Food for Zimbabwe

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

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

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

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

(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.