1. 30 Years Later: A Visit to EGPAF Kenya’s Ariel House

What started more than 25 years ago around my family’s kitchen table in Santa Monica, CA has spread across the world delivering the gift of life to so many women, children, and families infected and impacted by HIV/AIDS. This, my first time visiting Kenya with EGPAF, was an opportunity I’d been looking forward to for a long time. 

When I woke up Monday morning, November 17th, 2014, in Nairobi, clouds filled the sky and rain drizzled down. As I prepared for my visit to EGPAF’s country office, I thought how proud my mom, Elizabeth Glaser, would be at how far we’ve come. Something that never ceased to amaze me was my mother’s ability to part the clouds and give way to blue skies and sunshine. After a small breakfast and a long meditation I was on my way, driven by one of our local transportation experts, Peter. Before I knew it, the clouds had moved on and we were pulling up to Ariel House, EGPAF’s Nairobi Office. While the Kenya team gave me the greatest welcome I could ever ask for, it was blue skies and sunshine — thank you mom!  

Emotion filled the room and tears of joy fell from our eyes as the team and I watched the powerful Elizabeth Glaser E! True Hollywood Story. The strength and courage my mother displayed while facing one of the biggest public health hurdles mankind has ever faced, was nothing short of heroic. She was a superhero.

What amazes me is that same courage and strength was right there in that room within every individual — which shows me that an AIDS Free Generation IS within our reach. It is the workers on the ground implementing this work every day; turning our contributions  into action and making a real-life impact; they are truly changing the landscape of this epidemic. I honor and celebrate our team in Kenya for their dedication, passion and commitment.

Team Kenya! You are a living example of the power we have when we come together to rise out of fear and stigma and take control of our health and that of our community. For that, I will forever be grateful.

Together, we will not only end AIDS in children, but keep it eliminated too!

Because an AIDS-free generation is not just a dream, from November 24 through December 26, we are highlighting 25 ways that EGPAF, our partners, and every-day people are helping and/or can help make it a reality. Pediatric HIV/AIDS is solvable, but we can't do it alone. Each and every one of us has an important role to play.