In a small town not far from Port of Spain, the capital of Trinidad & Tobago, pastel colored wood houses perch on green hills. The networks of unpaved paths mark the gathering places for children of the village. Two of them are Natalie and Sade who lost their mother to AIDS. But until recently they had no idea if they had contracted the disease from her.

Natalie and Sade's Story

After the death of their mother, Natalie, her sister Sade and their brothers came to these hills to live with their grandmother. Like many families who have lost the head of the household to AIDS, their grandmother struggles on a government pension to feed and support her newly enlarged family.

Despite the fact that their mother died of AIDS, Natalie and Sade had never been tested for the virus. Their cousin Dale, who works with a youth support group called RapPort, wanted them to know their status.

Many young people do not believe they are at risk of getting AIDS even though 6,000 young people worldwide between the ages of 15 and 24 are infected with HIV every day. (see UNICEF)

Almost two-thirds of sexually active girls aged 15 to 19 in Haiti, for instance, do not believe they run the risk of HIV infection, and more than half of their Zimbabwean counterparts share that perception. Ignorance about the epidemic is pervasive among teenagers worldwide, many of whom do not know how to protect themselves from HIV.

While most HIV tests provide results within days, Dr. Nosa at the Cyril Ross Nursery had a brand new test, which takes just 15 minutes.

Natalie agreed to be tested and valiantly withstood the needle that was inserted in her arm to draw blood. Sade was a bit reluctant at first.

"Your mother died of AIDS; do you ever fear that she could have passed the disease on to you?" Dr Nosa asked. She looked at Dr. Nosa with an expression of disbelief. "Why would she pass it on to me?" she wondered, though she agreed to go through with the test.

Within 15 minutes, they had the good news. They were both negative. Their mother did not pass the virus onto them.

What’s Next for Natalie and Sade?

A negative test is hardly a guarantee that they will not be infected later in life. The majority of adolescent girls and boys do not have access to the information and services they need, and many lack the skills required to protect themselves from HIV/AIDS. But getting tested was the first step towards greater awareness for Natalie and Sade. They now know more about the disease and the importance of protecting themselves.

Most new infections in the Caribbean are being reported among young women aged 15-24.

Poverty makes young people more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS infection, and sexual violence also contributes to the spread of the disease. Younger girls remain particularly exposed. As teenagers in a sexually active community, Natalie and Sade will have to continually practice prevention and fight prejudice and ignorance in order to avoid HIV/AIDS infection. (see UNAIDS)

What Can You Do?

Combating the spread of HIV/AIDS and other communicable diseases is one of the UN Millennium Development Goals. UNAIDS, UNICEF, UNDP, UNDCP, WHO, World Bank, and UNIFEM are working to halt and begin reversing the spread of HIV/AIDS and other major diseases.

You can become more involved by visiting the websites of organizations like the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric Aids Foundation, which offers links to events and fundraisers for helping children with AIDS. For organizations near you that support the effort to combat the spread of AIDS visit Aidsmap.