American Foundation for Children with AIDS: Saving the Next Generation

October - AIDS Awareness Month

2011-09-30T09:39:00.002-04:00

October is AIDS Awareness Month here is a brief update from UNAIDS - Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS.

UNAIDS recently published “Countdown to Zero: A Global Plan Towards the Elimination of New HIV Infections Among Children by 2015 and Keeping Their Mothers Alive.” Leaders from 25 countries, 30 civil societies, private sector, networks of people living with HIV and international organizations met to discuss the AIDS pandemic and draft a plan to force a dramatic decrease in the transmission of AIDS from mother to child during childbirth.

The plan has the following Global Targets:

Global Target #1: Reduce the number of new HIV infections among children by 90%

Global Target #2: Reduce the number of AIDS-related maternal deaths by 50%.

And these four key principles for success:

1. Women living with HIV are central and must remain a focus

2. Countries must own responsibility for eliminating new HIV infections among children

3. National plans must leverage synergies, linkages and integration for improved sustainability

4. Responsibility is shared between families, communities and countries and accountability must be specific

There are many challenges that must be overcome for “Countdown to Zero” to reach its goal. Among them are the needs for excellent leadership, countries to remain in alignment with the plan, adequate finances, comprehensive and coordinated implementation of treatment for mother and child, human resources, and infrastructure to support the consistent transport of supplies.

(To access the full report, go to www.unaids.org.)

Fourteen Women Making a Major Impact

2011-09-27T14:00:00.000-04:00

Several times a year, individuals climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, as a fundraiser for the American Foundation for Children with AIDS. On October 1^st, fourteen women are flying to Tanzania to hike Kilimanjaro’s 19,340 feet. Each climber raised a minimum of $8,000 for AFCA and their efforts have the following impact.

· Medical supplies affecting 30,000 people in Papoli, Uganda

· School supplies for 800 children in Papoli, Uganda

· Medical supplies affecting 170,000 people in Kilembe Mines, Uganda

· 2,475,000 doses of antibiotics for children to keep full blown AIDS at bay in 35 clinics throughout Uganda

· Porridge, milk, and oil for 1600 children (twice daily) for 4 months in Mombasa and Voi, Kenya

· Nevirapine, an anti-retroviral drug for 500 children and mothers in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

This list is truly amazing and we are extremely grateful to these women!

For more information about Climb Up: Kilimanjaro and other fundraising initiatives, or to make a donation that will build on the list above, go to www.AFCAids.org.

A Cheaper And More Accessible Blood Test

2011-08-01T22:55:00.000-04:00

A new credit card sized and portable blood testing kit has been making its rounds in Rwanda with remarkable results. The mChip is much cheaper and just as reliable and accurate as hospital lab tests for detecting diseases such as syphilis and HIV. It was developed by Samuel Sia, a professor at Columbia University, and funded by the National Institute of Health and the Wallace Coulter Foundation. The mChip has been put through clinical trials in Rwanda where it reported nearly 100% accuracy (they tested patients already known to be HIV positive and only had one false result). This blood test will no doubt make a huge impact for those living in remote areas. Instead of having to wait for days for a blood test report from a hospital, a person can now have near instantaneous results. Developers have estimated its cost at only a couple of dollars per unit. Sia, the lead developer, hopes especially to use this to diagnose pregnant women in remote, poor areas who otherwise would not have access to a hospital for testing. If caught early HIV positive mothers could be prevented from transmitting the virus to their children. The next step is finding a company to manufacture and distribute within the next couple of years. If you'd like to read more you can check out these articles:
http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/190205/20110801/study-low-cost-disposable-blood-cards-to-offer-easy-hiv-and-syphilis-checks-in-developing-countries.htm
http://www.mnn.com/health/fitness-well-being/stories/hiv-testing-cheap-accurate-with-new-portable-blood-test-kit
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-14361017

In Our Own Backyard

2011-07-27T22:58:00.000-04:00

It's been one year since the National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS) was unveiled by President Obama. The strategy addresses the needs of United States citizens with HIV/AIDS and presents steps to fighting the epidemic at the domestic level. HIV/AIDS is sometimes not thought of as a major problem for the United States. It's so often associated with poor third-world nations that it's not given enough attention here at home. The strategy addresses this problem and now after a year of the NHAS in action we can see how the epidemic has been confronted in the US. A review of the strategy showed a significant focus on HIV testing and anti-HIV/AIDS discrimination. The Department of Veterans Affairs increased the number of HIV tests administered to veterans. The Department of Labor held a roundtable discussion over employment discrimination for individuals with HIV and have distributed public education materials on the rights of employees with emphasis on those who are HIV positive. The Department of Health and Human Services is working to begin a program concerning viral hepatitis since up to thirty percent of HIV positive individuals are also infected with hepatitis. If you'd like to read more on the progress by NHAS you can see this report by an employee of the Department of Health and Human Services. The CDC has also blogged about the strategy and it's progress.

Two Promising Studies

2011-07-24T23:28:00.000-04:00

I had mentioned in a previous blog that there would be a conference on AIDS in Rome. It was a four day event held by the International AIDS Society. At the conference there was a presentation of the results of a trial regarding the spread of AIDS. The results showed that an HIV positive person taking antiretroviral drugs had a decreased chance of spreading the virus to others by nearly 97%. By forcing the virus to "retreat", ART keeps the virus out of the bloodstream and other bodily fluids through which it is normally transmitted. This news will hopefully be a big push for expanding and creating more ART programs across the world. UNAIDS predicts that around 9 million people who could benefit from ART are not receiving the drugs. The next conference won't be until 2013 in Malaysia. You can visit the conference's website here.

Another study revealed that male circumcision could reduce the risk of HIV infection by up to 60%. Rwanda is taking this study very seriously and has begun to perform non-surgical circumcisions by using a device called PrePex. Since December 2010 Rwanda has circumcised 5000 men and hope to have that number up to 2 million by 2012. This, it is believed, will bring the HIV prevalence rate from 3% to 1.5% in the country. For more on this see this article by the BBC.

The East African Crisis

2011-07-21T23:13:00.000-04:00

The UN on Wednesday declared a famine in parts of southern Somalia and predicts a spread of famine to all of southern Somalia within two months unless action is taken immediately. Around $300 million in aid is predicted to be needed in the next several months to keep the famine from spreading. After the announcement, the United States gave an additional $28 million in funding. Hopefully the declaration of a famine and the United States' donation will inspire other countries to help. I think this article really helps explain the level of this catastrophe more than any statistic ever could. If you'd like to find out more ways to help you can look at this article from CNN.

Famine To Be Officially Declared

2011-07-19T23:10:00.000-04:00

The UN is set to officially declare a famine in parts of southern Somalia. The drought and food crisis in the Horn of Africa up to this point has been categorized as an "emergency" which is one step behind a famine. There are five levels of food security classification ranging from "generally secure" to "catastrophe/famine". The last official famine to be declared was in Ethiopia in the mid 1980's. A famine is declared once death rates reach 2 per 10,000 per day and malnutrition rates are at or above 30%. The UN has called for $1.6 billion in aid but only half that has been met. The US has been especially reluctant to give aid to Somalia and has cut its funding by 88% due to the presence of insurgents linked to al-Qaeda. The US worries that the aid would fall into the wrong hands and benefit the terrorists. However the insurgents have declared an amnesty for aid deliveries. It will be interesting to see if the declaration of a famine will change any minds in Washington to increase funding. For more on the US position and its implications see this article. And for a visual reference of the drought and food crisis, this interactive map is a great resource. I'll definitely be blogging more about this situation and especially how the declaration of a famine affects aid to the countries so keep checking the blog!

Famine in the Horn of Africa

2011-07-16T23:17:00.000-04:00

You’ve seen the images hundreds of times: a desperate child with his belly protruding held up only by stick-like legs. But how much does that image affect you now? Thanks to the internet and television we are able to know about and see any and all devastation from around the world. But has that weakened the power of those images? Right now in the “horn of Africa” (northern Kenya, Ethiopia, and southern Somalia) there is what is being called the worst drought in nearly 60 years. That, combined with soaring world food prices is shaping up into a massive famine. But this famine was being predicted and warned about since last year. And yet international aid is nowhere near what it should be. One article warns against this “donor fatigue.” Another article questions whether time is an issue. When a natural disaster such as a hurricane or a flood occurs, aid seems to pour in from around the world. But something like a drought and the onset of a famine which occurs more slowly doesn’t seem to get the same urgent attention. This drought in the horn of Africa will have significant consequences for all those who are HIV positive. Even the slightest malnutrition can be devastating for an AIDS patient. I’ll blog more about this as it unfolds. For now here are some more articles if you’re interested: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/ethiopia/8637978/The-forgotten-people-of-Africas-famine-cry-out-for-aid.html

http://www.abc.net.au/correspondents/content/2011/s3271036.htm

http://www.economist.com/node/18929467?story_id=18929467

News Updates

2011-07-12T21:37:00.000-04:00

I thought I would use this post to update you readers on some news articles I've come across the past week. A lot of them had to do with finding a cure! It seems like the 30th anniversary of the discovery of HIV/AIDS has really ignited a fire in the medical community to focus on finding a cure. A research center in Seattle recently received a $5 million grant and is hoping to start human clinical trials in five years. Their main focus is on the "Berlin patient" incident which I had blogged about earlier. A man from Berlin who was both HIV positive and a leukemia patient received a bone marrow transplant from someone who had the rare delta 32 mutation which is immune to HIV. The patient is now both leukemia and HIV free. The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center is hoping to find a way to replicate this mutation, modify stem cells and find a way to attack the HIV "reservoirs" which make this virus so complicated and difficult to cure. The "reservoirs" refer to the dormancy of the virus. Controlling the virus with ART does not eliminate it and "pockets" of the virus remain in the persons system. Researchers from Johns Hopkins are receiving $32 million in funding to find out more about these reservoirs of HIV. A conference by the International AIDS Society will take place in Rome next week and I hope to find out more about what is discussed and blog about it!

Here are the links to the articles if you'd like to read them in their entirety: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2015589038_hivcure13m.html
http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/health/2011/07/hopkins_joins_group_looking_to.html
http://www.einnews.com/247pr/223806

Also--I will be picking up the medicine bottles tomorrow to get started on the Nelson Mandela Day Fundraiser. If you'd like to participate please let me know!!!

Do Something

2011-07-08T17:20:00.000-04:00

July 18th is Nelson Mandela Day. It's a day of service where everyone is asked to go out and do something. It doesn't have to be a major event. This year I'd like to ask all of you to join me in collecting change for AFCA. It's simple: you get a medicine/prescription bottle and fill it with coins and then give it back to AFCA. I will be handing out these medicine bottles to various groups and organizations and then collecting them on the 18th to give back to AFCA. If anyone would like to participate in this (and if you know others that would want to get involved) please contact me by commenting on this or writing on our facebook page wall!

A Poll to Ponder and an Event to Plan

2011-07-02T23:35:00.000-04:00

I came across this poll conducted recently by the Kaiser Family Foundation and want to share it with all you readers! Here's a link to a page on the website that will allow you to view the complete report of the poll findings: http://www.kff.org/kaiserpolls/8186.cfm. The report is 35 pages and highly interesting. What I found most intriguing was the part about the "declining sense of national urgency" which said fewer Americans name HIV as the top health problem for the US. This result is followed by the findings that people hear less about HIV through social media. Is that because of the declining sense of urgency? Or is it the other way around? Similarly, another one of the top findings showed that not many participants could name a national leader for the fight against HIV/AIDS. Regardless of how you look at it (the lack of urgency caused the lack of attention and focus, or the lack of coverage led to the decrease in urgency), the HIV problem is still huge and needs attention. July 18th is Nelson Mandela Day which is basically a day of service. I'd like to do something with AFCA to really get the word out there about HIV but I need your help! I've got a few ideas of my own but I welcome anyone to share their thoughts and ideas with me and maybe we could really pull something spectacular together! Comment on this with any ideas or questions. Hopefully I'll make some more concrete plans for the day and let everyone know soon!

Bringing the issue home

2011-06-29T23:11:00.000-04:00

So even though AFCA only works in African countries and I’ve blogged a lot about developing nations, I want to bring the issue home a little. The United States is huge and industrialized and “modernized” but that hasn’t exempted us from this crisis. America has the highest rate of HIV infections of all the industrialized countries at 0.6%. Sure, 0.6% looks really small compared to the countries AFCA works in but think about what that means: about 1.2 million people are living with HIV in this country. Bringing it even closer to home, a total of approximately 31,220 Pennsylvania residents are living with HIV (according to a 2008 estimate). A lot of people see the HIV/AIDS issue as a problem for developing and third world nations. But recently there has been a significant amount of reports on the problem here in America and especially in urban areas. For instance, some cities have the same prevalence rate as a developing nation in Africa. Just a few years ago Washington, D.C. reported a 3% HIV prevalence rate which is on par with or even more than some developing countries (such as Ghana). D.C. has been making improvements since then but it just goes to show that HIV/AIDS is not a foreign issue.

Here are some great sources if you want to learn more about HIV in the United States: http://aidsvu.org/states/PA (you can also view other state profiles), http://www.avert.org/usa-states-cities.htm (HIV incidences by state), http://www.aidsaction.org/communications/publications/statefactsheets/pdfs/2004/pennsylvania_2004.pdf (specific to PA), http://www.statehealthfacts.org/profileglance.jsp?rgn=40# (you can view other states and compare them to one another on a range of health issues!).

More from Tanya's trip

2011-06-26T10:51:00.000-04:00

A road of red dirt, dotted by deep holes, as wide as the road, as long as a car, and deep – filled with water. Are these little lakes deep enough for fish? I don’t ask this silly question, but it does cross my mind as the truck crosses yet another puddle, with the driver declaring in broken English ”that was a piece of cake”. As laughter escapes my mouth, I wonder if I’ve heard correctly. Before the question is spoken, Rachel tells me that Edison, our fearless driver, learned this phrase from other visitors. I smile. My smile meets the fish question and it settles while my body continues to bounce.

I listen to the Lingala flowing around me, picking out now-familiar works and making up the rest of the conversation in my head. Lingala is a trade language and is not a rich language, at that. It would not be hard to learn this language, I decide silently, and I try to memorize words as I hear them. Two hours pass quickly and I look up to see that we’ve arrived in Bwamongo. Here, we are visiting the pharmacy where we get the medicine we donate to the clinics of the Tandala Health Zone (16 of them) and the Tandala Hospital. I have been brought here by Rachel, Tony, Dr. Bienvenneu, and Edison.

Since French is easier for me to understand, we conduct our business in that language, visiting the warehouse and making some small purchases for some doctors and the dentist at the hospital, who made requests when they knew we were coming here. Soon, our business is over and we climb back into the back of the truck. We settle our sore bums for another couple of hours of riding as we make it back to the hospital and I settle my brain to do some more listening and thinking. My friends sing in the truck – lilting voices combining to make a gorgeous sound. At least four parts in each song and is it simply amazing.

I let the sound wash over me and I look out the window and look at the women balancing heavy burdens on their heads. Before we ever reach them, they move silently into the tall grasses that edge the road. I quickly turn my head to see them through the back door window. I am always surprised when one or two more people come out after our car moves on than the number I saw go into the grasses. I think how grateful I am that their disappearances are short-lived and that they are due to a peaceful car passing by. Not long ago, women and children disappeared into tall grasses because they were running for their lives. With soldiers ransacking, raping and killing, the grasses meant life. Babies were hushed with soft singing and hands pressed over their mouths. Mothers prayed and dragged children while looking out for water and edible leaves. Soldiers walked by on the road and the lucky ones in the grass fled and counted the days until the soldiers went home.

More from Tanya and pictures!

2011-06-25T10:47:00.000-04:00

The bathroom sink is black and it is moving. Wait. It is not moving, although movement is definitely present, as ants have taken over. The bathroom is quite dark, so I can’t see clearly, but I can see enough to know that we have a problem – hundreds of ants. I try not to keep the ants off me as I lean into the water barrel to get some water to dump over the ants, washing them down the drain and back to the earth. I wonder if anyone cries for them? Is there a mama ant out there, crying for her children? At that moment, I don’t really care – all I want is to get those ants out of the sink which used to be white and is now black.

As the day progresses, I feel ants on me, in me and around me. Sometimes, they are on me, but sometimes, they are just a thought, a feeling.

As I walk from ward to ward at Tandala Hospital, talking to doctors and seeing first-hand what their needs are, my head swims with possibilities. Everything needed is possible. For a price.

Beds, birthing beds, mattresses, mattress covers, new floors, repaired windows, headlamps – all doable. All available. All out of reach without money. God, give me wisdom. Bless our work. Help us help. Help us not do harm while helping. The truth is that no child should have to spend the night in a dark hospital ward, all by themselves, scared and hurting. No mother should lay on a metal bed without a mattress while waiting for the birth of her twins.

Twins. I hold a pair of day-old baby boys today and I felt full. It was an especially sweet moment because both babies and their mama are doing well and they are healthy. So soft and so new, these babies, yet uncounted. Why count your babies, when they will likely die? They’ll be counted once they turn five. Until then, every day is a prayer.

More from Tanya!

2011-06-24T10:59:00.000-04:00

Here's some more from Tanya in the Congo!

Sunday June 19, 2011

I feel old time missionaries here. Even though I can’t see them, I smell them as they walk by, fingers brushing their dusty books in the old bookshelves. The books are well-loved and they are the books of my childhood, so I drink in their sight and sigh, knowing that those who lived here in the past are much like those who lived with me in Colombia as a child. The small fan in the corner, the one that needs non-existent electricity to function, sits by a cracked mirror, which, doubtless, saw many faces pass through this room.

The bottom bunk, wrapped under a mosquito net, is the perfect place to think and plan my day. It is 5:00am. How many others did that in this exact spot before me? After my quiet time is done and I have stretched out the kinks in my body and imagination, I search for my flashlight and sandals on to make my way to the kitchen. It is still dark there, but I put a pot of water on the stove (thank God for gas!) to take the chill out of the morning bucket bath. Nothing feels as good as that lukewarm water as I dump it over my head and it washes over my crouched body and my feet, which are protected by a pair of shared flip-flops. After several house in a bouncing car to reach Tandala Hospital yesterday, this bath is glorious and I fell alive again. I strive to only use ½ a bucket of water, knowing it is a precious commodity. I am so grateful to have short hair.

Now, with the 6am light of morning, I am ravenous. Peanuts and a cup of tea will assuage my appetite, as soon, we’ll head for morning devotions at the hospital before starting a day of meetings, photos, handshakes, and smiles. The song is sweet and doesn’t over power or overtake the prayer. It enshrouds us. It covers us. It makes us feel like one, thanking God for His goodness.

Updates from Tanya!

2011-06-23T21:09:00.001-04:00

For those of you who don't know, Tanya is currently visiting the AFCA programs and children in the DRC and Zimbabwe. She managed to get access to the internet and sent me some entries to post on the blog:

Dem. Republic of Congo

June 15 - 18, 2011

Ken and I arrived in Kinshasa on June 16 and stayed at a semi-nasty hotel with no running water in Ken’s room, some running water in my room and cockroaches. My room had water, but it came in spurts and water was not to be found coming out of the sink. Instead, it came out through the water tubes running on the side of the wall, flooding the tile bathroom. This was a bit of a pain, especially when the electricity ran out and I thought I’d fall and break my neck on the slippery floor. I managed to bathe using a bucket of water while diligently keeping my eyes focused away from the spider on the wall. I figured if I gave him a wide berth, he’d leave me alone in gratitude for his life. It worked well and we both slept in different rooms, that spider and I.

While in Kishasa, we spent time with Pastor Alenge, who is a great driver in a sea of mad drivers and casual walkers with a death wish. We ate tasty dinners at his home, cooked and served by his wife Betty and spend the day in his car, driving from place to place. We went to the airlines office to deposit our suitcases which would forwarded to Gemena, to the bank to exchange money, to the church where the pastor lives and works, and to the grocery store. All of these tips should have been doable in a couple of hours, but the traffic was so dense that it took us all day to complete these four tasks.

On Saturday, we flew to Gemena, where the air was thick with humidity and where sweat started pouring down my shirt and into my pants, finally finding its way to my ankles. We arrived at the mission station where we were greeted by children who receive medicine from AFCA and who were holding a banner thanking AFCA for the hope they have received. The children had t-shirts on which said “AFCA, thanks for giving us hope” and which almost made me cry. Had I not been the only woman in the whole bunch of people, I would have cried, I am sure. But, I held it together and really enjoyed the short but touching ceremony carried out by the various leaders of CECU and PEASIT. Rachel arrived in time to translate the ceremony for Ken and me and it was a beautiful service. The music was my favorite part, with different voices joining in to form a hymn that I recognized in my own language. The music had a distinct African sound to it, with harmonies and clapping forming sounds and feelings that make me swell up inside – it is a sound that makes me smile and that makes me sorrowful, at all once. It leaves my soul feel full and I know I am in Africa once again.

Now, on the 18^th of June, we sit in a small guesthouse while Rachel cooks up some Ramen Noodles for dinner and we wait for the internet to work so we can write our loved ones back home. The generator is working, so we are able to charge our cameras, phones and laptops, but we can’t get hooked up to the V-Sat quite yet.

I am trying not to drink too much liquid at this time of night because I don’t want to have to use the outhouse unless my kidneys just can’t take it anymore. I don’t like it when my flashlight catches shadows made by giant spiders or cockroaches. I don’t like having to set my flashlight down in order to fetch water to pour into the toilet that doesn’t flush. So – little water and soup for me tonight.

Outside, the dark is dark. It is gorgeous and smells fresh due to the storm that passed this way, washing away the humidity and leaving behind the clean, earthy smell and cool temperatures that promises good sleep tonight. I am told that this is not normal and that tomorrow, we might swelter as we sleep. But, for now, I am looking forward to a great night of sleep, as last night was lost to a cacophony of noise outside our hotel windows. Tonight, all I hear is the croaking of frogs, the chirping of insects, and the sound of chickens sleeping. I feel peaceful, which is such a welcome feeling after the oppressive, dirty, and sad feel from Kinshasa. I’d be happy not to pass through that city again, but I know I must. Next time, I will come through Bangui in Central African Republic.

Democratic Republic of Congo

2011-06-22T23:20:00.000-04:00

The final country that AFCA works in that I’ll briefly introduce is the Democratic Republic of Congo. The DRC has been riddled with violence ever since its independence in 1960 (originally Congo, the country was renamed Zaire in the 1970’s and then became the DRC in 1997). Refugees from the Rwandan genocide flooded into the country and eventually the DRC found itself in the midst of a five year war that has been referred to as ‘Africa’s World War’. The violence is still present and rape has been a major issue. Last year a UN official actually called the DRC the ‘rape capital of the world.’ The adult HIV prevalence rate is around 1.3% and many studies suggest that this number is on the rise. The effects of the conflict in the region are mostly apparent in the poverty and lack of access to proper resources. USAID says that approximately 70% of the population does not have adequate access to health care. Women have been disproportionately affected due to the sexual violence that has occurred. Additionally there is a big orphan population in the country (around 8.2 million) who could be at risk for contracting the virus and according to a study done in 2009 in the DRC around one million of these children have been orphaned due to AIDS (see the USAID document for more on this).

I’d recommend the BBC website for basic information on the conflict in the region (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-11108589) and USAID and UNAIDS for information on the HIV/AIDS problem in the region (http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/global_health/aids/Countries/africa/congo_profile.pdf) (http://www.unaids.org/en/regionscountries/countries/democraticrepublicofthecongo/).

Improvement in Ghana

2011-06-20T23:46:00.001-04:00

As I was sifting through the news today I saw an article that immediately caught my eye. It read “How Ghana Has More Than Halved Its HIV/AIDS Rate.” The prevalence rate has apparently gone down from four percent to one and a half percent thanks to a national strategy plan and AIDS commission. This is clearly something to be excited about. But as I kept reading I noticed that there was no mention of homosexuality in the country. I’ve been doing quite a bit of research on Ghanaian culture in preparation for my trip and I’ve found that homosexuality is actually illegal and very much seen in a negative light. So I found it a little strange that the article mentioned reducing the stigma attached to HIV but nothing about homosexuality. In fact I sort of started questioning whether that 1.5% prevalence rate was really accurate. I looked up a little more on homosexuals living in Ghana and most of them are afraid to come out and instead make up this sort of secret society in the country. I think this article just about sums up the perception of homosexuality in Ghana: http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=211415. I’m certainly not denying the great achievement of the Ghanaian government in reducing the HIV/AIDS prevalence rate nor am I saying that these statistics are deliberately misleading or anything of the sort. But I do wonder how many people in that 1.5% that have HIV are gay and how many others are living HIV positive but are not reported. It’s just a thought. What do you think? Feel free to comment!

Here’s the article on the Ghanaian governments success: http://www.npr.org/2011/06/20/137298597/ghana-vp-explains-how-country-has-more-than-halved-hiv-aids-rate. This should no doubt be used as a great role model for other countries on how to successfully curb HIV transmission.

Zimbabwe

2011-06-17T16:18:00.002-04:00

There are currently about 1.2 million people living with HIV in Zimbabwe which is nearly one tenth of the population. 150,000 of those are under the age of 14 and half of all child deaths (ages 5 and under) are due to HIV/AIDS. Similar to Kenya, the government of Zimbabwe was slow to respond at first. However, the response has still been slow mostly in part to a series of devastating social and political issues. The government of Zimbabwe, run by President Mugabe, has been subjected to scrutiny from the international world for years which has hindered many HIV/AIDS efforts. Some foreign donors have been reluctant to get involved in the country due to its political turmoil. Other socioeconomic issues such as inflation, land resettlement, unemployment and food shortages have exacerbated the HIV problem. Despite this grim picture, the prevalence rate of HIV in the country has been on the decline. However, the political, social and economic issues of Zimbabwe stunted its ability to make substantial progress regarding HIV/AIDS and the country still has a long way to go.

Zimbabwe’s history and issues are very interesting and a simple search of “Mugabe” produces an incredible amount of biographies and memoirs of people living under his rule in Zimbabwe. As usual I recommend UNAIDS website (http://www.unaids.org/en/regionscountries/countries/zimbabwe/), the CIA World Factbook (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/zi.html) and this article which addresses the connection between the political and social issues in the country and the HIV epidemic (http://www.prb.org/Articles/2004/ZimbabwesPoliticalandEconomicProblemsHinderEffectiveResponsetoAIDS.aspx).

UN Meeting on AIDS Sets High Goals for 2015

2011-06-13T20:53:00.002-04:00

The UN General Assembly High Level Meeting on AIDS finished up on the 10^th. Some of the goals set by world leaders included halving the infection rate among IV drug users, eliminating new HIV infections among children and reducing sexual transmission by 2015 and also achieving the Millennium Development Goal 6 which aspires to halt and reverse the spread of HIV by 2015. As mentioned in my last blog, pediatric AIDS was given a significant amount of attention as well at the meeting with particular focus on gender inequalities and its impact on HIV transmission and treatment. A panel discussion centered on females and HIV brought up the issue of the unequal access to HIV treatment for women in many countries which has a significant effect on the pediatric AIDS issue. The meeting chose to focus on equal access to treatment for women as a means of combating mother-to-child transmission. The meeting did not set up any concrete plans or programs and only served to set goals for the UN member states to aspire to regarding HIV/AIDS. The goals are incredibly ambitious in my opinion and it will be very interesting to see the results in 2015 and which member states really commit to achieving the goals.

If you would like to read more about the goals set forth and the discussions you can go to www.unaids.org. There is also an official website for the meeting at: http://www.un.org/en/ga/aidsmeeting2011/ where you can read the final declaration that was adopted titled “Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS: Intensifying Our Efforts to Eliminate HIV/AIDS”.

Kenya

2011-06-08T22:50:00.002-04:00

HIV in Kenya first began to spread through its sex workers (mainly in Nairobi). Presently, women are disproportionately affected with prevalence rates nearly twice that of males. Kenya was accused of not initially responding as aggressively to the HIV problem as its neighbor country, Uganda. However, since 2000 Kenya has made significant strides in prevention and care. Prevalence has decreased from its peak rate of 13.4% in 2000 to 6.9% as of 2006. Around 20,000 children are reported as HIV+ each year in Kenya which is decreased from the rate in 2000 at around 40,000. However, according to the Kenyan newspaper Business Daily, these figures are not accurate and many more children are infected but not reported (http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/-/539444/1176552/-/122i2bbz/-/). This lack of information has hindered the ability to implement effective pediatric programs according to the article. Additionally, Kenya has a very low number of pediatricians that are mostly concentrated in urban areas which poses major problems for children living in rural areas to get treatment.

On a related note: the UN is currently holding a High Level Meeting on AIDS and First Ladies from around the world have put forth pediatric AIDS and gender inequality as top priorities. I will be following the UN meeting and writing more on the issues that are presented and focused on. If you would like to read more on it as well you can go to www.unaids.org.

Prepping for Africa

2011-06-04T00:10:00.002-04:00

In preparation for my study abroad this upcoming fall to Ghana I, unfortunately, had to get six shots and order anti-malarial pills on Wednesday. But the shots didn’t phase me nor did the daunting task of taking those malaria pills every single day the whole time I’m in Africa. What truly affected me during the nearly-two-hour session was the way in which Ghana was perceived by the nurse. I know she certainly didn’t mean any harm by it but I also got the feeling that she had never been to Africa. As she was giving me precautionary advice she kept referring to the Ghanaians as “them” and was telling me not to trust their police or hospitals or water or anything for that matter. I was informed that I absolutely should not get tap water in my mouth nor should I eat anything that has not been cooked. I should not use their hospitals unless absolutely necessary since their doctors are not up to par with American standards. I should remember that their police are not to be trusted and have no interest in helping foreigners. And as she kept listing what I should and should not do all I could think was “Do you expect me to stay holed up in my dorm room the entire time?” There’s no need to fear going to a country in Africa (or any country for that matter). Yet, this is what she seemed to want—she wanted me to fear all the diseases and parasites and dirty food and unsanitary water that I would be exposed to. She had this strange perception of Africa as this dangerous and dirty place and it really bothered me. I’d love to hear from people who have been to Africa—have you experienced this perception from others?

A Cure?

2011-06-01T23:53:00.002-04:00

This week marks the 30 year anniversary of the discovery of AIDS. There still has been no cure but an article on Reuters does provide some hope. A man in Berlin was, in fact, “cured” of AIDS. There is a genetic mutation that is well-known to be resistant to the virus. The CCR5 delta 32 mutation has been found in a (very) small proportion of people. Timothy Ray Brown was both HIV positive and sick with leukemia. He needed a bone marrow transplant and his doctor suggested a transplant from someone with the genetic mutation. Miraculously it worked and Brown survived and has since not had any signs of the virus replicating and his doctor does not believe he will have any problems with HIV ever again. Obviously a very risky procedure such as this could not be implemented on all HIV+ patients and, in fact, this could be the only success story of its kind.

This story does brings hope that a cure could be found in the near future but it has also sparked a debate, or, rather, reignited the debate over whether money and attention should be focused on prevention or finding a cure. Some believe that research for a cure would detract from the immediate need for stemming the transmission of HIV. It’s an interesting debate and I still don’t know where I truly stand on it. What is your view? Feel free to share your thoughts on this subject or on anything else!

Here’s the link for the article: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/01/us-aids-idUSTRE75030I20110601

Uganda

2011-05-29T22:21:00.000-04:00

I’d like to take a little time to introduce the four separate countries that AFCA works in and hopefully make it clear why those countries need this aid. So here’s just a brief picture of the HIV/AIDS problem in Uganda. For starters, the CIA World Factbook states underneath its population estimate for the country (a little over 34 million) that this estimate takes into account the effect of AIDS on the population and the resulting increased mortality rate (it doesn’t do this for every country). As of 2009, 1.2 million people are living with HIV in the country setting the HIV prevalence rate at 6.5%. Orphanage due to HIV/AIDS is a significant problem in Uganda. Uganda has the highest proportion of orphaned children due to HIV/AIDS in the world with 2.3 million orphans attributed to the disease. While HIV/AIDS is still a serious issue in Uganda, there has been some progress since the disease first became known in 1980’s. The disease spread rapidly and peaked in the 1990’s but has since declined and prevalence has stabilized at around 6% (in the 1990’s it was as high as 18% in rural areas and 30% in urban areas!). AFCA provides medical supplies for three different hospitals and clinics in Uganda (more on that can be found at http://www.afcaids.org/about/impact). HIV weakens the immune system and increases the lethality of infections that would not necessarily be fatal so these medical supplies are needed to treat both HIV and any other common infections or illnesses. These are just some statistics for you to think about and hopefully help you understand why AFCA works in Uganda. If you want to learn more about the country I recommend the CIA World Factbook as a good starting place (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ug.html) and the UNAIDS website which has a “country factsheet” for Uganda (http://www.unaidsrstesa.org/regional-country-profiles-home/country-profiles/uganda).

Statistics, statistics, statistics

2011-05-25T11:44:00.002-04:00

Sub-Saharan Africa is the hardest hit area for HIV infections. This is the area that AFCA works in (specifically in the four countries of Kenya, Uganda, Zimbabwe and the DRC). Over 22 million people in sub-Saharan Africa are living with HIV and 14 million children have been orphaned as a result. We’ve all seen the pictures, heard the stories, read the statistics like the ones I just gave you. But what about the treatments? The progress? The success stories? You can’t just focus on the death and despair or you won’t have any hope for the future. This also works the other way around though too: don’t just look at the progress and success stories or you may begin to downplay how serious this disease is.

Looking at HIV/AIDS statistics can be overwhelming. And often, the statistics people tend to focus on are the negative ones. For example, when I looked at the first page of this UNAIDS report (http://www.unaids.org/en/media/unaids/contentassets/dataimport/pub/factsheet/2009/20091124_fs_global_en.pdf) I saw the numbers representing the millions of people living with HIV, the deaths, the orphans as a result of the disease and all I wanted to do was click out of the document. It was depressing, overwhelming. But I kept reading and amid those depressing statistics were numbers on the increase in people receiving treatment and drugs. Through some of my preliminary research I’ve been excited by the progress that’s been made. For example, just last week a news report was issued stating that the mortality rate in China for those infected has decreased by 60% since 2003 thanks to the free access to antiretroviral drugs (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/19/health/19aids.html). And organizations like AFCA have made a significant impact on the lives of those affected with this disease. You certainly can’t overlook those gruesome statistics, but don’t forget about the progress that has been made in the past few decades. And I’ll make sure to continue to post about both.

A Brief Introduction

2011-05-21T22:41:00.000-04:00

First I’d like to introduce myself: I’m Hannah Snyder, the new intern here at AFCA. Last semester at Goucher College I took a class titled “HIV/AIDS: Tearing the Social Fabric.” It really challenged me to see the disease as not only medically complex but also socially complex. I was required to teach and lead the class discussion with two other girls one day on the macroeconomic impact of AIDS. We had the class do a role play in which they saw how AIDS spreads and impacts mobile groups (for this example we had them role play as truckers). Some were HIV-positive, others were not but all had to end up with the same basic necessities of life by the end through whatever means necessary. The class remarked how difficult it was to get everything they needed to survive the game: money, medicine, food etc. For me, that just about sums up HIV/AIDS. It’s confusing. How do we help those who are HIV-positive? What if they’re in poverty? How do we tackle this issue in third world countries? There are so many aspects that need to be taken into account. That’s why I took this internship, because I wanted to understand the disease and its impact a little more and see how an organization can help those affected.

I’d like this blog to be an informal, yet still informative, discussion on the nature and impact of this disease as well as on Africa in general. I will share with you my research on the countries that AFCA works with (Kenya, Uganda, Zimbabwe and the DRC), how HIV has impacted those countries, and the progress in HIV/AIDS research across the globe. I’d also love to hear from the readers. If there is a topic you’d like me to cover in the blog let me know!

Want to do some good with change?

2011-05-17T20:16:00.000-04:00

How much money did you spend today? Maybe you got a cup of coffee for $3.50, bought lunch for $11.34 and then picked up a new pair of shoes on the way home for $58.60. What if you could round up each of those purcahses to the nearest dollar, and donate the spare change to American Foundation for Children with AIDS?

Well, our newest partner SwipeGood allows you to do just that: maximize your loose change for a good cause, like bringing safe drinking water to people around the world. And while the resulting $1.56 from today might now sound like a little, it actually adds up to over $20 in donations over the course of the month - without any extra work on your part.

But don't take our word for it - go ahead and take SwipeGoodf or a test drive. All you have to do is go to our page on SwipeGood and sign up your credit or debit card. SwipeGood rounds up your purchases to the next dollar, and lets you donate the change to American Foundation for Children with AIDS. You can even cap your monthly donations, so your are in complete control of the amount of money you donate each month.

How good will it feel to go about your every day shopping knowing that each purchase you make helps to bring life saving medicine, food, school supplies, medical equpment, and training to children in Africa? I can tell you it feels great - like you have a warm halo over your head.

So what are you waiting for? Learn more, enroll your credit or debit card today and change the world around you, one purchase at a time.

Advancements in Technology Lead to Early HIV Detection in Kenya’s Infants

2010-12-27T10:17:00.002-05:00

By guest blogger, Jack Lundee -

With over five million people infected with HIV in South Africa, it’s close to a fourth of the total number of Africans living with the virus today. Worldwide, there are approximately forty million individuals infected with HIV, half of which can be located in sub-Saharan Africa. And in 2009, nearly one point three million Africans died from the virus known as AIDS. With the passing of World Aids Day (Dec 01), it’s important that we remember the severity of the virus and some of the great advancements we’ve made in medical treatment and technologies.

Advanced, yet inexpensive vaccines and micro-bicides are amongst the top developments in medicine as preventative measures. Similarly, low costing, antiretroviral drugs have given infected populations the ability to live longer, healthier and happier lives. As important as these medicines, technologies and treatments are however, it’s even more important that we understand who’s doing what. The AFCA (American Foundation for Children with Aids) is a non-profit group that lends a hand to infected children in sub-Saharan Africa who ultimately have no other means of medical treatment. They are amongst a handful of organizations that provides critical AIDS and HIV related medications, nutritional supplements, medical equipment, and emergency supplies that are at high demand in their areas of focus. Globally, 9 out of every ten children affected with the HIV virus live in sub Saharan Africa – 90 percent of these children have contracted the virus directly through pregnancy.

Early detection is very crucial to the survival of this 90 percent. Behind such early detection technologies are the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI 2005) and The Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI 2002). As the brainchild of close personal aid Doug Band, the CGI has done exceptional work in the areas of global health, technology, education and more. Similarly, Clinton’s Health Access Initiative is committed to strengthening health systems in developing nations like Africa. In fact, part of their mission is to “…expand access to care and treatment for HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis.” This includes investing monies into technological studies surrounding medicine and treatment programs.

In the technology sector, Doug Band, former President Clinton and The CGI, alongside CHAI, continues to receive funding for HIV related projects in third world countries like South Africa. Lately, they’ve joined up with Hewlett Packard (HP) to deliver technologies that will take, manage and return early diagnosis for infants in Kenya. In other words, this new technology will identify the virus in an infant within one to two days, which is a significant upgrade from traditional detection, derived from paper based systems.

However, the AFCA is amongst a very miniscule handful of organizations that actually provides anti-retroviral medicines to children ages pre-birth to 19 years old, as some organizations consider childhood to be over at 15, but adult providers of anti-retroviral medicine don’t give to children under 19 years old. At present, AFCA provides aid to this particular group and their HIV+ guardians in the following areas:

Democratic Republic of Congo
Kenya
Uganda
Zimbabwe

The AFCA does not forget that although a majority of the people in South Africa affected by HIV/AIDS is of reproductive age, children and seniors are amongst the most vulnerable to death. Equally understood are the statistics; “…at least 14 million children under the age of 15 have experienced the death of one or both parents due to AIDS.” The only practical solution to keep elders alive is through anti-retroviral therapy, thereby giving living parents to the children affected by this horrible virus.

Without immediate care, infants infected typically don’t make it past age two. In their first year, HP will be able to help over 70,000 infants in Kenya. These technologies will also permit real-time medical data, which will be viewable to health professionals across Kenya.

Still, Africa remains one of the biggest challenges for associations and non-profits like the AFCA, CHAI and the CGI. Recent improvements in technology, along with improve anti-retroviral medications have helped lessen casualty rates and lengthened lives. And although a cure remains missing, the AFCA, HP, CHAI and the CGI have provided a great technological progress towards abolishing the virus for good.

Africa Update #3

2010-09-20T09:05:00.001-04:00

I was unable to get on the Internet yesterday, so a few days worth of updates.

Spent Wednesday morning working in the clinic. Sorted pills, did filling and watched a class being taught on how to correctly take your medication. Students were very attentive and the teacher was great. It was in Swahili, so I did not understand much but could tell by the way the class was responding that it was well done.

Bought an instant camera to bring with me and it has proven to be a good investment. Everyone wants pictures of themselves and they proudly pose for the camera. Explaining that it takes a while for the photo to show has been a challenge but we are somehow able to understand each other. Wish I had brought twice as much film, but will leave the camera at the center and try to send film for them to continue the picture taking.

Many of the clients also volunteer in the center. Very inspiring to see them work so hard helping in any way they can. They are grateful for the free medication and the kindness of the staff. Several of the men helped to repaint the center since I have been there. I tried to help, put painting is not my strong suit and it was pretty clear I was the weak link in the bunch.

Spent the afternoon at another AIDS Clinic in a smaller village. We had “kids club” where they did art therapy and talked about being responsible for taking their medication and taking care of themselves. Many of the participants will start Secondary School later in the year which is very rare. Apparently it costs money and most families cannot afford it. Exploring how I can help sponsor some of the children to go to school. Not much money to us; likely the cost of our weekly coffee. Gave them their own soccer balls (thank you Nike) to keep at the center and they were very happy.

Thursday was a day spent in the field going on client home visits. The poverty was worse than I could have ever imagined. We had to walk much to most of the homes because they were in remote areas. The clinic goes out to the homes to make sure the clients are taking their medicine properly and that they are doing well. Incredible work from the staff and the community volunteers. Truly amazing.

So many heart breaking stories from today. Many families where all the members are HIV positive. The children generally do well on the drugs, but the poverty is debilitating. Again, just going to school is a big effort financially. We brought food stables for them and some small gifts like crayons and pencils. Met Martin and his family. Martin is doing well but cannot afford to go to school much longer. I am working on paying (it is $100 per year) for his school. He wants to be a lawyer and is very bright and a wonderful boy. After we left, he walked two hours there and back to the clinic to get his medication.

During the walk to the last home we visited, I created quite a stir. Many of the children rarely, if ever, see a white person. Children started running around the village telling each other that a white person was there and pretty soon I had about 20 children following me saying “how are you”. It was really great and I took their pictures and they wanted to touch my hand. Heart warming and impressed that even in dire poverty, these children seemed happy.

Tomorrow is my last day and will do some more field visits in the morning and Senior Teen's Club in the afternoon before I leave. I will leave with mixed emotions. Very ready to come home and have a hot shower, sleep in my own bed and feel safe, but what I have seen and experienced will remain with me on many levels. Knowing all I have makes me feel a little guilty that by the luck of the draw I was born in the United States where for most people, things are much easier. I know I cannot let myself dwell on this because feeling guilty does not do any good. I will channel that energy in figuring out how I can continue to help and would like to focus on making sure some of the children I met can get their school fees paid. I am very glad I was able to have this experience and hope my pictures and stories will raise awareness for my friends and family.

And Now we Say Kwaheri

2010-09-20T08:57:00.000-04:00

The question really is whether this is the beginning or the end. We started by beautifying a physical facade, which led to the further beautification of individuals, families and communties...and ended in our own beautification... me personally... as I feel I am leaving this wonderful corner of Kenya a much better person.

Our home visitations continued again this morning. We started with the home of Stephen, shared by his sister and their total of 4 children. Stephen was part of the crew the helped paint the medical centre earlier in the week.

At each of the next two stops, chairs, tables, empty water containers.. whatever could be had...was brought in for us to sit on. This is a true sign of respect and hospitality - what is means to have a visitor in your home.

We then attended the Teen's session in the afternoon at the centre. A remarkable group of children that participate in a facilitated session to discuss their circumstances, stigmas, medical treatments etc. They are a confident bunch, so it made for some very animated discussion.

Then it was off to an open patch to kick around a few new Nike soccer balls.

The memory of this trip will remain with me for a very long time. We must first start by acknowledging our good fortune, and then ask what we can offer to those that are less fortuneate... not needy... just a little less fortunate than us. As I have come to learn, what we do is not charity... these people have pride, confidence and the will to change... they just need compassion and an enabling environment.

-Al

Right from the Core... Wishing we Could do More

2010-09-16T09:30:00.000-04:00

Today was a day of shedding.... shedding our preconceptions, perceptions and insecurities.
We visited the homes of four of our clinic patients today, as part of the Home Visitation Program. And you'll see that the word "home" is used in the most generous sense...these we little more than mud, corrugated metal, dirt and string.

At its most basic level, this was about showing another family that we cared.... extending hand for hand, looking eye to eye and open heart for a needy heart.

There was Lucas - father of two - with ill child and wife, who prayed for us as we entered his home and as we left. Mariam gave us the perspective of the care-giving grandmother, with stories about how the ARV medication saved her grand-daughter's life.

All this we learned and experienced while treking through dirt, sewage, goats, chickens and filth. But each time we landed on a doormat, we were greeted with warmth, "karibu sana" (warm welcome), genuine thanks... showing us that common dignity prevails.

And this dignitiy of humanity persists regardless of circumstance.

I am a better person today.

-Al

Day 2 - from Beth

2010-09-16T07:28:00.000-04:00

Today I spent my second day in the AIDS Clinic. The staff is unbelievably good. The clients who come to the clinic are treated with compassion, dignity and respect. The grace of the nurses and the other clinic workers is something to behold.

The clinic had TB (tuberculosis) day today. Many, many patients came to get tested. There are several patients, including children, who have both AIDS and tuberculosis. I found out that you cannot get a very inexpensive drug, Streptomycin, in Kenya. This drug is crucial in treating TB and is readily available in most countries. A doctor from the US tells me that the Kenya Government is so unorganized that they did not order the drug even though it is free to get. I feel helpless to do anything, but will write to politicians all the same. Makes you appreciate our system in the US in spite of it's flaws.

Many shipments come in to the clinic from USAID. The boxes say “From the American People” and include water bottles, mosquito nets, condoms, and other essentials. Other boxes, including medicine has been arriving from the Clinton Foundation. Makes you proud that the US is trying to do something, but the poverty and disease are so vast, I am sure it does not put a dent into the problem. A valiant attempt, however and pleased that the US is trying to make an impact.

I had my first breakdown in the clinic today. Two girls were in the clinic yesterday and we had a bit of a connection (pencils seem to be a universal ice breaker with children). They were back today and I was trying to figure out who their mother was. One of the nurses told me the mother has to go to work so the older sister, age 12 or so, takes responsibility for the younger sister's heath treatment. She forgoes school so she can make sure her sister gets the care she needs. I asked why they were waiting around so long today ( 5 or 6 hours with no food) and the little girl who already has AIDS was being tested for TB as well. I tried to hold it together, but could not. The nurses told me that you quickly have to get over the individual situations to make it through the day. This is one of many situations I have heard about that are unfathomable to most people I will ever encounter.

I will spend the day tomorrow at a satellite clinic and then to the “kids club” where they have support groups for children with HIV/AIDS. They do art therapy and other activities as well as giving the children a warm meal. I will be giving out some soccer balls as well. They are a well received gift for the children. I have a few videos but I am not sure the Internet connection is strong enough to send so it may have to wait until I return to the States. One child told me I was a “very good visitor” which gave me tremendous joy. It is hard to feel any contribution one makes will have any impact on such a dire situation, but nonetheless I will not stop trying.

Thanks again for your support.

Sitting Under a Shady Tree.... Using the Psychology of Art

2010-09-15T09:48:00.001-04:00

Armed with a few supplies from the local Nakumatt (Kenya's Wal-Mart), a group of us made our way to the Mbugoni district of Mombasa today to conduct a Teen Couseling Session at the local clinic. These sessions are held monthly for adolescents who are enrolled with the clinic, as a way of supporting and reinforcing the importance of their treatment. With children who might not have parents to help remind them to take their medicine or to drill into them the importance of taking their medications daily, the counselors at the clinic supported by AFCA take on this role, as we. They are amazing women and men who work with the kids in various ways, with this remote teen counseling sessions being one of them.

So it was under a shady tree that a group of 10 youth, ages 13-17 years, introduced themselves to us and listed off the medications they were taking. For me this was the moment of reality - these chlidren are infected with HIV/AIDS, coping with their circumstances and here to attend a support session where two new foreigners are sitting and watching.. I'm sure it was daunting.

Lucy and Sister Regina took the children threw a drawing session to bring forward some of the emotions and feelings that were being kept deep inside. I must say that each child had considerable talent... very expressive in their piece and what they drew about. They were asked to explain the significance of what they drew.

And then a couple of new Nike soccer balls were brought out and we played with the children for a while. There was enough time for me to show a couple of the young boys the famous Ronoldo step--over move. They seemed pretty amazed that "mzee" (old man) still has some fuel in the tank.

A very gratifying day.

We Paint... and We Paint... and We Paint Some More

2010-09-14T09:09:00.000-04:00

They say that beauty comes from within. This clinic in Mikindani has done some of its most beautiful work withiin its four walls.... treating those with little to no options related to HIV/AIDS, TB and a host of other infections. But this institution now needs a makeover of its own, so we embarked on a painting project this morning that would give back to this building some of the same shine that we find on the inside.

"Pole" (slow) is a word you come to appreciate and use quite a bit in Kenya.... but "pole sana" (very slow) is gernally the more apropos term. Took a while to get the troops all set up and ready to work this morning, but we quickly came together and put our minds to the one task of giving this old lady (our medicial centre) her day at the spa.

Some children and mothers waiting in queue for treatment or counseling were also introduced to our friendship bracelets. They say a smile is worth a thousand words... what they don't say is that it's worth 10 million shillings to these children in Kenya :-)

From Painting Walls to Soccer Balls

2010-09-13T19:18:00.000-04:00

After being in Mombasa for a few days, you become accustomed to the sites and smells that are so uniqure to this part of Africa. It was my first time in the Mikindani part of town this morning. We were ready for a full day of work at the Volunteer Counseling and Testing Medical center.

We worked shoulder-to-shoulder with a local crew prepping the medical center's exterior facade for painting. Everyone chipped in equally, using "msasa" (sandpaper) and "fhagia" (broom), not to mention a variety to other tools, to get the exterior ready for painting. Unfortunately, painting must be a booming business in Mombasa, as our painter did not show up... but we will get to the fun part of the job tomorrow.

But this allowed us time to visit a couple of adjoining schools and surprise the young primary children with brand new Nike soccer balls. To see the action and excitement is something that cannot be put into words. A typical ho-hum recess was turned into complete euphoria.

We hope to do more of the same in the coming days.
-Al

Beth and Al in Mombasa, Kenya

2010-09-13T12:36:00.001-04:00

Beth (Nike) and Al (Board of Directors, AFCA) arrived in Mombasa, Kenya on Saturday. They are working at the Mikindani slum -painting the clinic AFCA supports. They are also spending some time with the children in the program, playing and getting acquainted.

Here's some photos sent by Beth today.

What is Nike Up to?

2010-08-03T21:14:00.000-04:00

Good question! Some Nike employees are busy raising funds and getting into shape so they can climb Kilimanjaro in September. While this might not seem like such a big deal, it really is. These 12 folks are climbing to save the lives of children affected and infected by AIDS.

Check out this little video to learn what Nike is up to - it is amazing what this team is doing. I find it inspirational and hope that many others folks, from all walks of life will decide to do something for others. If you want to volunteer with AFCA or if you want to organize a hike or climb to raise funds for kids in our programs, please get in touch with us. We'll get you going!

Helen Does it Again!

2010-07-22T16:39:00.000-04:00

Helen Clark, volunteer extraordinaire, has done it again! Read below to see what this young lady has been up to this summer:

"Helen won both of her events at the 4H Competition: Project Achievement - International - there are 40 project areas, of which International is one, with over 2000 4-Hers competing in one. Helen won 1st!

She also was one of two winners in the state Leadership In Action event. Students submit portfolios about there community service projects - many spring from their Project Achievement work, just like Helen's. She was one of the two state winners and earns a trip to next year's National Conference in Washington, DC - she went this year as one of four state delegates chosen in a stiff application and interview competition! She is so, so excited to be able to go back again.

But the BIGGEST news is she was awarded one of two $1500 grants to continue her leadership project work!!!!! Mosquito nets for kids in Uganda!! This is really coming together!!!! Thanks to Jason Mills, this grant, and all the kids who'll participate, the mostquito nets will be made for the kiddos...so happy about that!

We are exhausted. Tonight is the big banquet with 100s of donors coming. Helen will have at least three groups of donors with which to interact and thank. I hope she can get a nap today as she's getting a little cranky. Pray that she will get a chance to rest and be at her best. She will have great opportunities to talk about AFCA and the mosquito net project in addition to the medical supplies collection work.

Thanks SO much for your work with Helen and me. It's been amazing."

Helen, thanks for caring and thanks for helping our kids. You are an inspiration.

Don't forget the other people

2010-03-11T21:01:00.002-05:00

This year has started with a slew of natural disasters, affecting thousands of people. Because of all this suffering, it is hard to decide whom to help. Whatever you do, whomever you help, please be sure not to forget other programs which still count on your support, though!

And, be sure to vet the organizations you help...make sure you know where your donations are going and what they are accomplishing. There is nothing worse than giving because you care just to find out that a LARGE percentage never made it to the people you intended to help. Guidestar.org and other watchdog organizations are good sources to help you figure out these questions.

Thanks for caring!

Anti-retrovirals could halt Aids spread in five years

2010-02-22T19:07:00.002-05:00

BBC News reports that anti-retroviral treatments (ARVs) and universal testing could stop the spread of Aids in South Africa within five years, according to Dr. Brian Williams, a leading figure in the field of HIV research based at the South African Centre for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis (Sacema) in Stellenbosch.

"We've been using drugs to save lives, but not stop the infection," Williams told BBC. "It's time to look beyond that." He says that if clinical trials started now, all of the HIV positive people in South Africa could be on ARV treatment within five years.

Click here to read the article on BBC.

New Program for AFCA

2010-02-03T23:11:00.001-05:00

Change.org recently launched the 2010 Ideas for Change in America competition, and I just submitted an idea that I'd love your support on. The title of the idea is "Launch an Educational and Exercise Program to Teach Children About Africa, AIDS and What They Can Do To Help "

To vote for my idea, all you have to do is click here and you can vote in less than 20 seconds.

The top 10 voted ideas will be presented at an event in Washington, DC to relevant members of the Obama Administration, and then promoted to Change.org's full community of more than 1 million people. So we could have a real impact.

Thanks for the help!

tanya

Our Kids Still Need Us, and We Still Need You

2010-01-27T14:29:00.004-05:00

All of our hearts are breaking for Haiti, and rightfully so. But please don't forget our own children who equally need all the help they can get, just to survive, every single day. Please keep your hearts open and continue to help children with AIDS to receive life-saving medicine and emergency supplies.

American Foundation for Children with AIDS has been blessed by the generous donations, large and small, by so many of you over the years. We, especially the kids, are so grateful and hope that you will continue to give what you can to help us keep these children alive and healthy. Without you, we couldn't do what we do.

You can make a donation online to give toward getting medical supplies where they're most needed. Or, if you have other items you wish to donate, you can bring them to us. We always need:

wheelchairs - pediatric and adult
blankets and sheets
toys for the kids are always appreciated

A full list of medical supplies and other things we need is available on our website.

On behalf of the kids, THANK YOU!

"Change (It's Alright)" by Laura Cheadle

2010-01-25T14:13:00.001-05:00

"Change (It's Alright)" by Laura Cheadle produced by Nick Cheadle on WellcomeMat

Calling All Climbers for Climb Up So Kids Can Grow Up 2010 Events!

2010-01-20T17:50:00.004-05:00

This year's Climb Up So Kids Can Grow Up event planning is under way. If you're a climber, we would love for to join us once again in our efforts to raise funds to help us save kids lives while doing something you love -- climbing! Save the dates, and spread the word!

CLIMB UP THE 50 - Summer 2010
Climb, hike or run up the highest point in your state.

CLIMB UP KILIMANJARO - September 11-22, 2010
Join a team of climbers as they travel to Tanzania where they will climb up Mount Kilimanjaro while getting to see a bit of the African continent.

CLIMB UP THE WORLD - September 18-19, 2010
Run, climb, hike or cycle wherever you happen to be—no geographical boundaries can stop you from helping children while doing something good for yourself.

CLIMB UP IN CHARLOTTE - November 6, 2010
Run, climb, hike or cycle in and around Charlotte, NC.

We also have a women's climb in 2011!

CLIMB UP KILIMANJARO - Women's Team - February 5-15, 2011
Join a team of women climbers as they travel to Tanzania where they will climb up Mount Kilimanjaro while getting to see a bit of the African continent.

More information, including registration, is up at the Climb Up So Kids Can Grow Up website!

We've also posted some Climb Up stories from last year's participants who called it an opportunity of a lifetime and an experience that they will never forget. While fulfilling a dream to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, they helped save the lives of children. What could be better than that?

These climbing/hiking events benefit the American Foundation for Children with AIDS (AFCA). AFCA is a non for profit organization which provides life-saving medicine, nutritional support, humanitarian relief, and medical supplies/equipment to HIV+ children, their HIV+ guardians and HIV+ pregnant women. We work in Sub-Saharan Africa – Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.

Won't you join us in helping save kids' lives?

Paige's Last Post

2009-12-01T11:03:00.002-05:00

Well everyone, this is my last post as the AFCA's communication intern. I've really enjoyed working with the AFCA this semester. It was more than just your average internship of making copies, getting coffee, and faxing. I felt as though I actually contributed to helping out the children, even through tasks like researching and making databases. Everything I did, no matter how little it seemed to me, worked towards the greater goal of helping the children.I appreciate the opportunity the AFCA gave me and all the great experience I acquired through this internship. I hope to stay connected with AFCA and keep up with all their work.

Thank you AFCA! Keep up with the good work!

Animoto.com

2009-11-27T16:24:00.001-05:00

FREE ways to help kids with AIDS

2009-11-17T14:07:00.001-05:00

Hi, everyone,

There are two ways you can help raise funds for children with AIDS, at NO cost to you, and taking only 30 seconds of your time. The first is to click here and do a search for American Foundation for Children with AIDS. Then, vote. That is all you have to do. Well, then, please tell EVERYONE you know about this and ask them to vote. We have a chance at winning $25k for our kids…please help us. You only vote once during the first round of this competition, so it is really simple. This round ends on December 11th. Tell EVERYONE you know, especially your friends on Facebook. You can scroll to the bottom of the page and post the challenge information directly on your FB wall. Easy!

The other way for you to help is to vote every day (or as many times as you can) from now until February 28th at Good Earth. There, we are competing for $10,000. And, again, no money out from you and no need to receive spam mail from the donor. Good, huh?

Help us win, friends!

tanya

A Huge Success in Charlotte!

2009-11-16T19:48:00.005-05:00

Two weekends ago, AFCA hosted Climb Up in Charlotte. 250 people attended and $6000 was raised for the kids!

The Neighborhood Theatre hosted a relaxing evening with 2 wineries and 15 restaurants who provided tastings, while Saturday was an exciting day of yoga classes, massages, climbing, and good food at Inner Peaks. The auction on Friday night gave away a signed BB King guitar, Osprey backpacks, Parrot Cay three day stay for two, African place settings, a hand knitted doll, Bronwen jewelry, a drawing by Charles Shultz, Aretha franklin album cover, and much more.

We want to take some time to thank all the people involved:
The Neighborhood Theatre
Inner Peaks
Daniel McCall
Jessa Goebel
Arno Ilgner
Patrick Weaver
Debi Hawkins-McLendon
Pip Gregson
Kelly Haas
Dr. Michelle Murphy-Singleton
Fauna Gibson
Lindsay Riggsbee
Caroline Calouche & Co.
Mountain Khakis
Nau

Thank you so much to everyone who helped make Charlotte a big success. You've helped to change the lives of children!

Changing the Present

2009-11-12T18:02:00.002-05:00

AFCA is now part of this amazing website called Changing the Present. Instead of giving your family generic gifts like bath soaps or funny socks, you can give a gift that saves lives. It could be 3 meals a day for a hungry child, medication, clean water, etc. AFCA has a ton of gifts to help children in Africa. $1 can buy a day's worth of meals for a child and $30 can pay for a whole month of medicine! This is a great idea if your stuck on what to get your friends and family this holiday season. It's made me rethink the scented candle for Grandma and the (inevitably) ugly tie for Dad. I can change lives through Christmas presents...who knew?

Check it out and change a life!

www.changingthepresent.org

The Hands of God

2009-11-03T14:17:00.001-05:00

Check this out:

The Hands of God

Climp Up in Charlotte is Coming!

2009-11-02T15:23:00.002-05:00

Climb Up in Charlotte will have tons of exciting events! November 6th will be the debut of “A Taste in NoDa”, an evening of music, food and wine tasting, and an auction at the Neighborhood Theatre in the North Davidson St. Arts District of Charlotte. Restaurants from NoDa and surrounding areas will provide sample tastings, along with wine samples from local wineries. There will be live music to accompany the auction, which will feature prizes such as a three night VIP Napa Valley tour, Ritz Carlton Caribbean or Mexico trip with airfare, a Hot Air Balloon Ride, and a signed baseball by Barack Obama. Doors open with food service at 6pm, music from 7pm-12pm, and the auction going from 7-10pm. Tickets will be available at the door and all proceeds go towards saving children in Africa.

The main host of the event is the Inner Peaks Climbing Center for a day of fun climbing and exercise activities. Classes offered include an introductory climbing class, climbing training, Warrior’s Way Espresso Mental Fitness class, yoga, dance, and self rescue classes. They will also offer other services such as massages, chiropractic assessments, a youth climbing competition, an adult climbing competition, and raffles.

Join us in Charlotte to help the kids!!

For more information, please visit www.climbupsokidscangrowup.com

You need a vacation

2009-10-28T10:20:00.003-04:00

Don't let the swine flu ruin all your fun...

Take a few days off a go down to Charlotte. Wine and food tastings, auction, massages, and more. And all to help children who desperately need it!

Check it Out!

http://www.climbupsokidscangrowup.com/charlotte.html

A Challenge? We'll take it!

2009-10-14T18:57:00.003-04:00

AFCA has joined America's Giving Challenge through the Case Foundation/Parade Magazine. The organization which receives the most daily donations (1 per person) will get a $1000 grant. The organization that receives the most donations (1 per person per day is allowed) from now until November 6th will receive a $50,000 grant.This can be done through a simple $10 donation.

Think of how many children we could help!

800 kids would get food for a month
42 kids would get treated bed nets (against malaria)
25 kids would get a year of life saving antiretroviral medicine
200 kids will receive antibiotics for a year
thousands of people will benefit from the medical supplies and equipment we send

Please take the time this month to donate just $10 to our cause. We currently only have 16 donations towards the $50k grant. Who knows, with your help we could be on our way towards improving the lives of thousands of children!

For more info visit: http://apps.facebook.com/causes/3026

Thanks!

Thank You!

2009-10-07T10:41:00.002-04:00

AFCA wants to give a big thank you to everyone who makes our programs possible. You help to save the lives of children all over Africa. We couldn't do it without you!

Climb Up Kilimanjaro

2009-09-21T10:40:00.002-04:00

As one of my projects this week, I've been keeping up with the Climb Up event at Kilimanjaro. The team has been updating me through text messages and emails that I have been posting on the Climb Up blog. It's amazing to think that Eric, on top of Kilimanjaro in Africa could communicate with me, all the way in small town Pennsylvania. Thank you technology!

In a way, it feels like I have been on the journey with the team. I was able to share in their experiences and understand some of their emotions as they made their way with that difficult climb. It's important to remember that and event like this has such a vast impact. It doesn't merely effect the people participating, but family, friends, and especially the many children it will help save. Even though the children are on another continent, we are so much closer to helping them than we realize. By helping track this event, I've seen how people can come together to help others all over the world.

If you're interested in reading about the Kilimanjaro climb up event visit: http://climbupsokidscangrowup2.blogspot.com/

Meet the new Intern

2009-09-07T11:43:00.002-04:00

Hi! I'm Paige Manieri, AFCA's new Communication Intern. I'd like to tell you a little bit about myself and how excited I am to be working with the AFCA this fall semester...

Currently, I am a senior Communications/Public Relations major at Messiah College. I work in the Communications office, helping to format the website and I am also involved in the college's PRSSA (Public Relations Student Society of America) chapter. In addition to the work I do for AFCA, I am also working with a campaign team through Messiah to help develop a social media program for CURE International. I guess you could say, I have my hands full!

I'm very excited to be working with AFCA for the next 3 months. Not only will it be an incredibly useful learning experience for me, but I will also be able to help people who desperately need it. I've always wanted to work with non-profits, ever since I decided on a career in public relations. I thought, if I could use my talents to do some good in the world, it would be the least I can do.

Keep up with AFCA and I look forward to updating you on all that goes on with us plus my experience!

Vote! It's all it takes...one little vote!

2009-08-19T20:24:00.002-04:00

Hey, there~

We need your votes in order to make the cut for a cool and exciting grant we REALLY, really could use. Can you please click here and then click on a star in order to vote? We'd like to think that you'd give our program a five-star rating, but that is up to you. What we need is for you to vote and to tell all your friends about us. Can you do that?

Thanks!

DisGraceland supports AFCA

2009-08-05T19:31:00.001-04:00

Check this out! Neat post in DisGraceland's blog...click here to read.

Thanks for your support, DisGraceland!

East Africa Gets High Speed Web

2009-07-28T12:04:00.002-04:00

It is so wonderful that our partners is East Africa will be able to communicate more readily through internet with us! And, this will be a great boost for businesses, as well, I can imagine. Check it out here.

Hope in Zimbabwe!

2009-07-15T09:29:00.002-04:00

After a bit of a scare and some stress associated with containers being stuck in port and then at the border, we are so happy that our partner in Zimabwe received two HUGE containers full of nutritional support for the kids! Party time! Seriously...how wonderful to know that children won't be going to bed hungry thanks to some incredibly nice donors and a top of the line shipping company. WHOO HOO...we are so happy!

Food for Zimbabwe

2009-06-12T21:28:00.004-04:00

Times are desperate in Zimbabwe, where AFCA works. You can see what is happening by clicking here. If you'd like to be part of the solution and to help girls like these, please go to our Global Giving page and make a donation. Any amount will help!

Global Giving Challenge

2009-06-11T11:18:00.002-04:00

It is so exciting to see people coming together to help the little ones in Zimbabwe! We are soooo close to reaching our Global Giving Challenge goal of $3k in 3 weeks by over 75 different donors. Once we reach that goal, we will become a long-term partner with GG, which will be GREAT! If you want to help us reach that goal, click hereand help us out.

Thanks to great supporters

2009-06-04T17:29:00.003-04:00

I just want to thank the folks at Larabar, Merrell, Gramicci, Adventure Medical Kits, Rock and Ice, Ahnu, Solio, The River Inn, Brooks, Skyline Inn, Mountain Khakis, Black Diamond and Women's Adventure Magazine for being FABULOUS and for supporting our work through Climb Up So Kids Can Grow Up.

There is no way on earth we could do it without them. Thanks, friends.

Namibia Travels - Co-sponsored by CheapoAir and CrissCross Safaris

2009-06-03T22:04:00.000-04:00

As parents of two young daughters, our involvement with the American Foundation for Children with AIDS (AFCA) began with an interest in supporting a cause focused on helping children impacted by the global AIDS pandemic. We joined Team Maisha and participated in the worldwide “Climb Up so Kids Can Grow” annual fundraising event. For Team Maisha, this event included an amazing hike along the Greenwater River followed by a most enjoyable gathering of friends for a BBQ.

Of course, a few weeks later we were stunned when we heard that we had won the Grand Prize of the Namibian safari donated through Criss Cross Safari and CheapOair. We had no expectations of what was ahead of us, but even as we began to set the plans for our trip we were treated wonderfully. Through the efforts of Tanya Weaver of AFCA and the graciousness and tolerance of CheapOair and Criss Cross Safari, our logistics were set quite easily and we left in April for our adventure!

After a loooong 15 and ½ hour flight from DC with connections through Johannesburg (including a welcomed upgrade on the last leg!), two bleary eyed travelers were met by the wonderful Thinus Blaaew, owner and operator of Criss Cross Safari. We were shortly thereafter introduced to the Namibian custom of morning tea (yes, latte’s can be substituted) which hit the spot and got us off to a running start.
Three days and three game reserves later, our list of animals spotted included rhinos, giraffes, zebras, and numerous varieties of antelope.

Thinus from CrissCross was able to add immense color and educate us on the history of Namibia, while we were exploring the treasures of his country. Our travels took us through places such as Etosha Park where we added lions, elephants, jackals and hyenas to our list. By now we were beginning to appreciate the vastness of Namibia, along with the challenges of travel in an area with limited infrastructure - all of which was countered by the incredible accommodations we experienced at each lodge. Each night was a different setting with a unique blend of culture (even though we were warned of potential baboon intrusions into our room at one of the lodges, it was still a bit for us to process!) and cuisine, and each were wonderful. Somewhere in this part of the trip we also discovered Pinotage wines of Africa that made our nightly discussions even richer.

The next phase of the trip took us to the mountains and coastal regions of Namibia, highlighted by the evening at Grootberg lodge at the top of a mountain with stunning views of the surrounding valley and a spectacular sunset. We also got a healthy respect for four wheel drive vehicles on our way up to the lodge. This part also exposed us to some of the cultures of the people of Namibia by visiting a Himba tribal village, and then through Damar land, which is close to where Thinus had grown up.

It was then on to the coast for quad riding in the dunes, hiking on the dunes, canyon views and more incredible sunsets. Then all of a sudden, we looked up and 10 days were gone! All we had left was a drive back to Windhoek which brought us challenges of the Namibian road infrastructure – and two flat tires at the same time.

Looking back at the trip now, two things leap out at us. First, we cannot say enough great things about Thinus and what he brought to the trip with his experiences and knowledge of Namibia and its people. His personal stories of his family who homesteaded a region of Namibia, his experiences as an educator, politician, and working with the vast variety of Namibian people – all incorporated into the different locales that we visited, brought a unique and exciting perspective to us. We will always remember the lunch cooked over an open fire in a dry river bed while searching for elephants!

The second takeaway is the amazing diversity we experienced. The diversity of animals, topography, cultures, and people that make up Namibia is tremendous. Diversity like this does indeed make you stop, look, and think about the world we live in and what is happening outside our individual lives. It was fascinating to learn how similar we all are in this world – and to consider our differences and explore the reasons for both aspects. This was a real life experience that can only be appreciated first hand.

For the opportunity of a lifetime and an experience that we will never forget, we wish to thank Criss Cross Safaris, CheapOair, American Foundation for Children with AIDS, and Team Maisha.

Chris and Mike Hughes

From the Field - Uganda

2009-04-18T20:10:00.000-04:00

(Note from Linda, who is representing AFCA during an annual visit to our partners in Africa this year). This morning Mary and I had AFCA business to attend to. Our first visiti was to Mulago Hospital and The Pediatric Infectious Disease Clinic of Mulago Hospital (PIDC). The driving force of this clinic is Dr. Addy a spitfire of an woman with drive, energy and love of work that shows in all who are affiliated with her. In 2004 when Mary first came in contact with Dr. Addy she was running an AIDS clinic in 2 rooms where she was seeing up to 200 patients a day and did all the charting and follow up from these 2 rooms. I now met her for the first time in a lovely modern building that was donated by Bayer, Myers, Squibb. The clinic would rival any in the USA. They have a wonderful complete staff of doctors, nurses, counselors, pharmacy technicians and laboratory assistances. They have a good medical records department and were in the process of updating their IT department. The clinic and hospital has a new modern computer and generator.

AFCA has been delivering large cartons of supplies and medicines to PIDC each year since their inception. Syringes, bandaging supplies, absorbent pads, wheel chairs, beds, bed linens, and the list goes on and on. The impact of these supplies is amazing. They even supplied a laparoscope. This scope is one of only a couple in the entire country. AFCA provided $6.7 million worth of ARV’s (anti-retroviral drugs) for PIDC in 2008 alone. The last shipment of medical supplies to PIDC in November 2008 was distributed to three hospitals and adjoining clinics. It was a huge impact to those who have nothing.

It was an amazing experience and remarkable to know what Dr. Addy has been able to accomplish in just 5 years. We feel privileged to be able to witness these great accomplishments and to facilitate the continued work that she and her staff do.

Kerry-Lugar Amendment Restores $4 Billion to International Affairs Budget

2009-04-02T20:52:00.000-04:00

Working in coordination with many organizations, including InterAction, US Global Leadership Council and Bread for the World, ONE rallied its members (including AFCA)to advocate for the passage of the Kerry-Lugar Amendment. Senators responded by voting in favor of the amendment to the FY2010 Budget Resolution yesterday afternoon, restoring the funding level requested by President Obama for the international affairs budget, the portion of the budget that includes America’s global poverty and disease reduction initiatives.

This was a truly collaborative effort so many thanks and congratulations all around!

New Mobile Donation Platform Offers Fundraising Boost to AFCA

2009-04-02T15:44:00.000-04:00

American Foundation for Children with AIDS (AFCA, www.HelpChildrenWithAIDS.org) announced that it has been selected as a partner for CharityCall and Truist. AFCA, which provides life-saving medications, medical supplies and food for orphans with HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa, is only the sixth charity to be selected to benefit from CharityCall.

This partnership enables individuals to make charitable contributions with their cell phones in a way that’s convenient, secure and innovative. Open to all AT&T mobile subscribers in the U.S., donors can make contributions of $25 to AFCA from any AT&T mobile device without entering an SMS text or exchanging private financial or user information. Donations can be made in less than 30 seconds by dialing #505, after which donors will be prompted to dial 12, the ID code assigned to AFCA.

“AFCA relies on new, creative approaches to solving problems, whether it’s getting drugs and food into Zimbabwe, getting people involved through climbing, or raising funds,” said AFCA executive director Tanya Weaver. “We are very excited and honored to be chosen by CharityCall and Truist as a recipient of its innovative approach to simplifying making donations.”

Once the tax-deductible donation is made, AT&T wireless users will receive a text message confirmation, including a link to the CharityCall website, where additional information about designated charities or causes is available, as is tax receipting. The $25 donation is a one-time charge automatically billed to the user’s AT&T Wireless monthly statement.

“It is very appropriate that AFCA is working with CharityCall and Truist on this revolutionary mobile platform – mobile technology is literally being used to transform many processes in health care and business in Africa. We are proud to be one of the first to take advantage of this technology. It has the power to transform not only the model for accepting charitable donations, but also to improve people’s lives,” continues Tanya Weaver.

Help Children with AIDS by Climbing the Highest Mountain in Africa

2009-01-13T19:04:00.000-05:00

The American Foundation for Children with AIDS only has five spots left in their first-ever fundraising trek up Mount Kilimanjaro.

The climb is scheduled for September 13–24, 2009, and will raise life-saving funds to provide medication and medical supplies for children with HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. AFCA’s programs provide anti-retrovirals and other medicine, medical supplies and food to HIV/AIDS children and their caregivers living in Kenya, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

AFCA has received tremendous support from the climbing community around the world. We think the challenge of climbing to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro is an appropriate symbol for the uphill battle HIV/AIDS children face.

The total team will consist of 12 climbers, each of whom will commit to raising funds for AFCA. There are currently seven participants from across the U.S.

Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest peak in Africa, with a summit of 19,340 feet. The trip is 10 days: the first two days participants arrive and get acclimated; the trek is seven days; participants are free to relax and explore the area the last day. The trek will be led by Summit Expeditions and Nomadic Experience. Though challenging, Mount Kilimanjaro is successfully climbed by thousands of fit people from 12 to some even in their 80s.

For more details, please go to www.climbupsokidscangrowup.com or call AFCA at 888-683-8323.

Climb Up So Kids Can Grow Up 2008

2008-11-15T21:14:00.000-05:00

The Climb Up So Kids Can Grow Up 2008 event was once again a BIG success! Teams and individuals from around the world climbed, ran, walked and cycled for a common cause: to help children with HIV/AIDS.

Together, they raised over $23,500!

All funds raised benefit the American Foundation for Children with AIDS. AFCA provides life-saving medicine, supplies and food to children in Kenya, Uganda and Zimbabwe who have been infected with HIV/AIDS.

On behalf of the children served by AFCA, the board of directors, staff and volunteers of AFCA - THANK YOU to all sponsors and participants in Climb Up So Kids Can Grow Up 2008.

Congratulations to our winners!

Team Maisha, from Seattle, WA, won a trip for two to Namibia, compliments of CrissCross Namibia by raising over $8,500!! Jade Jackson of Team KanyeKanye (Charlotte, NC) won an overnight for two to DC, compliments of The River Inn. Jeff Zschunke won his choice of an EcoQuest Course, Birding in the Bush or Animal Tracks and Tracking in South Africa, compliments of EcoTraining. Over 80 other participants will receive backpacks (compliments of Samsonite), Larabars, chalk bags (compliments of Black Diamond), water bottles, climbing chalk, magazine subscriptions (compliments of Women's Adventure Magazine, Rock and Ice, Cycling, and Runner's World), t-shirts, Go!Towels, light towels, stickers, etc. depending on the amount they raised.

CheapOair Charitable Endeavors: Co-sponsoring AFCA’s ‘Climb Up So Kids Can Grow Up’ Event

2008-07-29T22:48:00.000-04:00

CheapOair believes in the significance and vitality of giving back to society and the environment. It has always been actively involved in sponsoring and supporting serious social causes and issues. Earlier this year CheapOair donated $5,000 to Doctors Without Borders, continuing its efforts in helping the charitable organizations through funds and donations CheapOair has co-sponsored American Foundation for Children with AIDS (AFCA) 'Climb Up So Kids Can Grow Up' Event along with other prominent organizations like CrissCross, SENE, EcoTraining, ecoVenture. The event invites volunteers to climb, hike, cycle, or run to save the lives of children affected by the AIDS epidemic.

The incidence of AIDS in Zimbabwe is getting worst day by day and AFCA has been working to improve the lives of children and youth struggling with the impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. CheapOair CEO, Mr. Jain felt that it was essential to support such a serious issue affecting the lives of millions worldwide. CheapOair would like to participate more in such humanitarian actions to assist in world affairs where people are most affected, in order to build a responsible business.

Author Commends American Foundation for Children with AIDS

2008-07-22T12:20:00.000-04:00

Book by best-selling author David Elliot Cohen recognizes the American Foundation for Children with AIDS as a salutary organization

The American Foundation for Children with AIDS has been included in best-selling author David Elliot Cohen’s new book, What Matters, as a noteworthy organization in the struggle against AIDS. Using alluring photographs and stimulating essays, the book has brought a spotlight on the continuous battle against AIDS in Africa. Sterling Publishing, a division of Barnes & Noble, will publish the book on September 2, 2008.

“The purpose of the What Matters project is to provoke discussion of essential global issues in various media, to inspire social action, and to provide readers with resources they can utilize to help create social change,” said Rose Whitmore, editorial assistant of What Matters.

The book and website contain a “What You Can Do” section in order to inspire the readers to become involved. Within the topic of the AIDS epidemic, the American Foundation for Children with AIDS has been acknowledged as a leading organization to stop the spread of AIDS and HIV in Africa. The public can view the complete contents of the book online at http://www.whatmattersonline.com.

“The idea, of course, is to get these very visceral photographs and poignant essays in front of as many people as possible and then translate the resulting interest into donations and actions through organizations,” stated Rose Whitmore.

The American Foundation for Children with AIDS continues to grow with notoriety from publications such as What Matters. A contribution of $30 provides a full month's worth of life-saving medication to an HIV positive child. With $7,000, AFCA can provide a 40-foot container of much-needed food, hygiene kits, milk, and medical supplies to partner hospitals.

To learn more about AFCA, become involved or make a contribution, please visit http://www.helpchildrenwithaids.org. All donations are tax-deductible.

About American Foundation for Children with AIDS
American Foundation for Children with AIDS is an independent international humanitarian aid organization established in 2004. AFCA is a 501(c)(3) not–for-profit organization incorporated in the state of Florida, USA. It has been certified Best in America by the Independent Charities of America. AFCA’s mission is to improve the lives of children and youth struggling with the impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. We provide cost-effective relief, services, medical and social support, education and advocacy to help these individuals achieve their full life potential.

AFCA believes that true success is achieved through collaboration with qualified local professionals. To this end, we partner with the following agencies to deliver quality, donated anti-retroviral medications and supplies to HIV-positive children and their caretakers: Mulago Hospital in Kampala, Uganda; Community Based Health Care Program in Mombasa, Kenya; Voi Children’s Health Program in Voi, Kenya; ZOE in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, St. Theresa’s Home of Hope in Elementita, Kenya; and St. Mary’s Mission Hospitals in Nairobi and Elementita, Kenya.

Climb Up So Kids Can Grow Up Team Climbs Kahiltna Glacier to Help Children With Aids in Africa

2008-07-03T23:45:00.000-04:00

Justin Wood (Bellingham, Washington), Jeremy Ellison (Lake Tahoe, California), Johnny Davison (Lake Wanaka, New Zealand), and Aidan Loehr (Bellingham, Washington) summited 20,320-foot summit on July 1, carrying the flag of the “Climb Up So Kids Can Grow Up” drive for fund raising and public awareness of infant and childhood AIDS in Africa. The alpinists flew onto the Kahiltna Glacier in the Denali National Park on June 15th. They gradually worked their way up glaciers on the mountain’s western flank until reaching Camp 3 at 14,000 feet where they were pinned down by heavy snows and high winds for a week. On July 30th they made it to a high camp at 17,200 where they spent two nights before making their summit bid on July 2nd.

Wood reported that it was a beautiful day to summit and that the conditions were especially appreciated after so many days and nights of storm. In a statement that he wrote out and then read over a satellite telephone from high on Denali, Wood said:

“This whole trip has seemed parallel to the fights against AIDS. We had some tough times, there were many days on which we had to revise our plans, and there were many days on which we thought it might not be possible to reach our goals despite our best efforts. But we kept our focus, and we were committed to lasting out our troubles with this storm high on the mountain rather than trying to head down to lower altitudes.

“We had all trained hard so we felt like we had the personal resources in fitness and gear to back up our mental commitment to hang in there. The storms and the bad days weren’t fun, but we kept focused on the goal, and while waiting for our chance for success, really watched out for each other. It was a huge team effort. Everyone doing a good job himself plus watching out for the well being of the other guy is what made weathering the miserable conditions possible.

“In the end we pushed a little further when it looked like there might be an opportunity to try for the summit. We moved to seventeen thousand not knowing for sure if we would have our window of opportunity, but we knew if we didn’t give it our all and put ourselves in that position at 17,200 feet, we definitely couldn’t succeed. So we moved up, took a rest day, and then found our window of opportunity.

“There was great joy and pride in our group when after a very long summit day, we moved to the top and set foot on the 20,320’ summit of North America. We were personally psyched, and we were all very excited to be using the moment to be drawing attention to the AIDS epidemic and to the fact that by working together and by staying committed, we will find a solution to this immense problem.

“We are convinced that ending the epidemic will eventually be possible, and that in the mean time, education of and resulting compassion from the general public will help those who have been stricken survive and live good lives. Like each member of this team doing their part, we are convinced that if each person sees themselves as part of a team to fight AIDS and plays their small part, we can have enormous effect.

“Like this team hanging in their day after day in the awful conditions, if each person who learns about this will just hang in there with a small donation month after month, the effect we can have is tremendous. We’re hoping to inspire people to see themselves as part of a team on a very long expedition. We hope each will make a commitment to giving long-term to reach our summit goal of helping these young people live fruitful lives. Instead of giving $100 one time, this team hopes the members of the bigger team to fight AIDS will give a set amount each month (whether its $10 or $50) and make their team membership in the fight against AIDS an ongoing part of their life. That’s the hope and commitment we want to pass on to you. If we can reach a goal like summiting Denali under difficult conditions in an arctic environment, we are convinced we can succeed in helping these kids live to see a tomorrow. Let’s do it!”

The team expects to return to the base of the mountain by July 3 and fly off the glacier on July 4th.

AIDS fact of the day

2008-06-05T20:29:00.000-04:00

On this date in 1981, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that five gay men in Los Angeles were suffering from a rare pneumonia found in patients with weakened immune systems. They were the first recognized cases of what came to be known as AIDS.

Wow. It's amazing to think how far we've come in 27 years. It's also mind-boggling in some respects to think about how far we have to go yet in this fight.

American Foundation for Children with AIDS Referenced in What Matters by David Elliot Cohen

2008-05-30T15:03:00.000-04:00

We were so thrilled to be informed that the American Foundation for Children with AIDS will be listed as reference in the "What You Can Do" section of David Elliot Cohen's new book titled What Matters. We are absolutely honored and grateful to be included in this book, and we look forward to many more kids having life because of the inclusion.

David Elliot Cohen is the author of The Day in the Life and America 24/7 photo book series. His new book What Matters will be published by the Sterling Publishing division of Barnes & Noble on September 2nd, 2008.

What Matters contains 18 searing, socially conscious photo essays by the great photojournalists of our generation including James Nachtwey and Sebastiao Salgado. These essays, shot over the course of years, address the essential issues of our time. Each photo-essay is accompanied by a passionate, polemical essay written by such well known experts such as Jeffrey Sachs (The End of Poverty), Samantha Power (Pulitzer Prize winner for A Problem From Hell: America in the Age of Genocide), and Bill McKibben (The End of Nature). The purpose of the What Matters project is:

• to use superior photography and prose to highlight and provoke discussion of essential global issues in various media,
• to inspire social action; and
• to provide readers with resources they can utilize to help create social change.

We encourage all of you to visit the book's website.
You can also download the book at http://whatmatters.blog.com.

Climb Up So Kids Can Grow Up Posters!

2008-05-06T23:16:00.000-04:00

We have some posters for this year's Climb event!

Please click here to download a poster. Hang it up anyplace anyone might see it.

Last year's Climb Up So Kids Can Grow Up event was a great success. Hikers, bikers and staircase climbers across the U.S. literally climbed to the rescue and reached incredible heights to raise over $14,500 for a common goal: to save the lives of children affected by AIDS. The money raised gave 38 children daily life-saving medicine for an entire year.

Here's a video of some of the kids the AFCA programs help. They're so cute!

For anyone interested in participating in this year's Climb Up So Kids Can Grow Up event, mark your calendars for September 20 and 21. Then please click here to learn more or to register. REMEMBER: You don't have to climb a rock!! You can walk around your living room if you want to!!

Mombasa days

2008-04-24T11:04:00.000-04:00

I am sitting in the guesthouse room, looking over our budget and trying to figure out if we can possibly hire an assistant, since there is just way too much to do. Outside, right below my window, there is a wedding taking place. Two houses down, there is another wedding taking place. Both have music happening and people talking and children running around and it all adds up to LOTS OF NOISE. Suddenly, from across the street, I hear the call to prayer from the mosque. And, I start laughing with Mary (who is also trying to do some work…involving numbers, as well) as we try to reconcile two wedding bashes and their music with the call to prayer of the mullah. Strange…

The cold water shower feels good after a day of traipsing around in the mugginess that engulfs Mombasa and the coast, so there are no complaints there. Our little Mombasa guesthouse is quite comfortable, really, but it does have the added bonus of having iguanas and lizards running around. I have found lizard and/or iguana poop on the beds and my things and it sort of makes me not sleep too well because all I can think of is that one of those creatures is going to run up my body sometime through the night. Even though they are cute and all, I don’t relish the thought of them waking me up by crawling on me. So, I am not sleeping too well here.

Today we were told that we should take beans, rice, milk or sugar to our friends in Zimbabwe, as they really don’t have much of anything. So, we trundled off to the supermarket and purchased some stuff to take with us and now my suitcases are heavy again. I was all excited that my suitcases weren’t so full or heavy anymore since I’ve unloaded 2/3 of the gifts we brought, including 17 pounds of candy and 20 pounds of stickers. I was wrong! They are heavy again. Just received an SMS telling me that we should still plan on coming to Zimbabwe, even though there still has not been an announcement of who won the presidency. Hope everything stays as calm as can be while we are there!

Africa: Day 2 (Kampala, Uganda)

2008-04-15T12:31:00.000-04:00

Who am I? Who am I to be given this task of providing ARVs and medicine to children in East and Southern Africa? Who am I to be allowed to be a part of something like this, where I get to meet brave people who every day fight for the rights of children to have adequate care and a hope of life? Who am I to fit into this large puzzle as a little piece, adding a bit of color, a bit of character in what could really quite a bleak picture if not for the people here on the ground in Africa and in other parts of the world who toil day in and day out to provide the kids with what they need? They are the ones who are the main characters in the puzzle… the picture would be impossible without them.

I am always humbled when I see what ordinary people can do with a little elbow grease, hard work, some donations, and lots of prayer. I am amazed that I, little Tanya, am a part of the work done by Mulago Hospital, which provides care for 25% of the children who receive ART in Uganda. There are so many others who need help…so many who could use some medicine…we have a lot more to do! Food, counseling, medicine, testing, PMTCT, community development, and so many other steps are needed in order to do a complete job. When I see it all coming together, as I did in Mulago today, I get overjoyed that we are a little sliver in the big pie which constitutes ART (anti-retroviral therapy).

The Pediatric Infectious Disease Center of Mulago Hospital is overflowing…children, babies, and parents wait patiently for hours, waiting to be seen…on an average day, 175 children are seen at this Center. Waiting rooms are full to capacity, hallways have become a place of gathering, with nurses and doctors having to squeeze their way through. Two doctors share each of the consulting rooms because they have run out of space. Yet, patients keep coming and they literally overflow to the outer walls of the Center, finding shade as they know the wait could be long. Yet, they wait because they know that their children will be treated with dignity and that if they need help and medicine, they will not be turned away. In fact, AFCA provides medicine for 350 of the kids who need the life saving (anti-retroviral) medicine these kids need to survive and it is awesome to see how

In the main waiting room, Nurse Jane is reading books to waiting children and a play mat is set up in the corner for the kids to do some exercise and games every day. not only does this help kill some of the boredom of waiting, but the kids get a rare chance of reading and borrowing books from the “waiting room library”, a little cubby with inventoried book which the kids can check out to read while they wait. As we walk through the waiting room, little hands reach out to touch our white legs, smiling when they’ve touched the foreigner. Curly, braided, matted, out of control, combed, clean and/or dirty little heads look up at us, not knowing who we are. Not knowing that my heart is breaking for the other children, the ones who don’t have the opportunity for care and medicine. As I look into their eyes, whether they are sick or doing better, I feel a sense of urgency to do more, to help in a larger way. And I come back around to the question “who am I to have been chosen to do this work, to be given the chance to help in some way?”

And, I am humbled to be counted as one of those who is battling in the fight against pediatric AIDS.

Africa: Day 1

2008-04-14T10:35:00.000-04:00

24 hours after leaving Harrisburg, PA, I landed in Kampala, Uganda. A long journey, but a good one. I had good seat mates and laughed at dumb movies shown on the long flight from Amsterdam to Kampala. I tell you what! It is so not worth flying on US airlines! The food wasn’t good, the seating was SOOOO cramped and the movie didn’t work. That makes for a very long transatlantic flight. But, once we got on KLM in Amsterdam, everything changed and it was comfortable and the food was downright good. I laughed so much at the movie “enchanted”…hilarious…well, the first 2/3 of it was hilarious. The last part was a waste of time, but the first part made it well worth the watch.

We hired Charles, a taxi driver, to take us to the guesthouse where Mary and I are staying and as we made our way from the airport there, I felt familiar with the smell of Uganda and the banana leaves. It brings me back to my childhood in Colombia and all that is comforting and equatorial to my senses. The noise of the traffic, the congestion, the beeping and moving of cars is not something I missed, though! But the warmth of the reception at the guesthouse, where Phoebe has greeted me each year I come to visit was most welcome and I felt like I was visiting a friend. Full on a plate of fresh French fries fried as soon as we arrived, with some sliced tomatoes, I made my way to my room to shower in what seemed like an eternity and to brush my teeth. I felt new in no time, but decided that I should sleep as I hadn’t slept in any of the flights over.

Now, it is morning, I hear the birds chirping and the traffic roaring. It is time for breakfast and to start our visits with our partners. Today we officially start our visit to Africa by meeting with Dr. Addy K at the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Center at the Mulago Hospital, where we provide ARV’s and other medicine to HIV+ kids and their HIV+ guardians. I am so excited to see what and how they are doing and to deliver the thousands of stickers and all the books we brought for the kids who get tested at the center to determine what they have. Stickers are such a part of our own children’s lives that we take them for granted. But here, they are not all that common and the kids really like having something to take home after being brave at the lab. Thanks to MediBadge for the 7500 stickers they gave us to bring to the kids!

I hear the sound of foot traffic outside my window…the day is definitely flowing by me and I need to make my way to breakfast.

Off to Africa

2008-03-31T21:52:00.000-04:00

Well, the time has come to go back to wonderful, vibrant, tragic, musical Africa. I love visiting our programs and seeing how well our children do under the care of doctors, nurses and communities which care for them. It is wonderful to hear the singing and to feel the beat of voices as children spontaneously gather in a large group to sing a welcome.

There is also great sadness when i think of all the children we cannot help, those who suffer and die because there simply is not enough medicine for them all. Such gorgeous children and so much need. I always leave wishing we could do more, that we had all the funding in the world so that every single one of those beautiful children would have a chance.

So, an unusual thing ends up happening inside of me. I pray I will return with a whole heart, not the broken heart with which I usually carry around in me. I want to be strong, to endure and to carry on without the burden of caring too much. Yet, I pray that my heart will be broken, so that I never stop caring and so that our work will continue, no matter how difficult it may get. I want to fight for these kids, to give them hope. So, a splitting in my heart is inevitable and all I can do is to let the feeling continue, as it has for a few years now.

These days before the trip, there is so much to do and I am too busy...Climb Up So Kids Can Grow Up takes up a lot of my time, office work, finding new donors, thanking others, writing, reports, packing, playing with Julia...it is all coming together in a ball of activity which doesn't seem to cease for long these days. Soon, though, I'll be on a plane, crossing the ocean to visit some incredible little children who are alive due to the generosity of others. And, I can't wait!

Fun fact

2008-03-21T15:25:00.000-04:00

On March 20th, 1987, the Food & Drug Administration approved the sale of AZT (azidothymidine), a drug shown to prolong the lives of some AIDS patients. This was the first approved treatment for HIV.

(That drug was first created in 1964, and it was intended to treat cancer. However, because it had too many side effects and was not really effective as a cancer treatment, use of that drug was shelved until years later.)

Beverlyne will go to school!

2008-03-04T11:11:00.001-05:00

For those of you who have seen our 3.5 minute documentary on Beverlyne, a girl in our Mombasa, Kenya program, you'll be happy to know that her dream of becoming a nurse is more possible than ever! A generous donor has agreed to cover her boarding school expenses for the next four year, enabling her to get a good education as she strives to learn more and to one day become a nurse. It is so exciting to know that together, we can really make a difference in the life of a child. i can't wait to hear her reaction to the news...

2008-03-04T11:06:00.000-05:00

Are you wondering what to give your brother for his birthday, or your parents for their anniversary? What about your friend who is getting married and already has everything she needs? How about giving them something new..something that will give children a chance to live a healthy and full life? Instead of giving another sweater or a picture frame, visit Changing the Present and chose a gift of meaning...of life. Have fun shopping!

Climbers needed to save lives

2008-02-28T14:38:00.000-05:00

The American Foundation for Children with AIDS (AFCA) and the American Alpine Institute are teaming up again to host Climb Up So Kids Can Grow Up. The global climb-a-thon will increase awareness of the pediatric AIDS pandemic and raise funds for life-saving anti-retroviral (ARV) medication, food, and medical and humanitarian supplies to children affected by HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Hikers, cyclists, climbers, and runners of all ages and skill levels around the globe will participate in Climb Up So Kids Can Grow Up on September 20 and/or 21, 2008. Participants can climb, hike, run or cycle up the structure of their choice, anywhere in the world.

The American Foundation for Children with AIDS (AFCA) is a not-for-profit foundation providing medical supplies and aid to children in countries hardest hit by HIV/AIDS including Kenya, Uganda and Zimbabwe. The sub-Saharan region of Africa is the worst affected by the pediatric AIDS pandemic with more than two million children under the age of 15 living with HIV.
Last year’s climb-a-thon was AFCA’s first and raised over $15,000. “Our goal is to at least double that this year,” said Tanya Weaver, AFCA’s Executive Director. “This year the need is even greater because of the crisis in Kenya, which has made it even more difficult to get medicine and supplies to the children.

“Everyone can ensure that hundreds of children live longer, healthier lives simply by organizing a team wherever you are and climbing up, whether by cycling, running, hiking, or climbing. The important thing is to get the nation and the world moving to help these children.” Weaver noted that all contributions are tax-deductible.

Many leading outdoor and other companies support Climb Up So Kids Can Grow including National Geographic Adventure Magazine, Women’s Adventure Magazine, Skyline Marketing, The River Inn, Chubasco, MadRock, Black Diamond, Petzl, LARABAR, CerconeBrownCurtis and KG Communications.

For more information on registering, forming a team or sponsorship, please go to http://www.climbupsokidscangrowup.com/.

Save Children While Saving the Planet

2008-02-22T13:36:00.000-05:00

An easy way to make a difference to both the children we serve and our planet is to recycle through http://www.planetgreenrecycle.com/. Contact Planet Green and they will send you recycling boxes and pre-paid shipping labels. Then, simply recycle old cell phones and used ink cartridges, pack them up and sent them to Planet Green, indicating on their packing slip that the proceeds check should be sent to AFCA at 6221 Blue Grass Avenue, Harrisburg, PA 17112.

See? Easy and no cost to you...but we help keep the earth a bit cleaner and we save the lives of children affected by AIDS!

Update from our partner in Kenya

2008-02-18T15:02:00.000-05:00

It is now 4 weeks since I returned to Kenya after the Christmas break, and it feels like I have lived a lifetime in those short weeks. I want to write, but I am having a hard time choosing what to write about to give a true image of this country. If I say it is a beautiful country with lovely people who are hard working and reserved, then how do I explain the last 6 weeks? Most Kenyans are also trying to explain the last 6 weeks. There is a lot of depression here and pain, as people ask themselves what happened.

Most of the clashes (as they are referred to) have stopped, but in some areas verbal threatening continues and people are still terrified. The peace talks continue, but it is like Nairobi is a million miles away and out of touch with the rest of the country which has people living all over the place or traveling the roads to find what they perceive to be a safe place.

Two days ago about 200 displaced Kikuyus moved just down the road from us onto some land loaned to them by a fellow Kikuyu. They have absolutely nothing but the loan of this land for temporary shelters. No water or food, no shelter, no clothes but what’s on their backs. The men organized themselves and half have gone looking for work, while the other half have found pieces of wood and trees and someone bought some tin for roofing and they are erecting little shacks for temporary shelter. My taxi driver from Gilgil who drives me locally is a Kikuyu, so I asked him to try overnight to mobilize the Kikuyu taxi and lorry drivers in Gilgil to help these people.

This morning I found myself in Gilgil with these guys organizing them to provide what these displaced people need most besides shelter—water. By noon, we had delivered wood to build 4 platforms which we needed to place 4 water tanks on, and had a fundi (skilled laborer) actually building the platforms. They’ll be finished tomorrow morning , then we place the tanks (with taps) on the platforms and get a water truck to fill them. The town stores also provided Jerry cans so that the women can take water from the tanks back to their individual family areas. We also brought them enough maize and beans for a few days. At staff assembly this morning, I appealed for clothes and household items to be left at my apartment door, and when I returned, I could hardly get in because of the bags of stuff waiting. I have called the taxi drivers and they will come and pick it all up and deliver it.

Early tomorrow morning I go with Dr. Wangai, one of our young physicians, to speak with the Provincial Medical Officer for Rift Valley. Doctors Without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontieres) are running a clinic in a displaced persons camp in the Nakuru Stadium and are interested in sending us medical/surgical referrals. We have raised some money to pay for free medical care for several hundred displaced persons, and negotiated with St. John’s Ambulance (sound familiar ?) to transport them the 30 km to St. Mary’s. Normally, the referrals would go to nearby government hospitals, but they are totally overloaded. We’ll see what he says.

Several weeks ago I journeyed to Eldoret and KaKamega with a police escort to retrieve 8 orphans who were stranded there after Christmas break and needed help. Three were from our orphanage high school at St. Mary’s in Nairobi, and 5 from St. Therese orphanage next door here at Elementita. I went for 8 kids and only came back with 7, and it has bothered me ever since.

Little Delvin (girl), age 8, was with relatives, but when we went to pick her up, the house had been burned and neighbors could only tell us the general direction they’d run in. There was nothing I could do with 7 other kids to worry about. I listed her as missing with the police, but the countryside around there is in turmoil so I knew they’d never find her.

Last Sunday I went back to the Eldoret area, and with a helpful social worker who works with the police we started retracing her possible routes. We started at 6 a.m. and found her in a slum in Eldoret at 2:30 p.m. with a relative. She was out of medication, and her kidneys were shutting down. She kept asking about her friend Anne from the orphanage. They are reunited now, and Delvin has already improved considerably. There are days when I can’t believe this is all real and what I’m doing.

American Foundation for Children with AIDS Increases Aid in Response to Kenyan Crisis

2008-02-15T18:10:00.000-05:00

Harrisburg, PA (February 12, 2008) – The American Foundation for Children with AIDS (AFCA), a not-for-profit foundation providing medical supplies and aid to children in countries hardest hit by HIV/AIDS, is increasing its efforts in Kenya in response to the growing need resulting from the current unrest.

AFCA is sending additional supplies to children and adults, including those who are currently staying in camps for displaced people. It is estimated that over 300,000 children and adults have been displaced as a result of their homes being burned. They are forced to sleep in churches, parks and on the streets. Children with HIV/AIDS are at increased risk because they may not have access to their medication.

“We receive daily reports from our partners in Kenya and are deeply concerned about the increased risk facing the children with HIV/AIDS whom we serve,” said AFCA Executive Director Tanya Weaver. AFCA is working with the Archdiocese of Mombasa Community Based Heath Care and AIDS Relief Program, which serves over 500,000 people in seven parishes of Mombasa.

A contribution of $30 provides a full month’s worth of life-saving medication to an HIV positive child. With $5,000, AFCA can provide a 40-foot container of much-needed food, hygiene kits, milk, and other supplies to partner hospitals.

Tax-deductible contributions can be made to AFCA and sent to 6221 Blue Grass Avenue, Harrisburg, PA, 17112, or online at http://www.helpchildrenwithaids.org/donate.htm/.

About American Foundation for Children with AIDS
American Foundation for Children with AIDS is an independent international humanitarian aid organization established in 2004. AFCA is a 501(c)(3) not–for-profit organization incorporated in the state of Florida, USA. It has been certified Best in America by the Independent Charities of America. AFCA’s mission is to improve the lives of children and youth struggling with the impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. We provide cost-effective relief, services, medical and social support, education and advocacy to help these individuals achieve their full life potential.

AFCA believes that true success is achieved through collaboration with qualified local professionals. To this end, we partner with the following agencies to deliver quality, donated anti retroviral medications and supplies to HIV positive children and their caretakers: Mulago Hospital in Kampala, Uganda; Archdiocese of Mombasa in Mombasa, Kenya; Voi Children’s Health Program in Voi, Kenya; ZOE in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, and St. Mary’s Mission Hospital in Nairobi and Elementita, Kenya. For more information please visit www.helpchildrenwithaids.org.
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American Foundation for Children with AIDS Seeks Volunteers to Build a House in Kenya

2008-01-04T16:30:00.000-05:00

The AFCA is looking for volunteers to help build a house for orphans in Nairobi, Kenya this summer. 18 volunteers are needed to fill a team of big-hearted individuals who want to change the lives of people by giving them a decent place to call home. The trip will be from July 19 – August 2, 2008.

While no construction experience is needed, we are looking for people who are willing to learn, to play, to laugh, and to change lives. Flexibility is a must. Cost is $1,950 plus airfare and includes food, in-country transportation, insurance, donation to AFCA’s work, snacks, and housing. As an aside, all money spent on accommodations will go directly to support the education of AIDS orphans!

If interested in participating, please email International Volunteer Partnerships at eweaver@volunteerpartnerships.com or call AFCA at 888.683.8323. An application and interview process will follow.

AFCA Raising Funds for Medical Supplies and Cereal

2008-01-04T16:05:00.000-05:00

Thanks to the generosity of our donors, on December 28, 2007 American Foundation for Children with AIDS sent a 40 inch container full of medical equipment and supplies (including sutures, walkers, wheelchairs, needles, braces, gurneys, exam tables, bedside tables, feeding tubes, and other items) to rural hospitals in Uganda treating children with HIV and AIDS.

We're preparing another container to send, this time full of ATMIT (a soy-based fortified cereal) for the kids who don't otherwise have food to eat when they take their medicines. For anyone who wants to be a part of the project, visit change.org to create a fundraising page for this specific project.

Take the Giving Challenge. Help us get $50,000.

2007-12-13T16:26:00.000-05:00

The Case Foundation is awarding a total of $750,000 in grants through the America’s Giving Challenge presented by Parade and the Causes Giving Challenge presented by Causes on Facebook. Here’s your chance to champion our cause by mobilizing your network. You could help us get $50,000.

Our challenge at American Foundation for Children with AIDS is to raise money to provide Cotrimoxazole (an antibiotic) and vitamins to children affected by AIDS in Zimbabwe.

Stop by and participate in our challenge on Facebook. And don't forget to tell your friends!

Frames for a Future Auction at Ebay to Support Children with AIDS

2007-12-01T13:33:00.001-05:00

The auction is on! Artists from around the country have decorated frames which are being auctioned off this week, from RIGHT NOW till December 7. All proceeds will go to help children with AIDS. Click here to check out the frames (a unique gift idea!) and place a bid this week.

American Foundation for Children with AIDS Holiday Tribute Cards Available

2007-11-26T14:38:00.000-05:00

Give the gift of life this holiday season with American Foundation Children with AIDs holiday tribute cards. To view the inside and outside of the card, click here. For more information, or to place an order, call 1.888.683.8363.

World AIDS Day December 1

2007-11-18T15:42:00.000-05:00

The theme for World AIDS Day 2007 is leadership.

Despite the promises by world leads to provide services to curb the rates of infection and to bring down the death rates, 4.3 million people were infected with HIV in 2006.

Over 25 million people have died from AIDS.

This year's goal for World AIDS is to help encourage leadership on AIDS within all levels and sectors of society.

Click here to learn more about World AIDS Day at.

$2.6 Million Worth of Medicine Sent to Help Children with AIDS

2007-11-01T16:24:00.000-04:00

Autumn is here...again!

How quickly this year is passing by, yet how much has been done so far! To date this year, we have sent over $2.6 million worth of medicine to our children in East Africa and have also sent hygiene kits for the kids and their families, along with reinforced cereal so children can eat prior to taking their medicine.

This was all done thanks to the generosity of each of our donors, whether they are individuals, churches, grant makers, companies, or civic groups. Without each of you, we could not do what we do. We look forward to doing so much more, though! There are many children who need our help and we want to provide it.

To each of you who are a part of us, thank you. Want to find out how you can help save the lives of children with AIDS? Click here.

Shop Online to Save Lives of Children with AIDS

2007-10-28T16:38:00.000-04:00

As the holiday season approaches, many of us are already making our gift lists and checking them twice. As you shop for the little ones you love this season, consider shopping through iGive.com. When you do, up to 26% of every purchase can be donated to help children with AIDS. Here's how:

Go to iGive.com and register for free.

Step 1: Select your cause.

You can enter the phrase "children with aids" in the keyword box, then click on American Foundation for Children with AIDS in the right-hand selections.

Step 2: Fill out your registration information.

This includes your name, zip code, and whether or not you want to take a tax deduction for your shopping donation.

Then, just shop as usual. There are no extra charges to you, yet AFCA receives a donation for every purchase made, which directly impacts the life of a child with AIDS.

From the AIDS-Ridden Slums of Kenya, a Child's Smile Brightens a Cameraman's Life

2007-10-24T15:27:00.000-04:00

For the past six weeks, Colin Crowley (Founder and Owner of Newbeat Productions and a volunteer with AFCA) has been living on the coast of East Africa in Mombasa, Kenya.

"I have been shadowing two nurses who spend three to four hours every day walking on foot through some of the poorest slums in Mombasa to visit HIV positive patients," says Crowley.

Most patients live in one-room houses with walls made of sticks and mud, roofs made of corrugated tin, and no running water. They have no means of transportation other than their own two feet. They live day to day with no money to pay for doctors or medicines. The AFCA provides these children with life-saving medication, known as ARVs.

"Every time I meet one of the children who are alive today because of AFCA’s work, I wish everybody who has ever donated to AFCA could be there with me to see in person the life that their donation has helped saved. It is really an overpowering moment to meet, and talk, and play with a young child who is living, playing, going to school, and thriving because of the generosity of people living in another country thousands of miles away."

One of these children is two year old Abraham Ramadani, who contracted the HIV virus from his mother through childbirth. Abraham is taking ARVs provided by AFCA. He and his mother live together in a small mud-walled house in the Bangalaa Slum just outside of Mombasa.

"Every time I have seen Abraham," Crowley says, "he has been smiling, friendly, and happy to see me, even when he was suffering from a case of Malaria."

"His eyes looked heavy, he wore a pained look on his face, and I could tell he wasn’t his normal self. After I reached down to shake his hand and greet him with the Swahili greeting for children, “Mambo!” I felt the top of his forehead and it was scorching with fever."

"I took out my camera asking his mother if it was all right to take a picture of him like this and she said it was fine. When I put the camera before him, Abraham instinctively let out a laugh and made a big smile for the lens. Then he stopped and the ache of the Malaria showed on his face again. Still, he gave it another effort and, with no prompting from his mother or me, pushed out another big smile before the ache and fever caught up with him."

"“Here I am,” I thought, “standing before a two year old kid living in some of the worst conditions imaginable, HIV positive and suffering from a bout of malaria and he’s giving it his all to smile for the camera when I take a picture of him.” Moments like this just take me aback and catch me off guard. They make me forget myself and wonder how we can do more for this kids."

"A week later I ran into Abraham again and his malaria was gone, he was running around laughing as he played with one of the neighbor kids. I caught his attention by calling out his name and he ran over and stopped for about five seconds to smile and say hi – just enough time to let me snap a picture before he ran off to play again."

A child's smile can brighten a life. Abraham, and children like him, will likely brighten many more.

To learn how you can help children with AIDS and HIV in Africa, visit the AFCA website.

Help Children with AIDS Teams with GoodSearch

2007-10-19T15:39:00.000-04:00

The American Foundation for Children with AIDS has teamed up with GoodSearch.com to raise money for kids with AIDS.

If you've been looking for a free and effortless way to help children with AIDS, this is a great way to do it.

Whenever you search for something online, search through GoodSearch.com rather than pulling up your regular search engine. The search process works the same, but each time you search through GoodSearch.com , money is generated to our organization.

Just go to GoodSearch.com, type in your search, and then type in American Foundation for Children with AIDS in the Who do you GoodSearch for box. Then click the button for Search the Web, and your results will be displayed as usual.

What a great way to raise money for a good cause just by doing what you ordinarily do throughout the day!

Frames for a Future to support Children with AIDS

2007-10-16T13:40:00.000-04:00

The American Foundation for Children with AIDS call for artists to decorate picture frames for auction on World AIDS Day December 1, 2007 has gotten an overwhelming response. We're completely out of frames!

Artists from around the country have decorated frames for AFCA. Please be sure to check us out on eBay from December 1-7, 2007 (details forthcoming) to bid on the frames. All proceeds will go to help the kids we serve.

October is AIDS Awareness Month

2007-10-13T14:09:00.000-04:00

We're geared up to Think Pink, but did you know that October is also AIDS Awareness Month?

With our pink ribbons pinned to our chests, we're showing the world we support the important fight against breast cancer. But as we're doing so, many of us are leaving an equally important gap above our hearts.

Make room for a red ribbon -- one that symbolizes the fight against AIDS -- especially for those children with AIDS who aren't able to fight the battle alone.

25 Million Orphaned Children with AIDS in Africa Anticipated by 2010

2007-10-09T14:02:00.000-04:00

There are already over 12 million orphaned children with AIDS in Africa (having lost their mothers or both parents) accounting for over 80% of the total world wide. By 2010, the number of AIDS orphans is anticipated to reach 25 million, according to Save the Children "Children in a World of AIDS" 2004.

These are shocking statistics, but each child is more than a number.

Each of these orphaned children with AIDS has a name, a face, a unique story. Each child has hopes, dreams, fears.

While our young children are brainstorming what they want to be when they grow up, these AIDS orphans are simply hoping they'll have the chance to grow up.

The American Foundation for Children with AIDS currently partners with four hospitals in East Africa to provide much needed anti-retroviral and chemotherapy medications, as well as medicine to treat opportunistic diseases for children aged birth-19 who are HIV+ or who have AIDS.

We also provide medication for the parents or guardians of these children, as we do not want to create more orphans by ignoring their need for medication and medical care.

Learn how to make a donation or other ways you can help.

Climb Up So Kids Can Grow Up event raised over $13,500 for Children With AIDS

2007-10-04T15:01:00.000-04:00

Although the fight for children with AIDS is commonly thought to be an uphill battle, folks across the U.S. literally climbed to the rescue in this year's Climb Up So Kids Can Grow Up event. Hikers, bikers and staircase climbers reached incredible heights to raise over $13,500 for a common goal: to save the lives of children affected by AIDS. Together, we just gave 38 children daily life-saving medicine for an entire year!

Unique Approaches to a Common Goal

With the common goal of saving lives, the climbathon participants accomplished their goals in a variety of creative and amazing ways:

A team of bikers rode 114 miles (with over 7,500 feet of vertical gain) through the Cascade Mountains. A church youth group hiked together, joined by families. A gym in NH joined forces with Mammut to host a "Free climbing day" to invite the community to help those across the world. A dedicated duo of students raised money by organizing their own mini-event at the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point. One man climbed 30 pitches in one day. Another man hiked up a hill with his baby on his back. A 4-year old girl hiked in her neighborhood and managed to raise more funds than any other single individual.

The stories go on and on. Every one of them is inspiring and every one of the participants accomplished something amazing: life for someone else.

Our Heartfelt Thanks

Thank you to everyone who participated and made this event such a success.

A big thank you to our sponsors: Rock and Ice Magazine, National Geographic Adventure Magazine, Mammut, Petzl, Black Diamond, rockclimbing.org, Women's Adventure Magazine, Sir and Lady Edmund Hillary, Skram Media, Solid Rock Climbers for Christ, Studio G, Terra Firma Rockchalk, Steve Nowlon, Jeremy North, Ashar Management and Consulting, CerconeBrownCurtis, Gramicci, Picture the World, and Skylimit Marketing

And a special thank you to Kenji Haroutunian for inviting us to the Outdoor Retailers Convention.

Without each one of you, we would not have had such a successful first event.

There are no words that suffice to express our gratitude. So, in the words of the children in Kenya: Asante Sana

Mark your calendars!

The American Foundation for Children with AIDS and the American Alpine Institute invite you to Climb Up So Kids Can Grow Up in 2008.

Mark your calendars to hike, climb, walk, ride or to be a sponsor for our September 20 and 21, 2008 climbathon.

Visit the Climb Up So Kids Can Grow Up Website for updates and news.