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:

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 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.



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.’


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)

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.


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

June 19, 2009

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)

June 18, 2009

Over the past decade, Ethiopia has made great strides in enrolling children in primary school. Thanks to significant new investments by the government and donor partners, primary school enrollment rates more than doubled between 1999 and 2007 (from 34% to 71%). However, the rate of transition to secondary school remains low and employment opportunities for youth who do graduate are limited.

On day 3 of our trip to Africa, we were able to witness and discuss these successes and challenges first-hand, as we visited the Ministry of Education for a meeting with senior Ministry officials and also visited a local primary school. Here are some photos I took.

http://www.facebook.com/notes.php?drafts&id=6829493713#/album.php?aid=121153&id=6829493713

-Morgana Wingard
ONE

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.

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.

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