From 400,000 treated to 5 million in 6 years, now is the time to keep up the fight.

Zimbabwe Hair

Voices from Zimbabwe at AIDS 2010

Posted 23 July 2010, 11:08 A, by Conference Secretariat

By Tears Wenzira and Patience Kunaka

As the XVIII International AIDS Conference draws to a close in Vienna, 28-year-old Tears Wenzira ties a bright red ribbon in the last head of hair she will braid on her first trip outside of her native Zimbabwe. Back home in the Harare suburb of Chitungwiza, a typical day in the salon brings Tears approximately 25 clients; in the past four days, she estimates that she’s placed a symbolic braid with a red ribbon in more than 300 women’s hair.

She’s part of a group of more than 2,000 hair dressers in Zimbabwe who work closely with PSI, as part of a programme, co-funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development and the U.K. Department for International Development, to prevent HIV transmission by promoting the use of female condoms to their clients. In 2009 alone, PSI sold more than 2 million female condoms, and more than 50 percent of them were distributed through a network of 1,700 hair salons across the country.  Today, Tears sells 100 female condoms per month, rendering a profit of US $4.00 – enough to buy basic groceries like bread and milk for her husband and three children, three nieces and nephews, three siblings and grandmother she cares for.

Vienna 2010 AIDS

Laura Guay, MD, Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation vice president of research, talks about the new momentum for eliminating mother to child transmission of HIV and how her foundation’s work benefits maternal and child health.

Press Conference: Annie Lennox

Official Press Release Day 3 Vienna

Human Rights March Vienna 2010

VIENNA, AUSTRIA (July 20, 2010) — Researchers have achieved an important scientific breakthrough in the fight against HIV and genital herpes with a vaginal gel that significantly reduces a woman’s risk of being infected with these viruses.  The results of the ground-breaking safety and effectiveness study of an antiretroviral microbicide gel study were reported today by the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA) at the XVIII International AIDS Conference in Vienna, Austria.

Family Health International (FHI) President of Research Ward Cates Chairs this press conference.  The first 20 minutes are well worth watching.  Some of the questions following give serious food for thought.

RFFA and FHI recently announced our partnership at Montreal.

On 18th July 2010 Annie Lennox attended and spoke at AIDS2010 conference in Vienna. You can now watch Annie’s presentation online, click here to watch now, (starts at 3.23.40 on the player). You can watch the whole sesson if you have 4 hours to spend.  Cheaper than going to Vienna!  However the Annie Lennox segment is very worth while.  Annie has a great message!

Annie Lennox

Day 2 World AIDS Conference Vienna 2010

Bill Gates - Building on Success: A Roadmap for HIV Prevention

NEWS SUMMARIES CAN BE FOUND HERE INCLUDING VIDEOS

Vienna World AIDS Conference 2010

You can follow the proceedings here daily.

day1_aids2010_opening_press_release_18_july_2010

We invite you to follow the 2010 AIDS Conference in Vienna on the web site below:

AIDS 2010 CONFERENCE VIENNA BLOG

Rotary Foundation Matching Grants support the Bitone children’s center in Uganda, which brings music, dance, and opportunity to underprivileged children.

This is about orphans and vulnerable children in Uganda.  It is about Hope, Education and Music.  We would invite anyone reading this post to join us at RFFA for that is what we do to give hope to the most vulnerable children on the planet, Rotarians For Fighting AIDS.

The BITONE Centre

Marion Bunch and Al Siemens

In Montreal RFFA CEO Marion Bunch and FHI CEO Al Siemens sign the MOU with star witness Kristy Matthews an Attorney from Atlanta.  Kristy was the key note speaker at the RFFA break out session in Montreal.

Rotarians for Fighting AIDS and FHI to Collaborate on Initiatives for Orphans and Vulnerable Children

Montreal, June 22, 2010 – Rotarians for Fighting AIDS, a Rotarian Action Group recognized by the Board of Directors of Rotary International that works to improve the lives of orphans and vulnerable children affected by HIV/AIDS, and FHI, a global health and development organization whose science-based programs bring lasting change to the world’s most vulnerable people, today announced a Memorandum of Understanding committing the two organizations to explore potential collaborative initiatives.

The two organizations made the announcement at the Rotary International Convention in Montreal, Canada. The memorandum of understanding commits RFFA and FHI to draw on their complementary capabilities, resource networks, and respective areas of expertise to seek collaborative opportunities, primarily in Africa, to provide care, nutrition, education, and life skills to orphans and vulnerable children affected by HIV/AIDS.

Albert J. Siemens, Chairman and CEO of FHI, stated, “The collaboration between FHI and Rotarians for Fighting AIDS is a natural fit: we share a vision of improving lives and a special commitment to providing a brighter future for children whose lives have been devastated by HIV/AIDS.  RFFA’s feet on the ground, global donor base, communications infrastructure, and outstanding partnerships, coupled with FHI’s unmatched technical expertise, science-based solutions, and worldwide platform of people and health and development programs, offer the potential for highly effective initiatives that will make lasting improvements in children’s lives.”

Marion Bunch begin_of_the_skype_highlighting end_of_the_skype_highlighting, RFFA’s CEO, said, “I am excited about the partnership with FHI because both organizations are committed to helping the children made vulnerable by AIDS.   We have the ability to create a stronger sustainable solution by working together, using the efforts of Rotarian leadership both at the country level and international level, with FHI’s technical expertise and leading edge programs.”

Rotarians for Fighting AIDS (RFFA) improves the lives of orphans and vulnerable children affected by HIV/AIDS through the power of Rotarians. RFFA mobilizes Rotarians and partners to provide care, nutrition, education, and life skills, thereby mitigating the consequences of the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

FHI is a global health and development organization whose rigorous, science-based approach builds programs that create lasting change. Founded in 1971, FHI maintains offices and staff worldwide, helping to forge strong local relationships that enable it to make measurable progress against disease, poverty, and inequity—improving lives for millions.

Al Siemens signs with Marion Bunch as witness

This is an exiting partnership and one that we look forward to producing results for the orphans of Africa in the very near future, see the FHI web site below:

Family Health International

Marion Bunch CEO of RFFA

CEO of RFFA (Rotarians For Fighting AIDS) to attend the XVIII International AIDS Conference in Vienna, AUSTRIA.  Marion Bunch will be in Vienna representing Rotarians For Fighting AIDS and we look forward to her reports on proceedings.

Also there will be Annie Lennox and here is her video on the Human Rights March to be held on the 20th July in Vienna.  Annie has done some amazing work to create awareness on HIV/AIDS, especially in Africa.

RFFA Australia Chair PDG Fred Loneragan Presents the Banner

L-R DG Neal Fogarty, PDG Fred Loneragan, Presidnet Ken Engsmyr, John Glassford, Past President John Pizzaro who set this in motion in his term as President of the Parkes RC.

RFFA Australia Chair PDG Fred Loneragan presents the RFFA banner of appreciation to President Ken Engsmyr and Past President John Pizzaro in recognition of the members of Parkes all becoming life time members of RFFA.

The 40 members of the Parkes Rotary Club in District 9700 New South Wales Australia joined up as life time members of RFFA.   The Parkes club has been a great supporter of the Orphan Rescue Kit and we look forward to working with them to help the AIDS orphans of Africa.

THANK YOU ROTARY CLUB OF PARKES!

PDG Mark Doyle, Marion Bunch and John Glassford on the RFFA stand

RFFA and the members of RFFA have been in Montreal attending the annual Rotary International convention.

It has been an excellent convention with many many enquiries.  Our break out sessions were well attended and a full report will be available here on my return to Australia.

The Orphan Rescue Kits are the main stay of our work and we encourage you to invest in one ORK from the front page above.  YOUR help is needed more and more as the situation with orphans in Africa becomes more and more desperate.

The Orphan Rescue Kit provides in the main for education for the orphans of AIDS in Africa especially Kenya, The Ivory Coast and South Africa.   RFFA, (Rotarians For Fighting AIDS) will be meeting in Montreal during the annual Rotary International Convention in 5 days time.  We will be planning for the next 12 months and beyond.  This campaign One Goal has the potential to change a lot of young lives.  Here below is what all this is about for us at RFFA and please join One Goal:

http://www.join1goal.org/home.php

RFFA Newsletter April 2010

RFFA May 2010 Newsletter