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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 5, 2001
Africa Alive!, YouthAIDS & Global Justice Join Forces
to Stop Spread of HIV/AIDS Among African Youth
Africa Alive! YouthAIDS Initiative to be Beneficiary of “What's Going On” Project Washington, DC—In an effort to increase the impact of their respective programs to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS among African youth, Population Services International (PSI), Johns Hopkins University Center for Communication Programs (JHU/CCP) and Global Justice joined together today to launch a new cooperative initiative called Africa Alive!YouthAIDS (AA!YA).
AA!YA's first step together will be as beneficiaries of the “What's Going On” project sponsored by Artists Against AIDS Worldwide (AAAW), a group of recording artists who seek to focus attention on the global epidemic that kills 5,000 Africans each day. Artists involved in AAAW include Bono, Britney Spears, Destiny's Child and others who recently re-recorded Marvin Gaye's classic “What's Going On” as a call to action to stop the spread of AIDS in Africa. AAAW was founded by AIDS activist Leigh Blake, who in 1989 co-founded the Red Hot organization, which also engaged artists in the fight against AIDS. More information can be found at www.aaaw.org.
The new recording will be promoted and sold through production of a super-single, CD and 2002 concert. A percentage of the proceeds will go to AA!YA for their HIV/AIDS prevention and advocacy programs in Africa. Other beneficiaries include the Global AIDS Alliance and the Hope for African Children Initiative.
The three organizations hope that by combining their HIV/AIDS prevention, care and advocacy efforts, they can achieve maximum impact and ensure a healthy future for African youth. According to the World Health Organization, young adults aged 15 to 24 in the hardest-hit areas will account for more than 50% of new HIV infections in the next decade. AA!YA's believes young adults are on the frontlines of fighting HIV/AIDS and they must be further supported and empowered. AA!YA's programs involve young adults in setting the agenda for prevention programs by creating opportunities for young people to advocate, to act, to protect themselves and to make a difference. Please visit www.africaaliveyouthaids.org for more information.
Africa Alive! is a network of African youth organizations that promotes AIDS prevention and safe sexual behaviour through entertainment. The initiative is supported by JHU/CCP, a pioneer in the field of health communication, and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). For more information, visit www.africaalive.org. YouthAIDS is an initiative coordinated by PSI, dedicated to protecting the world's youth from HIV/AIDS through social marketing by providing affordable health products and services that encourage healthy lifestyles. Global Justice, is a youth-led non-profit committed to mobilizing US students in partnership with international youth, for the promotion of global justice and responsibility through transformative education, leadership development, advocacy and better public policies. The Student Global AIDS Campaign is the primary project of Global Justice.
For more information contact: Jennifer Delaney, Africa Alive!, Johns Hopkins University Center for Communication Programs, 410-659-6130, Jdelaney@jhuccp.org; Kate Roberts, YouthAIDS, Population Services International, 202-785-0072, kroberts@psi.org; Adam Taylor, Student Global AIDS Campaign, Global Justice, (617) 354-2968, adamtaylorgj@hotmail.com; or Beverly Visty, Artists Against AIDS Worldwide beverly@dharmata.com.
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