HIV Scholarship

Is a project of The Osito Foundation, a 501(c) (3) non-profit, providing Teddy Bears to Children & Youth who have been impacted by HIV/AIDS.

HIV Scholarship’s mission is to help the HIV positive person live independent of the government welfare system and

handouts of others. Over 50% of the new HIV infections occur in the demographic of 13 - 24 year olds. The need is greater than ever for financial assistance to help HIV positive teens and young adults get a better education, jobs skills, and vocational school training. This will give them access to better paying jobs to support themselves financially in order to maintain optimal health.

HIV positive people are living much longer due to the advances in Antiretroviral Therapy, better medicines and the overall understanding of how to manage HIV. The typical regimen for an HIV patient beginning treatment includes HAART (Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy) which means taking a combination of three or more antiretroviral medications from at least two different classes. HAART blocks a certain protein that HIV needs to reproduce. Being diagnosed with HIV or finding out your HIV has advanced to the stage of AIDS is no longer a death sentence.

The total number of people living with HIV continues to rise each year in the United States (approximately 40,000 annually) and other high-income countries. However, the number of AIDS death continues to decline in the United States and other high-income countries due to more people being able to access HAART.

The estimated monthly cost of care for HIV is $2,100, with about two-thirds of that spent on medications. That equates to $25,200 a year. The immense financial burden of HIV is preventing those affected from continuing with higher education, vocational education and getting better paying jobs. Osito believes we must help those who are HIV positive get better education and job skills.

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