Stepping into their homes (behind me in the photo) I could only sit in awe of what they struggle with daily, and yet their hope is self-evident. If only I could bottle it and bring it home with me. We need it here desperately.

AIDS Kills

Barak — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 05:51:56 +0000

This was a sign nailed to a tree at the entrance of a school nestled between three slums in Nakuru Kenya. AIDS in Kenya is at an all time high of 8% and rates are typically higher than this in urban areas, especially where poverty has a stronghold on the population. In stark contrast to the sobering message, this school and the others that I visited where bubbling with excited children. I pray their future is as vibrant as their laughter.

Jijue One Million

Barak — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 02:51:44 +0000

One of several concerts Jars of Clay gave in Nairobi along with other amazing local artists performed as part of the Jijue One Million Campaign – a campaign whose goal is to see 1 million Kenyans tested. Jijue is swahili and is a slang term that embodies the idea of confidence through self-knowledge. In a country where 1 out of 12 are HIV positive and only 3 in 5 know their status, this self knowledge is critical in halting infection rates in Kenya. The week Jars performed in Nairobi, nearly 4,000 people were tested. An amazing start to the campaign.