“We must all come together in supporting the global fund and the fight against AIDS.
…I applaud (RED) and its partners for their vision and commitment.” –Nelson Mandela
This quote by former South African President, Nelson Mandela, is printed at the top of one of the most well-known AIDS philanthropic organizations, “The (RED) Campaign.” Mandela is right, with HIV/AIDS continuing to be a growing epidemic, people all around the world need to work together in order to stop the spread of this fatal disease. Foreign Policy and governmental aid are doing all they can in order to help with programs such as PEPFAR and USAID but they are not enough to stop this epidemic, therefore there are hundreds of philanthropic groups devoted to stopping the spread of HIV/AIDS.
(RED) is one of the leading philanthropic organizations and most well-known. Founded by U2 front man, Bono and Bobby Shriver in 2002, The (RED) Campaign raises awareness and money for the Global Fund by pairing with the most popular icons in today’s world such as; American Express, Gap, Apple, and Starbucks.
Today, there is an estimated 33 million people living with HIV, and 2.7 million people were newly infected in 2007. HIV/AIDS can be stopped if everyone works together. For example, with the help of (RED) and its sponsors the purchase of one Ipod and nine Starbucks drinks provides someone living with HIV in Africa with three weeks and three days of lifesaving medicine. This is incredible, and if everyone continues to be informed and work together, hopefully the battle with HIV/AIDS will come to an end.
