New site set to support African HIV/AIDS epidemic
The HIV/AIDS charity (RED) has launched a new online flower service that will help provide AIDS drugs for people living in Africa.
The project, named FLOWE(RED), will sell ethically sources flowers imported from Africa and donate all profits to projects aimed at tackling HIV/AIDS in Africa. Last week saw the launch of its website www.flowered.com
FLOWE(RED) told Pinknews.co.uk, “(RED)’s primary objective is to engage the private sector in raising awareness and funds for the Global Fund, to help eliminate AIDS in Africa.”
“Since its creation in 2002, the Global Fund has become the dominant financer of programmes to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, with approved funding of US $15.6 billion (£10 billion) for programs in 140 countries.
“The Global Fund supports programmes based on agreed performance targets and disburses money in response to proven results. At the end of July 2009, programmes supported by the Global Fund have averted more than 4 million deaths by
providing AIDS treatment for 2.3 million people.”
Last month a study in the medical journal The Lancet warned that HIV rates among gay men in some parts of Africa are ten times higher than their straight counterparts.
The UN agency UNAIDS estimates that two-thirds of the 33 million people worldwide who have HIV live in sub-Saharan Africa.
Figures released from the agency last year show that since 2001, when the United Nations Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS was signed, the number of new infections in sub-Saharan Africa is approximately 15 per cent lower.
Companies whose products take on the (PRODUCT)RED mark contribute to the Global Fund to help finance AIDS programmes in Africa.
Current partners are: American Express, Apple, Bugaboo, Converse, Gap, Emporio Armani, Hallmark, Nike, Dell, Windows and Starbucks.
