Federal employees and members of the Armed Forces stationed at Defense Logistics Agency Aviation (DLA) Defense Supply Center Richmond, VA kicked off the 2014 Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) on September 23, 2014.  The Children’s AIDS Fund International (CAFI) was one of 30 charities invited to attend the celebration boasting this year’s theme: “We Make it Happen”.

In 2013, federal employees from the Central VA CFC Region donated over $866,765 dollars to participating CFC charities. 

The CFC of Central Virginia, the local campaign for federal employees in the Richmond, VA area, is one of two CFC campaigns located near the CAFI offices in Northern Virginia.  In 2013, federal employees from the Central VA CFC Region donated more than $866,765 dollars to participating CFC charities.  Charlie Lilli, Deputy Commander DLA praised the efforts of the federal employees who contributed last year even though they faced furloughs, tighten budgets and cost reductions, and is certain they will meet and exceed this year’s goal.

In 2013 alone, federal employees, including military personnel, donated more than $51 million dollars to participating CFC charities.   CAFI has participated in the CFC for more than 16 years, raising thousands of dollars for HIV impacted children and their families.

If you know someone who works in the federal government or is in the military please let them know about the important work CAFI is doing to help limit the suffering of children and families affected by HIV.  Ask them to visit our website and read about our ongoing programs which benefit thousands of children and families, or better yet forward them an email highlighting our work.

Thanks very much for your help.

On a recent trip to Uganda, Children’s AIDS Fund International (CAFI) President Anita Smith (left) presented a Bausch & Lomb medical microscope to the Family Hope Centre Kampala staff.     The equipment was donated by CAFI board member Russell Smith, president of Organization Communications Incorporated (OCI), headquartered in Northern Virginia.

Mr. Russell Smith is no stranger to the CAF Uganda program.   Over several years he has taught professional grant writing seminars to more than 100 public and private sector workers, has contributed to the well-being of individual families and a local orphan school, as well as starting the Vanessa Smith Scholarship program that pays school fees for more than 30 children that are clients of the Family Hope Center Kampala.

Some sites have limited laboratory capacity and this microscope will be an important addition used to better serve the client population.

Clinic staff receiving the contribution (left to right) Job Amuriat Family Hope Center Manager; Willy Kayondo, Lab Technologist; Agnes Adyamo, Head Lab Technologist; and Shepherd Smith CAF Uganda Board Member.  Center staff commented on how much it means to them that Russell Smith continues to support so many aspects of their work.

Family Hope Centre Kampala has been a center of excellence in prevention, treatment and care under the US Government’s President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).   It is one of eight treatment sites managed by CAF Uganda’s New Hope Project which consists of a consortium of seven local organizations implementing the project which provides services to more than 27,000 adults and children.

Head Lab technologist Agnes Adyamo expressed deep gratitude to Russell Smith and OCI for the gift, stating that some sites have limited laboratory capacity and this microscope will be well used to more effectively serve the client population.

September heralds the beginning of the 2014 State Employee giving campaigns. The Children’s AIDS Fund International (CAFI) is participating in 17 campaigns throughout the U.S.  These state campaigns are an important fund raising source for CAFI.  The Maryland State Employees and Retirees once again lead the way with over $2,100 pledged last year.  Thank you Maryland!

We try to attend as many state campaign kick-off events as possible.  Wth the campaigns spread out across the nation this can be difficult, so it is important for us to get your assistance in helping spread the word about CAFI’s participation in these campaigns.  Campaigns usually begin in early fall and run until December 1  and some states until December 31.    CAFI participates in the following state campaigns:  Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.

It is important for us to get your assistance in helping spread the word about CAFI’s participation in these campaigns.

If you know anyone who works in your state government, state university or state run hospital, let them know about the important work CAFI is doing to help limit the suffering of children and families affected by HIV.  Tell them about our website and the information it contains, or better yet, forward them one of our emails highlighting our work.  Thanks for your help.

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The Children’s AIDS Fund International was one of eight charities invited to attend the Kick-Off Combined Federal Campaign Celebration in Washington D.C.  of the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Court Services and Offenders Supervision Agency (CSOSA) and The Pre-trial Services Agency (PSA).  In addition to the kick-off event a 9/11 observance ceremony was conducted.  Both events were attended by members of the DOJ and CFC Leadership.  The theme for the Opening Ceremony was “Make it Possible.” Ms. P. Kim Pham, Loaned Executive, CFC, gave especially poignant comments, explaining how as a small child she and her family were helped by a CFC charity to escape and relocate from Vietnam to the US.

In 2013, federal employees donated over $51 million dollars to participating CFC charities. 

The CFC is the largest and most successful workplace fundraising campaign in the world.  The CFC of the National Capital Area (CFCNCA) is the local campaign for federal employees in the Washington Metropolitan Area.  This is one of the most important charity campaigns for CAFI, with the nation’s capital so close to CAFI offices.  In 2013, federal employees donated over $51 million dollars to participating CFC charities.

CAFI has participated in the CFC for over 16 years; raising thousands of dollars for children and families who have been impacted by HIV/AIDS.   If anyone you know works in the federal government or is a member of the military let them know about the important work CAFI is doing to help limit the suffering of children and families affected by HIV.  Ask them to visit our website and read about our ongoing programs which benefit thousands of children and families, or better yet, forward them one of our emails highlighting our work.  Thanks for your help.

This summer while many students spent their school break on family vacations, one  student chose to spend some of her time volunteering at the Children’s AIDS Fund International (CAFI).   This incoming sophomore decided she wanted to learn more about HIV and its worldwide impact .

After just a few days at CAFI she quickly realized that most of what she thought she knew about HIV was wrong.

She explained, “This year in biology class, our teacher spoke about HIV for about 10 minutes.  That was it.” 

By working with  CAFI staff and discussing the issues she learned that– contrary to her belief– there is no pill or vaccine that can cure HIV.   She explained that like most of her classmates she believed, “Since HIV has been around forever and people are not dying anymore (in the US), it must not be a big deal.”

Her thinking was that “HIV/AIDS is only a big deal in Africa.  We don’t need to worry about it here in the U.S.”  She also felt that way about malaria and other diseases she learned about in biology class.  As she worked on different tasks and began reading about CAFI’s work to help HIV impacted children and families her opinion began to change.

…she believed, “Since HIV has been around forever and people are not dying anymore (in the US), it must not be a big deal.”   

Reading about CAFI program clients, seeing their pictures and learning about their struggles to live with HIV/AIDS brought a different perspective and understanding.  “I think the human interest stories are better than reading statistics” she said.  “It makes the issue more real, because statistics are not people.”

Her advice on motivating and mobilizing youth to get engaged in HIV/AIDS:   If students and young adults are given the opportunity to help–especially if given a specific task to accomplish–they can make a difference by getting others to learn about the current state of global HIV/AIDS and join the effort to work toward a truly AIDS Free Generation.

With the dramatic increase in the number of patients on HIV treatment over the past decade and the recent still controversial emergence of pre-exposure prophylaxis  (PrEP) programs, more and more experts assert it is possible to treat our way out of the HIV epidemic.  Clearly increasing data supports that position because HIV positive individuals on treatment are much less infectious and, thus, less likely to transmit HIV to an uninfected partner.

The widespread implementation of this approach has led in some places to a decreased emphasis of more traditional prevention messages such as delaying sexual debut and limiting the number of sexual partners one has.

 

Today fewer youth are hearing messages of risk avoidance and increasingly think, “if I get infected I’ll just take a pill.”

This would be a truly unfortunate outcome, especially in countries like Zambia where 50% of its population is under age 15, and Uganda with the world’s youngest population with more than 78% under age 30, if fundamental prevention messaging were lost.

An article by Edward Green and Allison Ruark in National Review Online based on data from South Africa provides an interesting perspective on this very important discussion.

CAF believes it important that all perspectives in this discussion be heard and is posting this article for that purpose.    To effectively end HIV/AIDS and bring about the dawn of an HIV-Free Generation let us actively use all the tools available simultaneously rather than abandoning any on the battlefield that is already strewn with far too many casualties.

Every now and then when life’s issues seem to be overwhelming it is important to put things into perspective. One young man helps me do that. His name is Junior.

By age 5 Junior had lost his father and by age 13, his mother had also died from AIDS and he was very sick himself. He became the first patient at a Children’s AIDS Fund International supported HIV clinic in Kampala, Uganda. I met him when he handed me flowers during the clinic’s opening ceremony.

Once diagnosed, Junior responded well to HIV treatment. Because Junior was without an adult guardian, a concerned American who met him and learned his story put a substantial amount of money in the bank to help with Junior’s care and needs. In less than a year the money was gone and Junior was left alone and destitute by the greedy relatives who had used it for themselves.

Despite this very personal hurt and disappointment Junior continued in school, studied hard and looked forward to attending the largest local university. Through the generosity of donors who knew Junior’s story he was able to enroll and decided to major in social work.

Just into his second year, at age 19, Junior’s health became extremely fragile. He was diagnosed with kidney failure, had to begin dialysis and drop his studies. That was three years ago. Today, Junior is still on dialysis twice a week, hoping that one day there will be money for a transplant that might give him a better life. He works as he is physically able to contribute to his treatment.

Describing his circumstances, Junior wrote: Sometimes I sit down, not under a tree or shade but anywhere and think to myself. Looking back at the things I have gone through, first my parents dying when I was young, then having HIV and now kidney failure. All I can say is that life has not been fair to me in very many ways. But still at the end of the day I kneel down and say: “Thank you God for the gift of life you have given me.”

Next time life is overwhelming, think about Junior and the millions of other children orphaned by HIV around the world. And be thankful.