The Children’s AIDS Fund International (CAFI) was one of three charities invited to participate in the Department of Health and Human Services 2014 Combined Federal Campaign Charity Fair. It was held on Oct 29  at the Hubert Humphrey Building in Washington D.C.  This year’s theme was “Make it Possible”.

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

This was the first time CAFI has been invited to attend the HHS Charity Fair.  The CFC of the National Capital Area (CFCNCA) is the local campaign for federal employees in the Washington Metropolitan Area.  It is one of the most important charity campaigns for CAFI, with the nation’s capital so close to CAFI offices, and is the largest local campaign contributor to CAFI.   The CFC is the largest and most successful workplace fundraising campaign in the world.

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.

The orange morning sun was up in the sky while the cold morning breeze hit my face. I was on a motorcycle going to hospital for my dialysis appointment. There were few cars on the road even though it was neither a weekend nor a public holiday. We rode past a soap manufacturing factory and as we approached a bridge everything happened so fast.  We saw that a car had plunged into the water down below.

What most people would do in in such a situation would be to find help or try to save the life of the driver.  However, all sorts of comments filled the air.   “He was drunk.” One man commented.  “No, I think he was under the influence of drugs.” Added another.

Still another mumbled…”He was driving recklessly thinking he owned the road.”

Amid the people commenting and speculating, a few people managed to get into the water and were able to save the driver. Luckily, he escaped without any injuries.

“Never judge the boy before listening to the girl.” 

When asked what went wrong, the driver of the car explained that as he approached the bridge, a school pupil appeared from nowhere and crossed the road without any warning.

The driver risked his life for the sake of the school pupil. But even before anyone knew what happened, they started being judgmental.

An African elder once told someone who was going to punish a child who fought with a friend – without listening to both sides of the story, “Never judge the boy before listening to the girl.”

Before we judge anyone, let us first give them a chance to explain who they really are.  And before commenting about a given situation, we should understand the details first.

Today we stand at the brink of eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV.    We’re using HIV treatment to prevent transmission in discordant couples (where one is HIV positive and one is HIV negative).    Antiretroviral therapy deployed globally facilitates productive lives for those with HIV disease, providing a normal life span for those who are adherent.

The future looks better than it ever has related to eliminating HIV disease.

But one big challenge we still face is keeping the next generation HIV free.

We are preventing HIV infections at birth and in the early formative years, but the missing piece may well be prevention programs that will enable youth to get through adolescence and into adulthood HIV free.

Statistically, the African continent has the youngest demographics globally, with a number of nations boasting more than 50% of their population under age 15.   These wonderful young people are certainly the promise of the future.    Our goal must be to help them remain HIV free so they can realize the potential of healthy futures.

You can help make that happen through CAFI prevention programs for youth that focus on life skills, education and vocational training that will equip them to remain HIV free and make smart and healthy choices

Children’s AIDS Fund International (CAFI) has a new way for you to help support our ongoing efforts to be part of the global solution to HIV/AIDS.  Beginning this week CAFI has begun listing selected items on eBay.   Some of these items are unique in limited quantities and others  are also featured on our website.  EBay, in partnership with PayPal Giving Fund, allows registered nonprofits to sell and receive payments without paying normal fees.  With the holiday season fast approaching this is a simple way to find that one-of-a kind gift for someone special and avoid the crowds.

“This is a great and easy way to support CAFI’s ongoing global and domestic programs.” 

PayPal Giving Fund has other ways to support CAFI programs.  If you are a seller on eBay you can give a percentage of your proceeds to CAFI.  Sellers can give from 10 to 100% of their proceeds each and every time an item is sold.  Participating sellers are rewarded for their generosity with special eBay Giving Works features that help them get more bids and higher sale prices.  We receive the recognition in the listing and benefit from your success.

Additionally, eBay members can choose to make an online gift with PayPal. The “Donate Now” tab lets anyone with a PayPal account donate to CAFI at any time.  PayPal will collect and distribute the donation and handle the tax receipt.  This is a great and easy way to support CAFI’s ongoing global and domestic programs.

A tale of two villages of different ethnicities divided by a thick forest.  

This forest was their sole survival, from it came firewood, fruits and meat.  The differences between these two societies created conflict that resulted in one viewing the other as their enemy.

While the forest was their survival it was also haunted by a big snake. The time came when men and women from both villages who entered this forest to gather food never came back–the big snake was feasting on them. The cries of their loved ones reached the kings of both villages.   The king of the first village responded by saying, “The king of the second village will command his subjects and army to go to the forest and kill the snake.”   Meanwhile, the king of the second village said, “The king of the first village will kill the snake.”

“What is together bites the meat”

During all the time that the kings transferred  responsibility from one village to the other, the snake kept killing and growing bigger as people in both villages starved.

One day, the two kings had to put their differences aside. People from the two villages decided to work amicably to fight the snake. They gathered all the weapons they could and surrounded the snake from all directions leaving no room for escape. At last, the big snake was killed and the two villages feasted together and put all their differences in the past.

This story tells us of how we can do great things, solve great problems through team work and cooperation. It reminds me of a Ugandan proverb that says that says: “What is together bites the meat.”

CAF’s first patient in Uganda in 2003 was Bonney Amadoi (called Junior).   At age 13 he had lost both mother and father and was himself HIV positive.    He possessed many talents–including writing—and gained great wisdom and perspective from the challenges life handed him.