4 Final Year BEd Art students will travel with the organisation 80:20 to Lusaka in Zambia to help prepare a series of unique but interconnected artworks that will be the focus of World AIDS Day in Lusaka on 1st December 2006. 80:20 ‘Educating and Acting for a Better World' is a development education organisation with offices in Dublin, Limerick, Belfast and Lusaka. The name 80:20 reflects the fact that 80% of the worlds people share between them less than 20% of the world's resources. Zambia's problems have since the mid 1980s been compounded by one of the world's most devastating HIV and AIDS epidemics. The statistics alone are shocking: * one in every six adults is living with HIV * 98,000 people died of AIDS in 2005 * life expectancy at birth has fallen below 40 years * 710,000 children are AIDS orphans. HIV has spread throughout Zambia and to all parts of society. However, some groups are especially vulnerable - most notably young women and girls. AIDS has worst hit those in their most productive years, and, as families have disintegrated, thousands have been left destitute. The impact of AIDS has gone far beyond the household and community level. All areas of the public sector and the economy have been weakened, and national development has been stifled. St. Mary's Students Alison McAteer, Natasha Casement, Ciara Wilkinson and Carmel Devlin are preparing for their trip with Belfast artist John Johnston, Zambian artist Stary Mwaba and Annie Awah Development Officer from the Lusaka Office. They will be working to develop the project in cooperation with teachers and pupils from 8 schools, the National Aids Council (NAC), Lusaka District Health Board, Concern Worldwide and other NGO partners. The project has the full backing of the entire Art Department in the College and their fundraising events have already accumulated over £2,000 to support this work. The Global Dimension in Education Project has been involved in organising this partnership. There will be opportunities for our students to share their experiences with the rest of the College on their return.