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| Sunday, 20 October 2002 |
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'I care... Do you? This anti-aids message adorns a colourful sticker depicting a bust picture of Sri Lankan cricket captain, Sanath Jayasuriya with an action picture with the bat in the background. Indeed, it is an innings with a difference for the national cricket captain who has stepped in to drive home the message to a nation to safeguard against the dangers of AIDS. Indeed, he cares and wants to create a national consciousness of what has emerged as the world's number one terminal illness. For Jayasuriya has been `batting' for the United Nations Anti-Aids Campaign as its UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador for over a year. How does he find filling into a chore wholly different from cricket? "It is something I delight in for a change", says Jayasuriya. "To be frank I like to be involved in something where creating an awareness throughout the country in safeguarding against this deadly incurable disease which has afflicted the whole world", he elaborated. Does he find the time for it away from the busy schedules of cricket which consume much of his time almost throughout the calendar year? "Since it is a national concern I accepted the invitation and I make it a point to make myself available whenever I can. Whenever there is a seminar to educate the masses I do attend finding the time inbetween the cricket. There are a lot of programmes which take me from schools to other areas where the anti-AIDS drive is carried out", said Jayasuriya adding that he had in fact been busy going about in the months just before the cricket. "As an anti-AIDS ambassador the United Nations health sector based here welcomes my services which also entail carrying the message through poster campaigns and stickers and calendars", he continued. Like his commitment to cricket is the national captain's concern in joining a national drive to combat this sexually transmitted disease which has claimed the lives of millions and left as much afflicted by it. Realising the urgency of educating the general public on AIDS is what has driven such a busybody step in to contribute his mite in reducing the dreaded disease which has even afflicted infants through transmission. He was mindful of the need to create such an awareness back home where the incidence has caught on. "I like to take the message especially to our schoolchildren among whom most of all the awareness needs to be created because they tend to be misguided in their youth. As such I enjoy this chore away from cricket", concluded our cricket captain. A badge worn by Jayasuriya from the UN AIDS campaign reads, " UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador with the slogan "Men make a difference" running across the word AIDS. by Srian Obeyesekere |
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