It's taken the lives of more than 25 million people and orphaned some 15 million children. By the end of the decade, it's projected to orphan another 10 million.

Since it was first detected in the early '80s, AIDS - Acquired ImmunoDeficiency Syndrome - has become the worst pandemic of our time. Today, more than 33 million people worldwide are infected with HIV, the Human Immunodeficiency Virus that causes AIDS. Worse still, the United Nations reports that "every minute of every day, a child under 15 becomes infected with HIV."

No place is the impact of the illness more apparent than African countries like Zambia, one of the many underdeveloped countries where Children International works. And even though our sponsorship program isn't designed, or equipped, to treat AIDS, sponsors and staff working with our program in Zambia are making valiant efforts to protect children against the world's deadliest disease.

In recognition of World AIDS Day, here is one such story of their courageous action.

A living Memory

At the tender age of 4, Memory Banda was destined to become nothing more than her namesake....a memory.

Her father, Nelson, had passed away - most likely from HIV/AIDS - leaving Memory and her pregnant mother, Agness, with nowhere to stay. Adding insult to injury, Agness discovered that she, too, was HIV-positive.

Searching for a place to live, Memory and her mother were forced to leave Kanyama. Memory had no choice but to leave the sponsorship program as well. Her hope for the future - along with her family - was fading fast.

Every day in Zambia, 100 people die from AIDS. Long lines at public clinics and the fear of being stigmatized discourage many from seeking treatment. Even with an increasing number of antiretroviral drugs freely available, people are turned away from overburdened clinics and told to come back another day.

Given the circumstances, it was only a matter of time before Memory's mother died and the little girl would be forgotten like so many other AIDS orphans. But all the while, Memory remained in the forefront of someone's mind...her distant sponsor.

Michael Bottoroff refused to forget Memory. Determined to have her re-enrolled in sponsorship, he made special arrangements and began sending special donations so she and her mother could rent a house and return to Kanyama. He helped them get settled by furnishing household goods, extra nutritional support and the funds Agness needed to open a small grocery kiosk and start earning income. And just for safe measure, he made sure Agness received the best possible care during her pregnancy.

Eighty-two sponsored children in Zambia are HIV-positive. But far more have been orphaned by the AIDS pandemic. Memory is not one of them, and never will be if her sponsor has anything to do with it.

Sponsorship ensures that we can provide essential nutritional supplements to those children in Zambia who are HIV-positive and need extra nutrients to keep their immune systems strong. Meanwhile, ongoing partnerships with the Zambian National AIDS Network make it possible for us to train volunteers to counsel infected children about treatment and the prospects of recovery.

And then there are sponsors like Michael Bottoroff, who will do whatever it takes to save one more life from the tragedy of AIDS.

* Reporting assistance provided by Clementina Chapusha, our communications coordinator in Zambia.