Be the Generation to End Paediatric AIDS in Africa

Last week was a big one for mothers2mothers (m2m). We were profiled in the New York Times Opinion Pages on Friday, 17 July, in an article by Tina Rosenberg, "Mothers Helping Mothers to Live with HIV." And we are very proud that m2m Mentor Mother Nalumu Vivien Juliet was chosen to be featured in the UNAIDS MDG 6 report, "How AIDS Changed Everything," released earlier in the week. (links to both below)

The New York Times article is a very strong piece, highlighting the story of an m2m Mentor Mother in Kenya (Teresa Njeri) through the past lens of the HIV epidemic—Teresa learned of her infection in 2001—to current progress in combatting HIV/AIDS (i.e., drop in new infections among infants, increase in the number of individuals on antiretroviral drugs (ARVs), etc.).

The article positions m2m quite well in several key and new areas, including:

• Highlighting the strong work of Mentor Mothers in our flagship clinic-based programme
• Reinforcing that our Mentor Mothers are not volunteers, that we pay them (with a wonderful ending quote from Dr. Sirengo, head of the national AIDS programme in Kenya)
• Extending understanding of our Community component ("rid[ing] bicycles from village to village, knocking on doors of mothers who missed medical appointments")
• Drawing attention to our work in retention and adherence (reducing socio-cultural and psychological barriers) and the need for stronger and longer support post-delivery, and supporting treatment for life
• Trumpeting the excellent data from our Uganda cost-benefit analysis, including the cost-saving conclusion of the program saving $11.40 in treatment costs because fewer babies were infected
• Focusing on our market penetration (e.g., in Kenya, through our direct services and through local implementing organizations that implement the model, reaching nearly 70% of HIV-positive Kenyan women giving birth)

I hope you enjoying reading them. 
 

  

Abrazos,

Frank Beadle de Palomo
President & CEO