Oprah Winfrey sets example for students of new South African girls school
As many people have heard, Oprah Winfrey has started a new girls school in South Africa for disadvantaged youth who show promise. As part of her efforts to provide education and resources to these girls, Oprah will also be providing free AIDS tests and counselling to the girls, their families, and their caregivers. Oprah herself had an AIDS test done to try and bring more public discourse to the subject and to help reduce the stigma surrounding the disease. AIDS tests at the school will be voluntary and the results will be kept confidential. By detecting HIV in the early stages, treatment can increase not only the lifespan of those infected, but can also increase the number of productive years of the individual. One of the largest problems of AIDS in Africa is that it is eradicating the working class and leaving a new generation without parents. Early treatment could mitigate these effects.
