(BLOG) RED

Keep the Answers Coming

noreply@blogger.com ((RED)) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 18:32:00 +0000

We have another couple answers for you if you responded to our call for questions on Facebook and Twitter of ‘what do you want to know about (RED)?’ Thanks for that! And if you didn't ask we hope you're learning a lot about us anyway! We’ll be responding to the top 5 questions and today we’ve got questions 3 and 4.

How do you choose your partners and how much do they give away?

Let’s start with the first part of this question - how do we choose our partners? It’s about finding that right fit. We choose them and they equally choose us. We look for a couple of key things in the brands we partner with: a commitment to eliminating AIDS in Africa, great products and services, and a commitment to marketing those products so that we can generate a substantial amount of money for the Global Fund. Each part is equally important to us. Our partners make a contribution to the Global Fund, at no cost to you, each time you chose a (RED) product so its vitally important that we have great products that you’ll love.

The kinds of brands that turn (RED) are progressive leaders in our mind. They are putting their best designers, merchants and retailers to work for people who may not be their customers but who are part of our global community. These companies give up to 50% of their profits to help fund AIDS treatment for people living with HIV in Africa who would otherwise not have access to treatment. The actual amount each company contributes varies – you can see this on our partner’s section of our web site at – and to see the impact that individual products have, check out our impact calculator.

What new (RED) products are out there and do you have any new partners to come?

Yes! There are lots of great (RED) products out there. We’ve put together an album for you so that you can see highlights of what’s currently on offer. Have a look, and if you like a product click on it to get more information about price and availability.

Our partners are constantly launching new (RED) products and some of the latest that have been launched are Gap’s line of Graphic T-shirts for (RED) with new designs hitting stores every few months, the DELL (PRODUCT) RED Mini netbooks, the new (STARBUCKS) RED range, new Converse ONE HUND(RED) designs continue to be launched online, and new Hallmark card designs hit stores every few months. Please keep in mind that availability varies by country (and we’re working on making (RED) available in as many countries as possible!).

As well as all these exciting products, we do have more partners to come. We can’t share who they’ll be just yet. But we do want you to be the first to know that we’re launching several new partners by the end of this year!

IT'S SUMMER. IT'S STARBUCKS. IT'S (RED).

noreply@blogger.com ((RED)) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 20:55:00 +0000

Summer is here (finally!) and now there are even more ways that you can be (RED) this season thanks to our friends at Starbucks. From the new (STARBUCKS) RED water bottle to the return of the (STARBUCKS) RED Card that will turn all of your Starbucks purchases (RED), you can continue to buy (RED) and save lives. Here’s what’s available (US & Canada only for now):

(STARBUCKS) RED Card

The (STARBUCKS) RED Card is back by popular demand. And let’s you turn ALL your purchases at Starbucks (RED). Every time you use your (STARBUCKS) RED Card, Starbucks will contribute 5 cents US to the Global Fund to help eliminate AIDS in Africa. All those cents add up and can make a real difference – especially as the medicine that’s needed only costs around 40 cents a day per person. Limited availability so get yours today!

Available: At participating Starbucks stores in the U.S. and Canada and online in the U.S. Price: You decide how much money you want to load on the card. Minimum for online purchase is $15 (US).

(STARBUCKS) RED Double Wall Stainless Steel Water Bottle

Now you can help two causes in one: be eco-conscious while fighting AIDS in Africa. Available: At participating Starbucks stores in the U.S. and Canada and online in the U.S. Price: $19.95 (US) with $1 (US) being contributed to the Global Fund to help eliminate AIDS in Africa.

(STARBUCKS) RED Soft Touch Tumbler

Tired of disposable cups for your coffee? Use the (STARBUCKS) RED Tumbler instead. Available: At participating Starbucks stores in the U.S. and Canada online in the U.S. Price: $15.95 (US) with $1 (US) being contributed to the Global Fund to help eliminate AIDS in Africa.

(STARBUCKS) RED African Whole Bean packaged coffee

This blend of beans from East Africa is balanced and complex, with delicate acidity and a flavorful interplay of exotic floral and citrus notes. Available: 1 lb bags of (STARBUCKS) RED whole bean coffee available at participating Starbucks stores in the U.S. and Canada and online in the U.S. (STARBUCKS) RED 12 oz ground coffee bags also available at Target!
Price: 1 lb whole bean bag: $11.95 (US) with $1 (US) contribution and 12 oz. ground bag: $.075 (US) being contributed to help eliminate AIDS in Africa.

(STARBUCKS)RED African compilation CD ‘Whole World Is Africa’

Here’s your gateway to the rich musical treasures of Africa. This compilation features Ethiopian jazz, Sengalese hip-hop and Malian Afro-pop.Great tunes by African artists, such as Alèmayèhu Eshèté, who's known as the "Ethiopian James Brown." Available: This summer only, at participating stores in the U.S. and Canada and online in the U.S. Price: $12.95 (US) with $1 (US) being contributed to the Global Fund to help eliminate AIDS in Africa.

Why the colour (RED)?

noreply@blogger.com ((RED)) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 21:35:00 +0000

Thanks again so to all of you who answered our call for questions on Facebook and Twitter of ‘what do you want to know about (RED)?’. We’ll be responding to the top 5 questions and today we’re on to question number 2:

Why the colour RED?

Because AIDS in Africa is an emergency and red is the color of emergency. 4,100 people die in Sub-Saharan Africa everyday from AIDS. There are 33 million people in the world living with HIV, 22 million of them are in Sub-Saharan Africa*. Its impact disrupts families, societies and economic development. Those who are ill are not able to work and take care of their families.

Yet AIDS is preventable AND treatable. For around 40 cents each day we can give someone the antiretroviral (ARV) medicine they need to regain strength and live a productive life. And this transformation can happen in just 60 days. It’s a true transformation called the ‘Lazarus Effect.’ It’s what happened to Sylvia when she started ARV treatment. Just click on the video to have a look.

*According to the UNAIDS 2008 Report on the Global AIDS epidemic

The Future Gets a Big Kiss

noreply@blogger.com ((RED)) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 21:03:00 +0000

At the end of U2’s first set of their first show on their first tour in three years, as 90,000 fans roared for more, for the encore they knew they had earned, Camp Nou (the soccer stadium for FC Barcelona) went dark and the massive cylindrical screen showed the exuberant face of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, saying: “…Who are the same beautiful people I see when I look around this place tonight in 360 degrees (literally). We are those people, we are the same person. Because our voices were heard, millions more of our brothers and sisters are alive thanks to the miracle of AIDS drugs and malaria drugs. They will be doctors, they will be nurses, they will be scientists, who will live to solve GREAT problems. Yes there are many obstacles of course. There are always roadblocks in the way of justice. But God will put a wind at our back, and a rising road ahead, if we work with each other as ONE.”

At this final word – spoken in a rising soaring declaration of hope, the band was back, striking the first chords of “Where the Streets Have No Name” and the crowd pulsed, physically and audibly, like the fifth member of the band they are. It was one of the many moments in this show when this massive stadium - whose upper reaches felt, in the dusk before the band went on, like they were miles away filled with dots – suddenly curved in on itself and felt somehow small, intimate, immediate.

Part of this was due to the ingenious staging contraption that looked like that restaurant/control tower from LAX had just pounced into the stadium at midfield and was poised to jump off to Milan at any second. Its cylindrical screen expanded downward, spreading impossibly like those Chinese finger prisons.

But it was also because this crowd was a community. (RED) and ONE shirts were everywhere. Bono put on an FC Barcelona jersey (“Bono 1” on the back) “because they are the only team that, instead of advertising a brand, wears the UNICEF logo on their chests.”

And the coolest thing of all was that the stage, concentric circles at the center of an ellipse, was framed by the (RED) ZONES – the best seats in the house – placed (appropriately) like parentheses on either side. Leave it to U2 to devise a way to not only circumvent the secondary ticket market, but to do so in a way that raises funds for the Global Fund – creating, in a way, the ultimate (RED) product.

Friends asked me why I flew all that way to see the first show. “Go see them when they hit the US and the kinks are out,” they’d say. But as a long-time fan, and devout listener to the new album, I knew that this – the first time the band would play the songs from the new album in a true concert – was the moment the songs took on a life of their own. As 90,000 people followed Bono’s call and response on “Unknown Caller,” or erupted to Edge’s guitar in “Breathe,” echoed the “Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh”s of their masterpiece, “Moment of Surrender,” the fans completed the songs. And at the end of the third song, as the fans went crazy and the band built to another verse, the giant screen caught Bono’s face looking over at Edge with a huge smile. Happy to be back, I suppose, sending another album of amazing songs into the world.

Don @ (RED)

Bono's New York Times Op-Ed: Rebranding Africa

noreply@blogger.com ((RED)) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 16:17:00 +0000

President Barack Obama is en route to Ghana on his first official trip to Africa and Bono writes about it in today’s New York Times. Here’s an excerpt:

"No one’s leaked me a copy of the president’s speech in Ghana, but it’s pretty clear he’s going to focus not on the problems that afflict the continent but on the opportunities of an Africa on the rise. If that’s what he does, the biggest cheers will come from members of the growing African middle class, who are fed up with being patronized and hearing the song of their majestic continent in a minor key.

I’ve played that tune. I’ve talked of tragedy, of emergency. And it is an emergency when almost 2,000 children in Africa a day die of a mosquito bite; this kind of hemorrhaging of human capital is not something we can accept as normal.

But as the example of Ghana makes clear, that’s only one chord. Amid poverty and disease are opportunities for investment and growth — investment and growth that won’t eliminate overnight the need for assistance, much as we and Africans yearn for it to end, but that in time can build roads, schools and power grids and propel commerce to the point where aid is replaced by trade pacts, business deals and home-grown income."

Click here to read the full article.

Click here to sign up for our newsletter and stay in the know about (RED)

Watch ONE’s video ‘Yes, Africa Can’ that captures Ghana’s excitement about the President’s visit

New (Gap) RED Tees Available Now

noreply@blogger.com ((RED)) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 22:59:00 +0000

We're loving the new collection of Gap's Artist Edition graphic t-shirts for (RED). Perfect for the summer - from the beach to the BBQ. This time around the artists range from the established to the up-and-coming and include James Jean, Geoff McFetridge, Non-Format by Kjell Ekhorn and Jon Forss, Deanne Cheuk, Keiko Itakura, Kari Modén, nomoco, James Joyce, Stephen Kelleher, Stina Persson and Celia Calle. The exclusive designs for $28 are available at Gap stores and online at gap.com. And don't forget 50 percent of the gross profits from the sale of Gap (PRODUCT) RED Artist Edition T-Shirts will benefit the Global Fund, to help eliminate AIDS in Africa.

Here are some of our favorites:

Get yours now!

You've Asked. We're Answering.

noreply@blogger.com ((RED)) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 20:11:00 +0000

Thanks so much to all of you who answered our call for questions. We recently asked our fans on Facebook and followers on Twitter: 'what do you want to know about (RED)?' and we've picked out the top 5 questions to respond to.

Here's the answer to question number 1:
How much money has been raised and where does it go?

In the three years since we launched, (RED) partners and events have generated over $130 million to help eliminate aids in Africa. 100% of this money is put to work on the ground in Africa through the Global Fund. (RED) doesn't touch any of this money and the Global Fund does not take any overhead, so every single dollar has impact. To date, the programs supported by (RED) and Global Fund financed grants have reached more than 4 million people.

To determine where the money goes the Global Fund and (RED) agree to select countries where there is both need and where existing Global Fund HIV and AIDS grants are already working effectively. Ensuring results is critical. Currently (RED) money flows to Global Fund financed AIDS grants in 4 African countries: Ghana, Lesotho, Rwanda and Swaziland. And we should be announcing a new country soon!

So, how’s the money used? While each program is unique and designed by the local country, they include antiretroviral treatment for children and adults, treatment to help prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV, essential counseling and testing activities to reduce the overall risk of HIV transmission, and clear and accurate communications campaigns to promote prevention. Already, the programs (RED) money supports have provided:

111,000 HIV-positive people with antiretroviral therapy.

Over 70,000 HIV positive pregnant women with preventative antiretroviral therapy to reduce the risk of mother-to-child transmission.

3.4 million people with HIV testing and counseling.

And, beyond this, the programs have helped build health facilities, train health practitioners and care for children orphaned by AIDS.

So although there is more work to be done the impact of (RED) money so far has been overwhelming, thanks of course to your (RED) purchases.

A Big Step Forward for People Living with HIV

noreply@blogger.com ((RED)) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 19:26:00 +0000

The Global Fund has come out with great new global impact results this week and we wanted to share them with you.

In the past twelve months there has been an impressive 31% increase in the number of people living with HIV globally who have access to lifesaving antiretroviral therapy … all thanks to programs the Global Fund finances. What’s more, some of this increase is due to your support in choosing to buy (RED) which results in money flowing to Global Fund HIV grants in Rwanda, Swaziland, Lesotho and Ghana.

Other impressive Global Fund results released this week include the news that now 79 million people have been counseled and tested for HIV, that number is a 17 million person increase from the result the Global Fund reported at the end of 2008. Additionally more than 3.7 million AIDS orphans and vulnerable children have been provided with basic support – that’s a 500,000 person increase since the report at the end of 2008. Fantastic news!

So thanks again for your continued support and your (RED) purchases – it truly is making a difference. Click here to learn more about the contribution the Global Fund has made in fighting AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

(RED) Helps Facebook Launch Their New Fan Box

noreply@blogger.com ((RED)) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 21:23:00 +0000

Become a fan of (RED) on Facebook in just one click. We're excited about a new tool that our friends at Facebook have launched. Check out the Facebook fan box widget on the right hand side of this blog. Now it’s easier than ever to become a fan of (RED) on Facebook and to stay up to date with what we’re doing to help eliminate AIDS in Africa. And even if you’re not on Facebook you can follow our news feed and stay in the know straight from our website or our blog. We’re excited to share this tool with you and to continue to grow our Facebook fan base. So if you’re still not a fan become one now, we're just one click away.

“Know Your Status” – a Visit to the Timber Market in the Old Port, Accra

noreply@blogger.com ((RED)) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:58:00 +0000

A man dressed in a t-shirt and jeans walks through the timber market with a loud-speaker, addressing the area’s predominantly male workers in the local Twi dialect.
“Know your status. Come and test with us today, here in the market....” he begins.

Joshua is HIV negative, but his wife tested positive last year – a ‘discordant couple’ is the term used to describe them by health workers. Motivated by his wife’s status, he has volunteered for the last few months with the outreach programme run by the Ridge Hospital in Accra, and he regularly joins a team of nurses and counsellors taking a mobile testing unit out into the local community.

Dr Sally-Ann Ohene, one of the HIV and AIDS specialists in Accra attributes the enormous uplift in HIV testing and counselling take-up to just such programmes. The programme she works on, partly funded by (RED) money via the Global Fund and organisations such as the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP) has reached twice the number of people they had hoped with testing and counselling, over-delivering against their 2008 targets by more than 100%.

“People in Ghana do not go to hospital unless they are very sick – or visiting someone”, explains Kwadwo Asante, of the NACP. And so the medical staff from the hospitals, with the support of the NACP and Ghana Health Services decided to take the staff into the communities.

The Ridge Hospital outreach programme has been running for two months. The timber market where we watched them in action is a vast, busy industrial area, providing work for a large number of Ghanaians, many from rural areas who also live and sleep in the manufacturing area.

Four testing ‘centres’ have been set up, each providing broader sexual health information, HIV testing and counselling, often by people who are themselves HIV positive. They call these people ‘Models of Hope.’

Margaret is one such ‘Model of Hope’, and as well as volunteering at the Ridge Hospital, she is a key member of the outreach team. A large group of men were gathered around the testing table as we arrived, and one by one they took a number, sat themselves in the chair in front of her and were handed a plastic mouth swab. This relatively non-obtrusive means of testing – individuals vigorously rub the tooth brush-like swab stick around their mouths for half a minute - allows people to receive a result around ten minutes later.

Nearly 400 people were tested in total by this mobile unit on the day we visited; for those who test positive, immediate counselling was on hand and arrangements made to follow up with further testing at the hospital, and treatment being provided as required. People like Margaret, and Richard, another HIV positive counsellor, were able to give first hand advice and support. In Margaret’s words, “to make them know they are not alone.”

The professionalism, dedication and integrity of Margaret, Joshua, Richard, the medical teams and administrative staff is inspiring. They work tirelessly in the fight against HIV and AIDS, and their efforts are clearly being felt. The stigma of HIV within communities is still strong, but the prevalence levels of the virus are falling and the numbers of Ghanaians who ‘know their status’ is rising. For those infected, antiretroviral (ARV) treatment allows them to manage the virus and carry on living active lives. And the programmes funded by the Global Fund, with money from (RED) purchases are a significant factor in this huge shift. There’s a long way to go, but things are moving in the right direction, and with your support, these outreach teams will continue to play a fundamental role in helping to eliminate HIV and AIDS in Ghana.

Here’s to the teams in Ghana, and here’s to all of you for supporting (RED). Thank you. Buy (RED), Save Lives. It makes a difference.

Lisa @ (RED)

Starbucks Visits Rwanda to See (RED) Money in Action

noreply@blogger.com ((RED)) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:57:00 +0000

photo by Riccardo Gangale

Starbucks chairman, president and ceo, Howard Schultz, joined (RED) at the Treatment and Research AIDS Center (TRAC) in Rwanda last Friday to see firsthand how funding generated by Starbucks and other (RED) partners can help to make a difference in the lives of people living with HIV/AIDS. TRAC is Rwanda’s national HIV and AIDS research center housing the country’s busiest HIV clinic. Read more about the visit and about Starbucks latest (PRODUCT) RED offerings in U.S. and Canada participating stores here.

U2 kicked off their 360 Tour in Barcelona last night: (RED)Zones are here!

noreply@blogger.com ((RED)) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:06:00 +0000

What a great concert! U2 kicked off their 360 Tour last night at Barcelona's Nou Camp stadium. 'We’ve got a space station designed by Gaudi ' Bono told the rapturous 90,000 capacity crowd. The band opened the show with Breathe, a track from their latest No 1 album No Line On The Horizon and went on to dedicate Angel Of Harlem - originally inspired by Billie Holiday - to the late Michael Jackson.

Were you one of the lucky ones to get a ticket in the (RED)Zone? U2 have allocated a (RED) Zone VIP area at every show throughout the tour. These premium location tickets were auctioned when the tickets went on sale with net proceeds helping the Global Fund and (RED)’s work to fight AIDS in Africa. We’d like to say a huge thank you to all of you who lent your support and who successfully bid on these (RED) Zone tickets.

The U2 360 Tour will play 15 cities in Europe finishing at Cardiff's Millennium on 22nd August before heading to North America 20 shows starting in Chicago September 12th. In 2009, in just 44 shows the tour will perform for over 3 million fans. And (RED) will be at all shows, with our sister organisation ONE, letting people know how they can get involved in both helping eliminate AIDS in Africa through (RED) and fighting extreme poverty through ONE.

Back to the show though....

The 360° Tour features a round stage positioned on the stadium floor with the band surrounded by their audience, the natural progression of their previous tours. By elevating the sound and lighting equipment, the walls that traditionally obscure performers from their audience are removed. This has also allowed greater capacity and a lower general ticket price.

The stage is designed by long-time collaborator Willie Williams and architect Mark Fisher who have worked together with U2 since ZooTv. Advances in technology and digital communication have allowed Williams to create an overhead expandable cylindrical screen made up of 500,000 pixels.

'The band has been moving further into the crowd with every tour. Tonight they've arrived. Willie and Mark have spent five years perfecting this beautiful and extraordinary frame, once the crowd came in tonight, we got lift-off! Said U2 manager Paul McGuinness.

“U2 has always put on the most exciting live show. They've really raised the bar with this production they want the best for their fans and based on the reaction they have absolutely delivered” said Arthur Fogel, CEO Global Touring/Chairman - Global Music Live Nation. U2 360 Tour is produced by Live Nation Global Touring. For complete tour and ticket information visit: http://www.livenation.com/ and http://www.u2.com/

Check Out Who We Spotted In (CONVERSE) RED

noreply@blogger.com ((RED)) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:49:00 +0000

It’s none other than Maria Shriver, California first lady and friend of (RED). She’s sporting her (RED) Converse’s while teaming up with first Lady Michelle Obama to volunteer last week at a San Francisco elementary school as part of President Obama’s United We Serve plan. And for other influential women of (RED) don’t miss Converse’s new Women in (RED) series which currently features 1HUND(RED) artist Amy Ruppel. Keep up the good work ladies!

Happy Birthday to Grandmothers and Grandsons

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 20:09:00 +0000

At (RED) we love birthdays. It’s a time when the work that you all do in supporting (RED) really hits home. Because of you and your purchases of (PRODUCT) RED, we’ve been able to get life-sustaining antiretroviral (ARV) therapy on the ground in Africa to people living with HIV, People who, thanks to funds contributed by (RED) initiatives, are celebrating their birthdays this month.

Little Katleho from Lesotho is seven this month. His mom, Caroline, is HIV-positive and every year around this time she stops to think about how Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission treatment (PMTCT) helped her give birth to her healthy and beautiful son. She was pregnant with Katleho when she learnt that she was HIV positive and was able to access PMTCT antiretroviral therapy.

It’s hard to believe looking at this beautiful photo of the two of them below that one of them is HIV positive and one is not. But that’s the power of the PMTCT treatment which your (RED) money helps finance in Lesotho, Swaziland, Rwanda and Ghana.

Caroline and her healthy son Katleho

From little boys to grandmothers: “This Thing” in Ghana turns 55 later this month. She goes by the nickname “This Thing” because stigma is quite a problem for many people living with HIV in Ghana. This lively and spritely HIV positive grandmother began taking antiretroviral therapy four year ago.

“This Thing” chuckled when she told me: “I’m strong, I can do anything a man can do”.

And she does work hard. “This Thing” is typical of many grandmothers in Africa as she plays a vital role not only in helping support her immediate family but also by helping to care for her daughter’s children so her daughter can work and earn some money as well. In fact, thanks to ARV’s which (RED) helps finance in Ghana, “This Thing” is just like any grandmother in her village.

Happy Birthday to everyone who has a birthday this month.

Greta

An Inspiring Visit To Korle Bu HIV Clinic In Ghana

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 14:58:00 +0000

This has been my first trip to Africa. And it is one I will never forget.

On the trip, we visited Korle Bu HIV clinic in Accra, Ghana, one of the largest hospitals in Africa with one of the busiest HIV clinics in the country. Dr. Addo, the head of the National AIDS Control Program, took us on a tour of the Fevers Unit, the Chest Clinic and the laboratory and pharmacy. The Fevers Unit is where they treat all of their HIV patients – there are over 10,000 registered patients. It is called the Fevers Unit because before HIV existed this was where they treated tropical diseases. Today, it operates almost 100% to support and care for HIV patients. We met the nurses and technicians who have endless spirit and are some of the most inspiring women and men I’ve met. Their dedication to their patients and their firsthand telling of the miracle of antiretroviral medicine (ARVs) is incredible to hear first hand.

The (RED) Global Fund HIV/AIDS grant in Ghana currently provides a significant portion of the financing for antiretroviral therapy nationally. They are doing so many impressive things to eliminate AIDS in Ghana. They are working hard on decreasing prevalence rates, on increasing the number of babies born HIV-free, and on providing treatment so that people can live with HIV rather than dying from AIDS.

We had the privilege of speaking with one of the HIV positive patients at Korle Bu who is currently receiving ARVs. He spoke of his experience going on the ARVs and the stigma attached to being HIV positive. In Ghana there is a tremendous amount of stigma towards people with HIV. But they are working to change this. The hospital has seen great success with a “Know Your Status” campaign that is being supported in the local communities by the staff at Korle Bu. One week a month they go out to the local communities to encourage testing so people can know their status and either receive the treatment they need or know that they are healthy and take precautions in their daily life. The patient we met is feeling good thanks to ARVs and has the support of his wife and family. By taking the ARVs he has a chance at living a long, healthy life.

Today I came away with an overwhelming sense of hope. There is a lot of work still to be done in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Ghana but the continued contributions for the Global Fund and Dr Addo’s work from the sale of (RED) products are helping Ghana’s efforts in that fight. It’s a powerful thought – that the purchase of an (Apple) RED iPod in Tokyo or a pair of (Converse) RED sneakers in the U.S. can contribute in this way.

Jen @ (RED)

Visiting HIV Clinics in Ghana

noreply@blogger.com ((RED)) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 16:57:00 +0000

After an incredibly educational trip to Ethiopia, we have finally made our way to one of the four countries that (RED) money is working in - Ghana. Boy, it’s HOT here!

Today we’re planning on visiting facilities that are funded by the Global Fund and supported by (RED) – I’m really looking forward to seeing our (RED) money at work. (RED) money goes directly to The Global Fund which invests it in HIV/AIDS programs on the ground in Africa. We’re very proud of the fact that the every cent of the donation that any of our (PRODUCT) RED partners such as Apple or Gap sends to the Global Fund from the sale of a (RED) product gets to Africa –no overhead is taken out.

We are on our way to see two hospitals where we will learn more about HIV testing, counseling, and ARV treatment. One of the hospitals focuses on prevention of mother to child transmission and hopefully we will get to meet some of the mothers and their infants who have successfully completed the transmission treatment. More than 70,000 HIV positive pregnant women have received preventative antiretroviral therapy to reduce the risk of mother-to-child transmission due to support from funds from the Global Fund and (RED) so this will mean a lot to us.

Our trip so far has been amazing. We have met so many people here that are affected by a variety of challenges and yet still stay so strong, determined and hopeful in the face of their adversity. Meeting them has been my favorite part so far. We’ll be reporting back later on today’s visits.

Molly @ (RED)

Listening and Learning in Africa

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 17:51:00 +0000

We just wanted to share some photos of a school we visited in Ethiopia today. Even with the strain of limited resources Ethiopia is making strides to increase their student enrollment. In fact in sub-Saharan Africa the proportion of primary school age children enrolled in school increased from 56% in 1999 to 70% in 2006 – the fastest increase of any region. Thanks in large part to debt relief and development assistance that’s an increase of 34 million children in primary school between 1999 and 2006. In Ethiopia alone, the Minister of Education told us that they have put 15 million additional children in school in the last 16 years.

Who's the Daddy?

noreply@blogger.com ((RED)) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 17:31:00 +0000

It’s Father’s Day on June 21st in most countries around the world. Many of us here at (RED) will be spending our Father's Day returning from this week's trip to Africa. As we interact with other fathers a continent away from our own, we'll undoubtedly be thinking of our own dads and how important they are in our lives. Important? Yes. In style? Not always! (RED) has a few gift ideas that can help in both style tips and more importantly, in helping other dads and their families in Africa.

Coffee Break

noreply@blogger.com (Spencer Kent) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 22:27:00 +0000

A look at day two from our delegation traveling through Ethiopia and Ghana.

What was one of today’s great highlights? Efficiency, energy and entrepreneurialism harnessed around Ethiopia’s oldest product: coffee. For someone that treasures their morning latte, it was truly an inspirational lesson.

Ethiopian’s take their coffee seriously, which is not surprising given that it contributes 60% of their export earnings (valued at $525 million) and employs 15 million farmers.

Our first briefing was at the Coffee Cooperative, an efficient model of scalable enterprise that provides farmers with a platform to sell their coffee. Over the last decade, this cooperative has successfully grown in size and scale.

Our next stop was the “Coffee Plant and Warehouse Enterprise,” a plant that processes over 600 metric tons of coffee per year. We were immediately captivated by the “Stacking and Storage Plant,” the spot where the Cooperative coffee first arrives from various farms. The delivery team of 150 unload the bags from the truck and run with lightning speed—with the 85 kilo bag on their head—to their next teammate, who stacks the unsorted coffee bags on a trolley and runs even faster to deposit the bags into the sorting area. Next, four durable machines sort the beans by grade, depositing them into the “sorting room.” Here, 200 women hand sort the beans, the sound of their peaceful efficiency in stark contrast to the high-pitched hum of the earlier machines. Finally, the sorted coffee is stored until the order is fulfilled and sent to the port of Djibouti.

And why the speed of the runners, who deliver 85 kilo bags with great hollering and cheering during an eight hour day? Load balancing of the four processing machines ensures consistency of operation. Now that’s a stimulant!

This energetic plant employs approximately 1000 people – 380 contractors, 400 women and 150 delivery men. Plum jobs are the permanent employees – paid over one dollar per day, with eligibility for an annual bonus, limited healthcare and the opportunity to benefit from the sale of the “by product husks.” Temporary workers are paid 50 cents a day, with a three month contract.

Our last stop of the day was a true inspiration. The Ethiopia Coffee Exchange (ECX), founded by Dr. Eleni Gabre-Madhin, opened in April 2008. The ECX, an open outcry system, now trades 100% of Ethiopia’s coffee, plus a portion of other grains. This is Africa’s first electronic commodity exchange: a model of trust, transparency and integrity. Now that’s inspiring entrepreneurialism!

-Juliet Flint

Visiting the Mother-to-Mother Program

noreply@blogger.com (Spencer Kent) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 22:31:00 +0000

Our first on-the-ground post from our delegation traveling through Ethiopia and Ghana.

Yesterday we spent time at the Mother-to-Mother program at Adama Referral Hospital in Ethiopia. The hospital is a comprehensive HIV/AIDS service site, currently providing over 12,000 people with HIV care and more than 7,300 people with antiretroviral therapy.

The Mother-to-Mother program offers support groups for expectant mothers who are newly diagnosed with HIV. Mothers already living with HIV gather with expectant mothers recently diagnosed with HIV to mentor, educate and listen to each other.

Visiting with the mothers at the Mother-to-Mother program was a rare opportunity for an intimate discussion. We were able to speak on a personal level with mothers suffering from HIV, but these women didn’t speak of suffering. They spoke of surviving. They were gathered together to support one another through the experience of having a child while being HIV positive. I was moved by their stories and their perseverance. They were attending support groups twice a week, working to be strong mothers to their children and helping to spread the word about HIV prevention. As our discussion ended, one woman asked that we not forget them. My memory is strong. It was a true honor.

-Kathleen Biden

UPDATED: Here’s Maggie Williams on her visit to the Mother-to-Mother program

And here is Senator John Sununu on the Mother-to-Mother program

(RED)NIGHTS this week

noreply@blogger.com ((RED)) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 20:53:00 +0000

Thanks to all of you who were with us to kick off the (RED)NIGHTS concert series last Friday night with The Veronicas in New Orleans. It was a great show! If you missed it, relive some of the fun by looking up #rednights on Twitter. Or simply follow us @joinred and hear us tweeporting live from the shows.

This week is packed with even more amazing concerts that save lives. There's Matisyahu tonight in LA, Santigold in Dallas on Wednesday (6/17) and Lisa Hannigan in NYC on Friday (6/19). And the hope is for (RED)NIGHTS to live on beyond the nights of the incredible shows. We like to think of it as a digital road trip and for those that are going to the shows, we'd like your help in sharing your (RED)NIGHTS with others.

So if you’re attending one of the shows this week here’s what you can do to help spread (RED)NIGHTS:

- Tweet about #rednights and #name of the band
- Upload your show photos to Flickr and be sure to tag them with REDNIGHTS and the name of the band
- Upload your show videos to YouTube and be sure to them with REDNIGHTS and the name of the band

We’ll soon be getting all this great content op on the site at www.joinred.com/rednights. It’s coming soon!

Enjoy the show.

Angela @ (RED)

Good Morning Ethiopia!

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 20:03:00 +0000

Hi. This morning, I looked out at a sight I’ve never seen before—early light coming over the hills of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A few of us on the (RED) team are lucky enough to be on a learning tip with our colleagues at ONE and a diverse group of policy leaders. We are in Ethiopia because—while it is not a (RED) country—Ethiopian Health Minister Tedros is using innovative practices to get care, including HIV testing and treatment, to the people who need it most.

By the way, all of Addis seems to be under construction—which makes sense because “Addis” means “new!”

We started the day driving out into the countryside to see how HIV care is administered there. After some hectic stop and start traffic, the road opened onto a beautiful valley. Out first stop was a ten-room Health Center where the locals can go to get basic services, including antiretroviral treatment. Every morning, more than 200 people line up to get their medicine. This is not a hospital but, on average, two babies are born here every day. The best part is that everyone gets tested, they know how to protect babies from getting HIV during childbirth, and all the ARVs are free.

Next, we went to a more rural area in Nazrat where Ethiopia’s innovative health extension worker program is at work. We met one of the 30,000 new health extension workers—she is 20 years old and responsible for the health of everyone in her village. (Don’t know about you but I would not have been ready for that at 20.) She was amazing—seeing patients in a three room “Health Post” in the morning and doing house calls in the afternoon.

On the way out, a couple invited us to their village to see their new bed net being hung. This simple net will help to prevent them getting Malaria when the rains come next week. The whole village was full of kids—many of them wearing home-made Obama t-shirts that say “Yes We Can” n English and “God Follow You” in Amharic.

We ended the day at a hospital in Adama where we met doctors focused on helping HIV+ women give birth to HIV-free infants. We met with a support group run by African mothers on ARVs called “Mother to Mother.” They live in extremely poor circumstances but despite this they offered us coffee and popcorn and told us their stories.

The organizer told us through a translator that when she found out she had HIV, she left her home in fear and lived in the bush for days until she was exhausted. That was nine years ago—we have come a long way since then. Here we were, surrounded by beautiful HIV+ women and their HIV- free children. The medicine works.

A member of our group asked the translator if there was anything the women wanted to ask or tell us. The youngest member in the group spoke immediately. Our eyes moved to the translator but for a few moments he did not speak. “Please don’t forget that we are here.”

It was a day we will never forget.

Colin @ (RED)

A Continent on the Move: Listening and Learning in Africa

noreply@blogger.com ((RED)) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:36:00 +0000

(RED) and our sister organization, ONE, are bringing a diverse delegation of influential policy and business leaders to Ethiopia and Ghana this week to see how strong African leadership and smart donor investments are helping people in Africa fight their way out of poverty. We feel so privileged to be making this trip.

We’ll be exploring a wide spectrum of issues and we will have the good fortune to hear from a variety of people in an effort to learn which policies and investments are achieving results, what programs and approaches are not working and what more is needed.

We will be visiting health, agriculture, education and trade projects and we’ll be meeting with government leaders, program implementers, entrepreneurs, intellectuals as well as people who are directly impacted by the work that we do. In Ghana, we will spotlight how contributions from the sale of (RED) products and the power of (RED) consumer action are helping to provide lifesaving treatment to thousands of people who are HIV positive. It’s because of the conscious choice you are making to buy (RED) that we have been able to generate more than $130 million to help eliminate AIDS in Africa. Thank you.

We’re so looking forward to the trip and to bringing our experiences to both (RED) and ONE supporters. We will be blogging and tweeting on the trip and look forward to sharing the journey with you.

The (RED) Team

The (RED) Zones at U2's 360° Tour

noreply@blogger.com ((RED)) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:10:00 +0000

As you may have read, U2 have allocated a (RED) Zone VIP area at every show throughout their upcoming 360° Tour. These premium location tickets were auctioned when the tickets went on sale with net proceeds helping the Global Fund and (RED)’s work to fight AIDS in Africa. We’d like to say a huge thank you to all of you who lent their support and who successfully bid on these (RED) Zone tickets.

“(RED)’s contribution to the Global Fund in just three years is over $130 million. This is not only helping hundreds of thousands of people in Rwanda, Swaziland, Ghana and Lesotho where the money is at work on the ground but (RED), through its partners’ marketing efforts is also having a tremendous impact on public awareness of the HIV pandemic in Africa. We are honoured to have both the crucial support of the money flowing in, and the vote of confidence in the Global Fund’s way of providing aid.”

Professor Michel Kazatchkine, Executive Director of The Global Fund To Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria

(RED) Attends the KIN Global Conference at the Kellogg School of Management

noreply@blogger.com ((RED)) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 23:03:00 +0000

Last week I participated in KIN Global – a conference hosted by the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University just outside Chicago. It was a three-day gathering of about 200 people from around the world who came together to discuss one topic – the importance of innovation in building global prosperity.

A wide range of people joined the discussion and it was wonderful to hear so many viewpoints. From Admiral James G. Stavridis, Commander of the United States Southern Command who discussed the importance of public/private partnerships in creating prosperity in South America, to Kimmie Weeks, Executive Director of Youth Action International a non-profit working to rebuild war torn African communities, and John Simon, the former ambassador to the African Union, the discussions and insights were fascinating.

Admiral James G. Stavridis

The topic was broad and the discussion fierce. Ideas flowed freely – some that may work, others that may not – yet what was as important was the ability to exchange these ideas with people from around the world, across many different disciplines

I walked away both excited and hopeful for where we are headed as a global society. There is a growing tide taking us in a direction where corporations will realize that doing good means doing good both financially and socially; where addressing the needs of the bottom billion means also engaging these individuals in the process and creating prosperity along the way; where military ‘strength’ takes on new meaning and creates economic opportunity as a way to head off the need for violent conflict; and where we recognize that our natural resources, when managed correctly, are core to sustainable economic growth and security.

Most importantly, the time I spent here reminded me how important these conversations and debates are. Taking time to surface new ideas, stretch our thinking and find ways to take action on new opportunities is always an invigorating experience. Thank you to all who attended that helped provide new ideas for (RED) and who are off taking action on many of the new ideas from the week.

To find out more about the conference and the Kellogg Innovation Network visit http://www.kinglobal.org/

Susan, CEO, (RED)