The countdown has begun to the World Cup 2010, kicking off In Africa this month. It’s an amazing opportunity to highlight this colourful continent and as EngageHIV is all about bringing hope to people affected by HIV and Aids there, we’ve got the perfect way to “Fight it with Football”!

Our “Fight it with Football” action provides you with simple ideas to enjoy the World Cup and raise money for EngageHIV at the same time, from big screen showings to penalty shoot out competition, it’s a great way to celebrate Africa and the “beautiful game”. Simply download our campaign PDF “Get Engaged” from www.engagehiv/action for all the info you need!

Girls, girls, girls do not despair, if you’re already fed up with football before the World Cup has even started – we have the BEST idea for you for a fabulous GIRLS NIGHT OUT! We want to reach out “Sister to Sister” and have the perfect girlie event for fun and fundraising all at the same time: “Handbags and Gladrags”, it is tried and tested – Download our “Get Engaged” PDF from www.engagehiv/action for all the info and the ways your funds will bless those affected by HIV in Africa through Engage. Check out our “Handbags & Gladrags “ group on facebook too for even more inspiration! 

If football or fashion are not your thing we have other ideas from movie premieres to “Blackball”, to food and fitness!

Why not have an “Engage” weekend? Girls and guys all get to play! On Friday 11th June our church is having a “Handbags & Gladrags” night for the girls and on Saturday 12th June the lads are watching the first England World Cup match and all of us are raising money and bringing hope through EngageHIV at the same time! Keep an eye out for pics and we’d love to hear all about your events and see some photos too! 

All these ideas are not just for June – you can run with them anytime, no matter how small or how big, they all make a difference!

As ever, you have our 100% action guarantee – EngageHIV Foundation is bringing hope to people affected by HIV and AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. Every single penny you give goes to support our partner projects.

Please contact us at info@engagehiv.org if we can help in any way.
Thanks!
EngageACTION Team

p.s. link to “Handbags & Gladrags” group - Causeway Coast Vineyard style!
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=117640131597723

Today at Engage we are loving the new One campaign - check it out and add your name!

Since promising to increase aid to Africa in 2005 Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi has actually cut it. His broken promises cost lives, so we should hurl him out of the G8.

The G8 are meeting in Canada in June.  Most G8 countries have cancelled debt and increased effective aid to Africa.  This has helped get 42 million more children in to school and deliver lifesaving AIDS treatment to over 3 million people.

One man alone has done nothing.  In fact Prime Minister Berlusconi is doing even less now than he was 5 years ago.

Mr Berlusconi should be thrown out by the G8….

There is even a very fun game to show them how - have a look and it only takes 2 seconds to sign your name to the petition!

If you want to make sure the G8 deliver on their commitments to Africa join the campaign at www.one.org

Thanks guys!

‘BORN HIV FREE’ CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED WITH SUPPORT OF CARLA BRUNI-SARKOZY 

At Engage we are all LOVING the Born HIV Free Campaign - check it out and sign up at www.bornhivfree.org

EVERY MINUTE OF EVERY DAY,

A CHILD IS BORN WITH HIV. 

WE MUST STOP THIS. AND NOW WE CAN. 

Paris, 19 May 2010 –The Global Fund has launched its BORN HIV FREE campaign to mobilize public support for its work and for a world where by 2015 no child is born with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Unveiled in the presence of Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, Global Fund Ambassador, this is one of the most ambitious digital campaigns of its kind.

At the core of the campaign is a series of films and events intended to inspire people to sign up online in support of The Global Fund’s mission.

Transmission of HIV from mothers to their children has nearly been eliminated in Europe, North America and other industrialized parts of the world. In contrast, in developing countries, 430,000 children are born with HIV every year – that is well over 1,000 every day. The campaign’s main message is that “We can put a stop to this in the next five years. A world where children are BORN HIV FREE is now possible”.

The campaign uses a set of imaginative animations that will be available across digital and traditional media platforms to spread awareness about the opportunity the world has to ensure a virtually HIV-free generation by 2015 and to engender support for this goal, as well as The Global Fund’s wider mission of fighting AIDS, TB and malaria. The campaign asks all viewers to show their support by signing their name on the campaign’s “virtual wall of support”.

The campaign will run through until October 2010 when donors will meet in New York to pledge financial contributions for the next three years for The Global Fund’s work.  By focusing on a world where virtually all children can be BORN HIV FREE, the campaign draws attention to one of the many ambitious and realizable goals the world can accomplish if it continues to increase investment s in global health. By signing up on the “the virtual wall of support” people can signal to their country’s government that they approve of the use of public resources to fight these global pandemics.

“It is heartbreaking that over 400,000 babies are born with HIV every year even though we have the medical means and the expertise to prevent this,” says Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, the Global Fund’s Ambassador for Mothers and Children against AIDS. “I hope the BORN HIV FREE campaign will inspire millions of Europeans to support the Global Fund so we can finally put an end to this terrible injustice.”

 “We can win this battle against AIDS if we get the funding we require,” says Professor Michel Kazatchkine, Executive Director of the Global Fund. “This campaign is intended to encourage people to sign up in support of the Global Fund and to show their leaders that there is strong public support to continue and increase funding for its mission.”

The campaign brings together several major media companies that have joined up as official partners in support of The Global Fund: Google, JC Decaux, MSN, Orange and YouTube. The campaign was conceived by French producer and musician Julien Civange at the request of Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, and co-produced with The Global Fund.

One.org:  We’ve reached 83% of our 2ND NEW goal of 12,500 signers!

There’s still time:  keep signing!

Join us in asking the Canadian government, as chair of the G8, to take action to improve the health of women and children worldwide.

PUT WOMEN AND CHILDREN FIRST AT THE G8 IN HALIFAX

You can still join this One campaign…

Go to the One website, sign your name today, it literally takes seconds!

http://one.org/international/actnow/mumsday2010/

Today, April 26, G8 development ministers will meet in Canada, to put together a global plan to improve maternal and child health. Every year more than 300,000 women die in pregnancy and childbirth; 3.6 million children die within their first month of life and 5.2 million more die before they reach 5 years of age.

Join us in asking the Canadian government, as chair of the G8, to take action to improve the health of women and children worldwide.

 PUT WOMEN AND CHILDREN FIRST AT THE G8 IN HALIFAX

Call on the G8 to take action to improve the health of women and children worldwide

Go to the One website, sign your name today, it literally takes seconds!

http://one.org/international/actnow/mumsday2010/

At EngageHIV we are loving www.globalpovertyproject.com - You should DEFINITELY watch this YouTube clip of their UK launch - so very inspiring!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdIe2qSZJuQ

and Hugh Jackman fans will be interested to know he’s an ambassador for Global Poverty Project, watch him visit the UN with Hugh Evans, founder of GPP.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vc1xzZ59enE

“Strong, healthy women lead to strong, healthy children and communities.”“

This week I am LOVE LOVE LOVING Women ONE2ONE on the One website - http://www.one.org/women/ - so much amazing information about empowering women and, THE CAMPAIGN - how amazing would it be to have no more babies born with HIV - check out the details below and take just a minute to add your voice - signing the petition does not take long but could lead to something remarkable!  Thanks so much

Chantel, EngageACTION Campaign Manager

END MOTHER TO CHILD TRANSMISSION OF HIV

In the last century, a great deal has changed for many women, however, for those in developing countries change has not been so swift - an estimated 70% of people living in poverty are female and unbelievably every minute a woman dies in childbirth.

But we can change this. Our first step is something that sounds remarkable, but according to health experts is possible: ending mother to child transmission of HIV. 

The group that can make this happen is The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria - who will be meeting with their key donors next week. Take action and encourage Global Fund Director Michel Kazatchkine and donors to support efforts to end mother to child transmission of HIV as a priority intervention to stop the spread of the disease. 

Sign the petition and also ask an important woman in your life to join you. This year is going to offer us the best possible chance to make a difference and we need as many people as possible to help.

Visit to sign the petition….  http://www.one.org/women/mothertochild/

Today – Monday 8^th March, is International Women’s Day - a global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future.

On this day EngageHIV want to lift up those women who are struggling because of this illness.  Globally, women and girls continue to be affected disproportionately by HIV. AIDS related illness is the leading cause of death and disease among women of reproductive age (15-49 years) worldwide. In sub-Saharan Africa as a whole, women account for approximately 60% of estimated HIV infections.

Last week UNAIDS Executive Director Mr Michel Sidibé and artist and political and social activist Annie Lennox launched the Agenda for Accelerated Country Action to bring global political attention to the well-being of women and girls at the United Nations in New York.

Ending violence against women is one of the key priority areas of UNAIDS. Up to 70% of women experience violence in their lifetime–in South Africa a woman is raped every minute.

“The brutality faced by many women and girls goes far beyond social policy issues; in essence it is about equality and justice – it must become a foreign policy issue. This Agenda for Accelerated Country Action for women and girls is a path to open dialogue with leaders of countries on how we shape the world of tomorrow,” Mr Sidibé said.

Annie Lennox called for a broad movement for change saying that AIDS responses should address the rights of women and girls and must challenge gender roles to successfully stop the AIDS epidemic.

The Agenda for Accelerated Country Action aims to tie the women’s human rights movement with the global AIDS response and mobilize all constituencies, starting with UNAIDS and the United Nations Development Fund for Women, through increased political commitment, stronger capacity and increased resources.

“We know the facts,” Ms Lennox said, “we know that gender inequality puts millions of women and girls across the globe at greater risk of HIV infection. It is unacceptable that only 38% of young women have accurate, comprehensive knowledge of HIV.”

Mr Sidibé asked Ms Lennox how music and culture can play a role in inspiring positive change in societal practices that currently undermine the health of women and girls and violate their rights.

“I’m using my voice to call on leaders—in political, religious and business spheres—and communities to change the power imbalances between men and women, for a better world,” Ms Lennox replied.

The Agenda for Accelerated Country Action was developed in response to the pressing need to address the persistent gender inequality and human rights violations that affect women and girls specifically. It outlines the need to understand and respond to the particular effects of the HIV epidemic on women and girls and translate political commitments into scaled-up action.

Last year EngageHIV was happy to take part in Stop AIDS campaign’s “Push for the Pool” and celebrate when UNITAID agreed to create this life-saving HIV patent pool.

The pool should help to save the lives of millions living with HIV across the developing world who are unable to access the life-saving medicines they need. It should also allow companies to adapt existing HIV medicines to make them suitable for children. There is an urgent need for child-friendly HIV treatments to be produced for use in developing countries, which are home to the majority of HIV-positive children.

However, we now need a new push!  For this to work, we need the pharmaceutical companies to join the push for the pool by adding their HIV patents.

Recently, a new specialist HIV company was set up called ViiV Healthcare. Pharmaceutical company Glaxo-Smith Kline (GSK) owns 85 per cent of this company.

We’re calling EngageACTION supporters to add their voice to the UNICEF campaign to ask GSK to join the push for the pool.

David Bull, Executive Director of UNICEF UK, a member of the Stop AIDS Campaign, said, “Only 38% of HIV positive children under 15 in the developing world get the drugs they need. Without treatment half of all children born with HIV will die before their second birthday. We hope that GSK will join the UNITAID patent pool so that new child-friendly drugs can be developed for all HIV-positive children.”

You can help by signing their open letter to the CEO of GSK, Andrew Witty, to ensure that ViiV’s HIV patents are put in the pool. This takes seconds and could help save millions of lives in the developing world – especially the lives of children. Click the link below and add your name to this letter.

Thanks for making a difference to those living with HIV and AIDS.

Go to www.unicef.org.uk/campaigns/take_action/direct_action/index.asp?action=94

Hi EngageHIV supporters

This campaign takes seconds yet can make a difference to those affected by HIV/AIDS – we want the Milennium Development Goals to be met so all who require treatment receive it and the spread of this terrible disease can be halted and reversed!  Add your signature to the ONE petition and ask Canada the new G8 leader to courageously LEAD!

Follow the link below and add your name, email address and country, its simple as that!

Thanks for adding your voice!

http://www.one.org/international/actnow/canada/

IT’S TIME FOR CANADA TO LEAD

Ask Canadian leaders to develop a new plan to invest in meeting the Millennium Development Goals of halving poverty and disease by 2015.

Canada is uniquely positioned to be the catalyst for a new, global push to meet the Millennium Development Goals. Across parties and governments, Canada kept its promise to double foreign assistance between 2005 and 2010. It’s an accomplishment we can celebrate and use as a starting point this year.  This year, Canada assumes the leadership of the G8, and ONE is teaming up with Make Poverty History Canada to take advantage of this historic moment. Canada will play a crucial role in keeping the focus on the incredible opportunity we have to make this the decade when we keep the global promise to meet the challenge of global poverty and preventable disease.