From the Field - Uganda

(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

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

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.