(RED), Swaziland, Christy Turlington and You

Product (RED) GAP advert

Christy Turlington came to the Baylor clinic today.

I don’t read many of the perfumed magazines, but, as she has been on the covers of roughly a couple hundred weeklies, monthlies, etc, it is difficult not to recognize her.

In any case, she is the ambassador for (RED).

For those of you who do not know about (RED), it is an initiative to encourage consumers to buy certain product or service lines with the understanding that the (RED)-affiliated company will in turn write a check “to buy and distribute anti-retroviral medicine to our brothers and sisters dying of AIDS in Africa.”

The (RED) Manifesto (from which the above quote is taken) makes for good reading, and it is worth considering designated (RED) products when making purchases. GAP, Apple, American Express, Converse, and Motorola are examples of participating brands.

According to the (RED) blog, Christy Turlington, pictured below with Bono and Bush after an HIV awareness rally, made the trip to Swaziland to “lessen the distance between (RED) shoppers around the world and the (RED) shareholders in Africa.”


www.nytimes.com

I hope they are successful, because, here in Mbabane, Swaziland, (RED) saves lives.

No matter how far away Africa seems to you, take it from me: every day, (RED) proceeds keep children from dying.

Why take it from me?

Because the "distance between" me and the “(RED) shareholders in Africa” is the length of my stethoscope.

For those wishing to know more about the initiative and (RED)’s travels in Swaziland, the (RED) blog is the place to go.

One of my favorite Baylor clinic interpreters, Lulu, is featured on the blog's April 30th entry, and just above that the author outlines how (RED) money is supporting Swaziland’s Global Fund programs.

Please check it out and do email me if you want to learn more.


Dr. Helga, Dr. Julia, Exec. Director Busi, Christy, Dr. Ryan, and Dr. Carrie. (The two children didn't give their names, but wanted to be in the photo.)