Spooktacular for UNICEF

This October, the Key Club of Pinnacle High School in Phoenix, Arizona, will host its second annual "Spooktacular for UNICEF," a Halloween-themed carnival that will raise money for UNICEF's service intiative, the Swazi Children Care Project. It is common knowledge that the HIV/AIDS epidemic has thoroughly devastated the continent of Africa. However, in the small African nation of Swaziland, the disease and its consequences have been incredibly catastrophic. Life expectancy in Swaziland is currently 27 years of age. 40% of children are plagued with malnutrition, and over 100,000 children are orphaned due to the HIV/AIDS virus. These children are some of the most helpless individuals in Swaziland. As their parents die from HIV/AIDS, they are left to be the caretakers of their families, and most of the time, these children are uneducated about the HIV/AIDS virus as well as the dangers of sexual intercourse, consequently perpetuating the virus in the African population. The Swazi Children Care Project provides neighborhood care points in Swaziland where children can receive health services, nutritious meals, and supplies necessary for everyday life. These care points allow children to stay in their home villages, as opposed to having to live with extended families, and help to manage the growing number of orphans in Swaziland. Last year, Spooktacular for UNICEF raised over $2000 for the Swazi Children Care Project, and Pinnacle Key Club hopes to completely surpass that amount with this year's carnival.