I happened to turn on Oprah today and saw Bono telling about his new "project"- project RED. Here's a little bit about what he's doing to help the continent of Africa:
RED™ is a revolutionary program designed to eliminate AIDS in Africa. "Lots of people here in the United States have been trying to deal with the problems of Africa in a very serious way," Bono says. "But not everybody has the time to be an activist or put on their marching boots. So we said, 'How are we going to get the shopping malls involved? How are we going to get to where people live and shop…?'"
Bono teamed up with old friend Bobby Shriver to create (RED)™. Bono says (RED) focuses on AIDS because we can make a difference.
"In some countries over a third of the people are HIV positive. Can you imagine that? A third of this audience is sitting there and they know they're going to die," Bono says. "We have these drugs. And they're not that expensive. We think it's a very American thing, it's a very European thing, to say, 'Look, these people are going to die; they don't need to die.' Two Twin Towers a day. A tsunami a month. One hundred fifty thousand Africans die of a preventable, treatable disease every month. They don't have to. And we think the Oprah kind of people will just not have it—they'll do the right thing, they'll do the (RED) thing."
Help women and children suffering from AIDS in Africa by visiting the following (RED)™ websites (or stores).
JoinRed.com
(RED)™ was created by Bono and Bobby Shriver to empower consumers to shop and do good at the same time. A portion of profits from the sale of (RED)™ branded products goes to The Global Fund to help women and children affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa, providing access to education, nutrition, counseling, medical services, and the two pills a day they need to help them stay alive.
The Global Fund
The Global Fund is the world's leading funder of programs to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, which kill over 6 million people per year.
Gap
Gap is introducing Gap (PRODUCT) RED™—a new, limited collection of clothing and accessories for men and women designed to help eliminate AIDS in Africa. As part of Gap's global partnership with (PRODUCT) RED™, half of the profits from sales of the Gap (PRODUCT) RED™Collection will go to The Global Fund to finance programs that help women and children affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa.
Armani
Emporio Armani is a proud partner of (PRODUCT) RED™.This pioneering initiative will raise money and awareness for The Global Fund through the sales of a RED-branded capsule collection designed by Giorgio Armani. Over the next five years, 40 percent of the gross profits from (Emporio Armani) RED will go directly to eradicate AIDS in Africa.
Converse
It's just a little, red eyelet, but it's the mark of a big idea. That single red eyelet at the top of each pair of Converse (PRODUCT) RED™ sneakers signifies participation in (RED)™, a program designed to help fight AIDS in Africa.
Motorola
Introducing the new red MOTORAZR V3m. The red MOTORAZR V3m was designed to help eliminate AIDS in Africa.
Apple
The iPod nano (PRODUCT) RED™Special Edition holds up to 1,000 songs, 25,000 photos, and a little hope because $10 from every iPod nano (PRODUCT) RED™sold goes directly to the Global Fund to fight AIDS in Africa.
Alicia Keys was also on the show telling about her organization, Keep A Child Alive.
Alicia Keys is a singer, songwriter and a nine-time Grammy® winner who has taken the continent of Africa into her heart in a very big way. Through her involvement with the organization Keep A Child Alive, Alicia learned that in some cases an African child who has HIV can be helped with as little as $1 a day. With the proper medication and treatment, AIDS-infected adults can also live longer, fuller lives.
After celebrating with patients who have been helped by Keep A Child Alive donations, Alicia visited a family who lives in the slums of Mombasa. Alicia says she was overwhelmed when she met Sudi, a young man who was born with HIV and didn't receive proper medication until he was 14 years old. At 17, Sudi stood less than four feet tall. "Nothing really prepared me for seeing Sudi and seeing his family," she says.
About a week after Alicia left Kenya, Sudi passed away. "If we knew him when he was 3 and were able to start [treatment], he would still be alive today," Alicia says. "You can totally turn a person's life around by providing this medicine. … It's the simplest thing to save a life. Every one, single person can be a hero for a dollar a day."
For the first time on the same stage, Alicia and Bono perform their duet, "Don't Give Up (Africa)."
Bono and Alicia Keys's duet can be downloaded at www.keepachildalive.org. The song costs $1.49, and all proceeds go to the Keep A Child Alive organization.
Just one purchase or donation helps make a difference in the life/lives of a person who doesn't have the resources to stay healthy or stay alive. If you can, please help a mother/father protect themselves and/or their children from this disease that is devouring the continent of Africa. Buy RED.
