The purpose of the 10 km walk, which HOPE worldwide - Nigeria annually organizes in conjunction with World AIDS Day, is to raise money by drawing attention to the plight of people living with HIV and AIDS – particularly children.

In addition, a tug-of-war contest was introduced at the conclusion of this year’s event designed to demonstrate this year’s World AIDS Day theme, “We are winning, but not stopping.” Team pairings included: The Press vs. the Lagos State AIDS Control Agency, Primetime vs. Coca Cola; International Church of Christ vs. the Police. The contests demonstrated this along with emphasizing the need to increase AIDS prevention.

HOPE worldwide – Nigeria Executive Director, Yemi Osilaja stated, “We are seeing indications that we are beginning to put our foot off the pedal of prevention and there is a need to intensify our prevention messages. We know prevention is the key and there is a real need to continue with the prevention campaign. It is also a reminder, he added, that a lot still needs to be done in finally winning the war against the virus.”

The funds raised will be used to help support HOPE worldwide’s programs which currently benefit AIDS orphans and vulnerable children throughout 14 states within Nigeria.