Sri Lankan cricket star brings a message of hope to children infected with HIV

Kumar Sangakkara is presented with a gift © UNICEF/Norton

"Hi Uncle Kumar", shouted the children of the Cyril Ross Nursery as they greeted Sri Lankan cricket star Kumar Sangakkara to their home in Tunapuna, just outside Port of Spain, Trinidad.

The Sri Lankan wicketkeeper had left practicing for matches in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 on Saturday to visit the home of 38 children, of whom 36 are HIV positive, and give encouragement to young people often forgotten in the AIDS battle. To the sound of Tassa drumming, Mr Sangakkara entered the Nursery accompanied by his wife Yehali, the Director of UNAIDS Caribbean Regional Support Team, Dr Karen Sealey, and UNICEF Special Envoy to the Caribbean, Karin Sham Poo.

The manager of the home, Hyacinth Cross told the visitors that the nursery seeks to prepare children for life outside by supporting their overall development. The nursery now receives free medication and antiretroviral therapy and the children are much healthier than before. Of the 38 residents, 37 now attend school. "But children's needs are different from those of adults and must be better highlighted", she said.

Kumar Sangakkara with the children © UNICEF/Norton

Addressing the children, Karin Sham Poo referred to the alliance between the International Cricket Council, UNAIDS, UNICEF and the Caribbean Broadcast Media Partnership on HIV/AIDS, which concentrates on young people. "The spirit of cricket and cricketers are effective agents in fighting the stigma and discrimination that surround AIDS", she said, adding that children are the missing face of AIDS as they have many experiences and lessons to teach to others. "You are the future", she said.

This theme was continued by Dr Sealey: "You are going to lead - there could be future prime ministers, policemen, cricketers, entertainers in this room. The UN system will work with the National AIDS Coordination Committee to make life even better for you ...we need to turn you into Ambassadors to tell others the story of HIV."

Before speaking to the children, Kumar Sangakkara and two girls tied the Band of Commitment onto the other's wrists and promised to protect themselves and others against HIV and AIDS. He then made a passionate speech to the young people: "People talk of the spirit of cricket, but there is more spirit in this room than in the World Cup.. You are no different from anyone ... and if you want to do something, you must go and take it... your job is to make guys like me obsolete. I promise to do all that I can to make the world AIDS-free. Keep smiling"

Near the end of the visit Mr Sangakkara was presented with a painting by 13-year old resident Marcus Kirk. The Sri Lankan liked it so much he viewed the other paintings by the young boy, and bought two of them to take home. He then stayed an extra hour to take part in an informal cricket practice with the children, clearly happy to be spending time in the company of young people who have much to teach the world about hope and the face of HIV and AIDS.