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(PRODUCT)REDTM GENERATES LANDMARK US$150 MILLION FOR THE GLOBAL FUND
1 June 2010 - GENEVA - The Global Fund largest private sector contributor (PRODUCT)REDTM,
has passed a funding milestone of US$ 150 million to support Global Fund HIV and AIDS programs in Rwanda, Lesotho, Swaziland, Ghana, Zambia and South Africa. (PRODUCT)RED is today
one of the largest consumer-based private sector initiatives to raise money for an international humanitarian cause.
Developed and launched in 2006 by rock musician Bono and Bobby Shriver, then chairman of DATA, (PRODUCT)RED brings together some of the world's leading companies
as partners in a joint commitment to channel up to 50% of profits from (Red) products to the Global Fund to assist in the fight against HIV and AIDS. Partners include
American Express, Apple, Bugaboo, Converse, Gap, Emporio Armani, FLOWE(RED), Hallmark, Dell, Nike, Penguin and Starbucks.
Through its partnership with (RED), the Global Fund is able to direct increased resources to individuals and communities affected by HIV and AIDS in Africa. One hundred
percent of the money earned for the Global Fund through (RED) is invested in Global Fund-financed grants and no overhead is charged ensuring that all funds raised have the greatest impact possible.
"We chose to work for the Global Fund because it is the world's largest and most effective financer of the fight against HIV and AIDS,' said Susan Smith Ellis,
CEO (RED). 'The Global Fund's country-led, performance-based model puts the countries themselves in charge of designing solutions appropriate for them and making them work
locally. This is incredibly important to us,' she added.
In Rwanda for example, (RED) money has already provided antiretroviral therapy (ART) to more than 27,000 people living with HIV and reached over 34,000 HIV positive pregnant
women with preventative ART to reduce the risk of mother-to-child transmission of the virus. Similarly in Lesotho, (RED) money has provided more than 45,000 people living with HIV with
lifesaving ART and reached more than 16,000 HIV positive pregnant women with preventive ART to reduce mother-to-child transmission of the virus.
"(RED) money has impacted millions of people living with HIV and AIDS in Africa, saving lives and bringing hope to those living with the disease," said
Professor Michel Kazatchkine, Executive Director of the Global Fund. "(RED) is a great example of what can be achieved through effective public-private partnerships -
the concept has been an enormous success, engaging the private sector in raising awareness and a sustainable flow of funds to help reduce the devastating impact of the pandemic."
Funds channeled by donors and partners through the Global Fund are making a dramatic difference to global health and have saved an estimated 4.9 million lives to
date from AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. However, progress is fragile and even a small reduction in funding at this stage can reverse gains made over the past years.
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The Global Fund
The Global Fund is a unique global public-private partnership dedicated to attracting
and disbursing additional resources to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. This partnership between governments, civil society, the private sector and
affected communities represents a new approach to international health financing. The Global Fund works in close collaboration with other bilateral and multilateral
organizations to supplement existing efforts dealing with the three diseases.
Since its creation in 2002, the Global Fund has become the dominant financier of programs to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, with approved funding
of US$ 19.3 billion in 144 countries. To date, programs supported by the Global Fund have saved 4.9 million lives through providing AIDS treatment for 2.5 million people,
antituberculosis treatment for 6 million people and the distribution of 104 million insecticide-treated bed nets for the prevention of malaria.
Website: www.theglobalfund.org
About (RED)Tand (PRODUCT) REDT
(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. Companies whose products take
on the (PRODUCT) RED mark contribute a significant percentage of the sales or portion of the profits from that product to the Global Fund to help finance AIDS programs
in Africa, with an emphasis on the health of women and children. Current partners are: American Express (U.K. only), Apple, Bugaboo, Converse, Gap, Emporio Armani,
FLOWE(RED) (U.K. only), Hallmark (US only), Dell, Nike, Penguin and Starbucks. Since its launch in the Spring of 2006, $140 million has been generated by (RED)
partners and events for the Global Fund. (RED) money is at work in Swaziland, Rwanda, Ghana, Lesotho, Zambia, and South Africa and supports programs that
have reached more than 5 million people. For more information, visit www.joinred.com.
For more information, please contact:
Dida Connor
Senior Communications Liaison Officer
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria
Tel: +41 58 791 1459 | Fax : +41 58 791 1701
Email: dida.connor@theglobalfund.org
SOURCE: The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria
http://www.theglobalfund.org/en/pressreleases/?pr=pr_100601
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