A Few Words From Bono


Oct 13th, 2006 12:00 PM EST
By Virginia Simmons


As Product (RED) launches in America, opening a new front in the war against AIDS, a few words from Bono:


“Sometimes when I’m walking down the street a passer by will say “love your work on Africa Bono, great cause.” Sometimes, they wish they hadn’t. As I’m Irish, I love to talk to strangers. I love to talk about Africa. It can be hard to get away. . . Each time it makes me think we need to do much more to get the message across that this is not a ’cause,’ this pandemic that we and so many others are working on. 5,500 Africans dying a day of AIDS, a preventable, treatable disease is not a cause. 5,500 Africans dying each day is an emergency.

Enter Product (RED). Red is a new idea we’re launching to work alongside the growing ONE Campaign to Make Poverty History. Over the past year, almost 2 million Americans have joined ONE, in churches and chatrooms. . .on soccer pitches and movie sets. . .at NASCAR races and rock concerts. By 2008, we’re aiming to have 5 million members – that’s more than the National Rifle Association. Just think for a moment of what that kind of political firepower could achieve for the poorest of the poor. . .

Where ONE takes on the bigger, longer-term beast of changing policy and influencing government, (RED) is, I guess, about a more instant kind of gratification. If you buy a (RED) product from GAP, Motorola, Armani, Converse or Apple, they will give up to 50% of their profit to buy AIDS drugs for mothers and children in Africa. (RED) is the consumer battalion gathering in the shopping malls. You buy the jeans, phones, iPods, shoes, sunglasses, and someone – somebody’s mother, father, daughter or son – will live instead of dying in the poorest part of the world. It’s a different kind of fashion statement.

You might think (RED) sounds too simple. But AIDS is no longer a death sentence. Just two pills a day will bring someone who is at death’s door back to full health, back to a full life. Doctors call it ‘the Lazarus effect’. I’ve seen it myself and I have to say that it’s nothing short of a miracle. These pills are available at any corner drugstore. They cost less than a dollar a day, but the poorest people in Africa earn less than a dollar a day. They can’t afford them, and so they die. It’s unnecessary. It’s insane.

You might think it’s too difficult to get these drugs to the people who most need them. A couple of years ago when DATA (Debt, AIDS, Trade, Africa) lobbied President Bush, Tony Blair and Jacques Chirac to do more on AIDS we went to experts about this. From Bill and Melinda Gates, to Dr Paul Farmer working in the poorest places on the earth, to Dr Coutinho in his AIDS clinic in Uganda. Is it easy? No. Is it impossible? No. Can we do it? Absolutely. In 2001, there were 50,000 Africans taking ARVs. Now there are over one million people getting these life saving drugs thanks to President Bush’s AIDS initiative, and thanks to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria.

There are though still 4.3 million Africans without drugs, which is why 100% of (RED) money is going directly to the Global Fund to support the work they are doing. (RED) uses the power in your pocket to keep people alive. ONE uses the power of your voice to create a more just world where people can earn their own way out of poverty. This means tackling more than AIDS. It means fighting corruption. Insisting on good governance. Getting kids in school. Changing trade rules. Getting businesses to invest in Africa. Myself and Ali started a company called Edun – a fashion line that makes clothes in Africa – because so many Africans we met said what they wanted more than anything was a job.

All of this is ganging up on the same problem – the greatest health crisis in human history and the extreme poverty in which it thrives. The Number 1 question we get asked is, what can I do to help? From today, you can do one more thing than you could do yesterday. Shop (RED). And if you haven’t already, join the One campaign at one.org.

As I said, this is an emergency. And in these dangerous times, how we in the West respond is an opportunity to show what we stand for, as well as what we stand against. If we’re successful, we will not only transform millions of people’s lives, we’ll transform the way these people see us … and in turn, the world in which we live.”

Join the ONE Campaign:

Email

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For more information on the campaigns Bono mentioned:


Joinred.com
Product (RED), founded by Bono and Bobby Shriver in 2006 to engage consumers and the private sector with its marketing prowess and funds in the fight against AIDS. Money raised from (RED) Products goes to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria.


ONE.org
The ONE campaign to make poverty history was founded in 2005 and is now 2.3 million members strong representing Americans from all 50 states. The goal of this movement is to persuade the US government to spend an additional one percent of the federal budget on tackling AIDS and extreme poverty.


Data.org

DATA (debt, AIDS, trade, Africa) is an advocacy organization founded in 2002 by Bono, Bobby Shriver and activists from the Jubilee “Drop the Debt” campaign to fight extreme poverty and AIDS in Africa. DATA’s mission is to tackle the three issues that most adversely affect the African continent — unpayable debts, the spread of AIDS and unfair trade policies – by raising public awareness and working with leaders in the U.S. and throughout the G8 to bring more resources to the region.


Edun.ie
EDUN, which has just produced a ONE Campaign t-shirt raising money for AIDS drugs in Lesotho, is an ethically-sourced high fashion clothing company. It was created in 2005 by Ali Hewson, Bono and designer Rogan Gregory in an effort to increase trade opportunities and sustainable long-term employment in developing nations. With factories located in Africa, South America and India, EDUN believes in respect for and investment in the people and places where its clothing is made.

ONE Voice. ONE Vote. Add your<br />
signature to the ONE Declaration.

TAGS: The ONE Blog

 

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    July 1, 2007 at 8:10 pm

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  33. Brooke Owenssays: Jul 12th, 2007 12:01 AM EST

    July 12, 2007 at 12:01 am

    Bono,

    Thank you for your vision, effort and kindness in the war against AIDS!

    I volunteer for an organization called Aidchild (www.aidchild.org) that is dedicated to providing kids’ centres, including: homes, innovative medical care, psychosocial support, and education to orphans living with AIDS in Uganda.

    At Aidchild, all of our children are living with AIDS and most arrive with a dismal diagnosis of less than one month to live. However, the combination of psychosocial support, nutrition, medical clinics & lab support, Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART), and a lot of good old fashioned TLC has resulted in an incredible reversal of these diagnoses in the lives of many of these children.

    My question is what can I do to increase the visibility and support of amazing organizations, such as Aidchild? I want to raise awareness so that others can stand with them as they dare to make a difference in the lives of these precious kids.

    Thank you again for making a difference.

    Brooke

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  58. olaoluwasays: Jul 19th, 2007 3:40 PM EST

    July 19, 2007 at 3:40 pm

    Depend on it bono you are doing a great work. whatever the attitude of the african government head s ,the enbezzlement etc that many potential donors or western govts site as reason for not wanting to help I would like you to continue with the good work it the most beaytiful thing to happen to africa yet.thanx an eternity.

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  64. Lisa Antonaccisays: Jul 24th, 2007 8:43 PM EST

    July 24, 2007 at 8:43 pm

    i’m from germany and 14 years old…
    i find (red) and one is a very good think…
    if i will be rich as adult i will spend very much money to all poor people on the world…i will be a mix between Bono and Angelina Jolie…
    i will fly to many places on the world and help them do life easyer and give them hope to keep on living…
    for me…for exampel when i’m sad…i take my ipod(red) and i hear a song of christina aguilera…thats gives me power and hope…hope that everything will get better…
    and i will help how much i can help with 14 years…
    kisses Lisa

  65. AlkamsAbalmoksays: Jul 25th, 2007 12:15 PM EST
  66. Daminick says: Jul 25th, 2007 4:15 PM EST

    July 25, 2007 at 4:15 pm

    I love the fact that Motorola has made a phone that helps the people in Africa who are dieing from a preventable disease.I am only 12 years old and I asked my mom if I could get the KRZR that does that. She said Yes. I will get it for you as a Christmas gift. It just makes me happy to know that I will be helping the people in need.

  67. Vinniesays: Jul 28th, 2007 12:40 AM EST

    July 28, 2007 at 12:40 am

    Could anyone tell me how much money has been donated by (RED) to AIDS infected Africans, and in comparison, how much money was spent on advertising etc. etc.? Also, I heard about Bono’s hat ordeal, when he left it in a hotel room and had it luxuriously escorted to him. The whole having it’s own taxis and first class seat. How much did that set him back? something north of $10,000 I believe. According to this page, that money could have been used to buy more than 10,000 pills to help cure AIDS! Celebrities don’t give a shit about the poor, or the diseased. “HEY LOL, LETS ADOPT ANOTHER BROWN KID THEN NEGLECT HIM BUT STILL BE ADORED FOR BEING A HUMANITARIAN LOL!” I’m so sick of this self-righteous bullshit.

  68. Vinniesays: Jul 28th, 2007 12:44 AM EST

    July 28, 2007 at 12:44 am

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  69. Nicolesays: Jul 31st, 2007 3:10 AM EST

    July 31, 2007 at 3:10 am

    (RED) has been a great thing in my life. I belive that if more people cared for this and not only this but other things in the world like: world hunger,womans rights in countys like iraq the world would be a better place. I wish there were more things like this. I’m only 12 years old but I now about all the bad things in the world that could be proventable if we just try. Sometime I am mad to live in Amarica because Amarica is the most obese county in the world and if we gave up just one meal a day we could end world hunger as easy as that . that why I admier Bono and also Anglina Jole

  70. ana carolinasays: Aug 8th, 2007 6:45 PM EST

    August 8, 2007 at 6:45 pm

    Sometimes, the problems we read and hear about around the world seem too overwhelming for any of us to do something that will appear slightly whorthy of effective. When we come to aknowledge about the size and severety of poverty, aids, bad conditions of health service and care, lack of food and water, such basic needs for all of us, it is hard to imagine life without those things, especially for us who have plenty of it. It may be even harder too be touched and moved by such an unfair situation we have worldwide, because we see it on the TV or WWW. It is too far from us to really touch our hearts.
    I admire each and every one that supported ONE and RED initiatives, whether it happens by creating it, purchesing a product, volluteering or just visiting the website and signing the declaration. I just want to remind you all that there are many other ways to fight these problems wrigth where we live. Such as it happens in Africa, there are people in need of food, shelter, medical attention and kind words of hope everywhere, they might be in our oun neibourghood. I just want to ask everyone to take a look around and think of a way to do something, anything. Choose a cause, a noble one, ask God to guide and help you, and start.
    We don’t have to until we have more money, or time, or inspiration. If we are able to imagine, for a second, what it would be like to see our friends and family in need, we already have the strength to do it.
    God bless you all!!!!!

    Tks for the great job you’re doing!

  71. Seth Kalichmansays: Aug 15th, 2007 2:38 PM EST

    August 15, 2007 at 2:38 pm

    I am an AIDS prevention researcher working in South Africa.
    Everyone should know that we can do so much for so little.
    (Red) NOW – More than ever.

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