Fighting Pediatric AIDS in Uganda

Posted by Sanyu Nkiinzi
Mbarara, Uganda
October 6, 2011

Photo: James Pursey

Deep in southwestern Uganda, nestled in a small hook of land that dips below the rest of the country into an area bordering Rwanda and Tanzania, sits Ntungamo District, a community profoundly affected by the AIDS epidemic.

It’s in Ntungamo, and 12 other districts in southwestern Uganda, that the Foundation is collaborating with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the government of Uganda, and other partners in an innovative HIV prevention, care, and treatment initiative called STAR-SW.

Click past the jump to read a series of blogs featuring the voices of health care workers, patients, mothers, and community advocates that have joined the efforts of the STAR-SW partners to stop the spread of HIV, and to eliminate pediatric AIDS.

Campers at Ariel Camp Learn, Laugh, and Live

Posted by Sushant Mukherjee and Jill Peterson
Kigali, Rwanda
September 30, 2011

Photo: EGPAF

Elizabeth Glaser’s daughter Ariel would have celebrated her thirtieth birthday in August. While she passed away from HIV when she was only seven, the camps for HIV-positive children which were named in her honor continue to thrive here in Rwanda.

The Foundation’s Rwanda office held its third Ariel Camp last month, attended by 40 HIV-positive children and 10 psychosocial support counselors. Read more about the camp after the jump.

Jake Glaser Shares Story, Motivates Future Advocates at HIV/AIDS Summit

Posted by Taylor Moore
Washington, D.C.
September 27, 2011

Assemblymember Portantino, emcee Val
Zavala, and Jake Glaser. (Photo: EGPAF)

Last week I had the opportunity to watch our Foundation Ambassador, Jake Glaser, inspire a group of future advocates in the fight against HIV/AIDS. I attended the 5th Annual San Gabriel Valley City of Hope HIV/AIDS Action Summit, sponsored by California Assemblymember Anthony Portantino, and presented by the City of Hope organization.

Read more about my visit after the jump.

New Congressional Caucus Focused on Fighting HIV/AIDS

Posted by Katie Lapides Coester
Washington, D.C.
September 22, 2011

Last week, 56 Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle joined Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) and Congressmen Jim McDermott (D-WA) and Trent Franks (R-AZ) to launch the first ever bipartisan Congressional HIV/AIDS Caucus.

The caucus aims to refocus Congressional attention on the domestic and global HIV/AIDS epidemics in advance of the much-anticipated AIDS 2012 conference. This large gathering of scientists, activists, and other leaders in the field will take place in Washington D.C. next July.

Photo Caption: Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) speaks at the Congressional HIV/AIDS Caucus launch at the U.S. Capitol Building on September 15, 2011. (Photo: EGPAF)

What We're Reading: Rep. Berman Calls For Reforms, Not Cuts, To Foreign Assistance

Posted by Kati Moore
Washington, D.C.
September 16, 2011

U.S. Capitol Building

As debate continues on Capitol Hill over potential funding cuts to foreign assistance programs, we are reading about a member of Congress who is advocating for reforming the system, instead of defunding it. Learn how Rep. Howard Berman (D-CA) has proposed changing the way the U.S. delivers foreign assistance around the world.

Chip Lyons Receives Presidential Appointment as U.S. Alternate Representative on UNICEF Executive Board

Posted by Robert Yule
Washington, D.C.
September 13, 2011

Last week, President Obama announced an appointment to his administration that was good news to the Foundation and to our goal of eliminating pediatric HIV and AIDS. Our president and CEO – Chip Lyons – was named as the U.S. Alternate Representative to the Executive Board on the United Nations Children’s Fund, better known as UNICEF.