Keep a Child Alive

Last updated
Keep a Child Alive
Formation2003
FounderLeigh Blake, Alicia Keys
CEO
Antonio Ruiz-Gimenez
Website keepachildalive.org

Keep a Child Alive (KCA) is a nonprofit organization that provides healthcare, housing, and other support services to HIV/AIDS-affected communities in Africa and India. [1] [2] Co-founded by Leigh Blake and Alicia Keys, the organization aims to "realize the end of AIDS for children and families, by combating the physical, social and economic impacts of HIV." [3] Keep a Child Alive organizes the annual fundraiser gala The Black Ball, established in 2004, where celebrities and philanthropists gather to support and raise awareness for the cause. [1] Since the first Black Ball, the organization has raised over $28.7 million for HIV/AIDS treatment. [4]

Contents

Background

KCA cofounder and President Leigh Blake was first inspired to start the initiative in 2003 after an encounter at the AIDS Research and Family Care Clinic, which she helped fund, in Mombasa, Kenya. A woman named Anne brought her three-year-old son Brine for medical care, refusing to leave until she received the "drugs that you have in America for your children". [5] Blake, who had already become involved in the AIDS epidemic using her background in the music and film industry to co-found the Red Hot Organization and Artists Against AIDS Worldwide, told Anne that she would pay for the drugs. In so doing, the idea for Keep a Child Alive was born. The drugs were about $12,000 a year through the New York University Hospital AIDS Research Department, which at that time was overseeing care at the clinic through Dr. Shaffiq Essajee. It was not long before word started to spread and friends of Blake and Essajee offered to make contributions. The first donor was Peter Edge, and soon KCA co-founder and Global Ambassador Alicia Keys joined the cause, sponsoring children along with Iman and many others. In 2003, Keep a Child Alive was officially founded. The clinic in Kenya that led to Blake's vision became a model for other facilities that KCA now aspires to build throughout Africa and the developing world. [5]

KCA cofounder Alicia Keys was first affected by the HIV/AIDS crisis at eight years old when her mother's friend died from the disease. She discovered first-hand the extensive impact of the AIDS epidemic years later when she visited South Africa, a trip that was the impetus to co-founding Keep a Child Alive. Keys had befriended AIDS activist Leigh Blake, who had reached out to her and helped raise her awareness to the global impact of HIV/AIDS. Keys and Leigh visited South African clinics with HIV-infected mothers and children, where Keys encountered the lack of resources and education on the disease present in the communities. [6] Keys visited other African countries such as Uganda and Kenya to promote care for children affected by AIDS. [7] [8] [9] Her work in Africa was documented in the documentary Alicia in Africa: Journey to the Motherland. [10]

Mission

Keep a Child Alive brings attention to the already 30 million people that have been killed by AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa and the millions more that are threatened and orphaned by the disease. Currently there are 33.3 million people living with HIV/AIDS, including 2.3 million children under the age of 15. Despite AIDS being a preventable and treatable disease, 2.9 million people died from AIDS related causes last year, including 380,000 children under the age of 15—the equivalent of one child dying per minute. [11]

KCA's efforts continue to focus in particular on sub-Saharan Africa as it remains the worst-affected region in the world. With a little more than one-tenth of the world's population living in this area, it is home to almost 64 percent of all people living with HIV—of the overall 24.5 million infected, 2 million are children. While access to ARV therapy has increased more than eightfold since the end of 2003, only 30 percent of people in need of treatment receive it.[ citation needed ]

In addition to improving access to ARV therapy, KCA offers a range of support services including nutritional projects, diagnostic testing, training of health care workers, counseling, and funding sites where AIDS orphans can be cared for. There are currently 14.9 million AIDS orphans in Africa alone, and 16.6 million worldwide.[ citation needed ]

Sites

Keep a Child Alive currently provides funding to ten clinical and orphan care sites in five countries: India, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and South Africa with past funding to additional projects in Ethiopia, Mali, India, Kenya, South Africa and Zimbabwe. With KCA funding, these projects have been successfully scaled to new levels of service and self-sustainability within their communities.

CountryLocationCity
South AfricaAgape Orphanage
Ithembalabantu ("The People's Hope") Clinic
Perinatal HIV Research Unit
Gogo Grannies Outreach
Ikageng Itireleng AIDS Ministry
Blue Roof Clinic		Durban
Durban
Soweto
Alexandria Township
Soweto
Wentworth
UgandaKairos Medical Center
ALIVE Medical Services
Masaka Healthcare Center		Namawongo
Kampala
Masaka
EthiopiaAHOPE OrphanageAddis Ababa
RwandaIcyzuzo ClinicKigali
KenyaBomu Medical Center
Family Care Clinic
Nyanula Community Center for Children
Mathare Central		Mombasa
Mombasa
Siaya
Nairobi
IndiaChandrakal Orphanage
Sahara Centre for Residential Care and Rehabilitation		Hyderabad
Pune
MaliThe Hope Center Clinic InitiativeSikoro
ZimbabweMashambanzou Care TrustHarare

Campaigns

Spirit of a Child campaign was one of KCA's first major endeavors to engage the public through "groundbreaking advertising and media campaigns" that "reinvent the way the public perceives their role in the issue." [12] [5] The campaign, which was created for KCA by TBWA/Chiat Day and photographed by Marc Baptiste, was launched on November 3, 2005, at the annual Black Ball fundraiser. [13] "Spirit of a Child" is the brainchild of Patrick O'Neill and Nikki Weinstein and features the children of Agape Orphanage paired with such celebrities as Kanye West, David Byrne, Lorraine Bracco, Lenny Kravitz, Cynthia Nixon, Nas, John Legend and others.[ citation needed ]

I Am African
The I Am African campaign stirred up controversy with its appropriation of tribal markings and face-paint worn by noted celebrities like Gisele Bündchen, Gwyneth Paltrow, David Bowie, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Sting. The concept was created in the summer of 2006 by model and cosmetics entrepreneur Iman to reflect the idea that Africa is the mother continent of all human beings. [14] Photographed by Michael Thompson, the ads initially appeared in a fashion supplement to Condé Nast magazines in September and has since received both positive and negative attention in the press, blogs, and among other social activists. [15]

Become A Drug Dealer
Become A Drug Dealer is another KCA campaign that gives people the opportunity to purchase the drugs necessary to keep a child alive either by buying a T-shirt with the words Drug Dealer printed on it or making the typical monthly donation.[ citation needed ]

Buy Life
The Buy Life campaign seeks to change consumer behavior, to reposition consumerism and the act of buying in the nonprofit environment through social media. With the tagline "The More You Buy, The More You Save", created by TBWA/Chiat Day, and photographed by Markus Klinko and Indrani, this series of portraits of notable celebrities in T-shirts with personalized scannable barcodes, turns the commercialism of celebrity packaging into a literal bar code that consumers can scan to buy life for the ultimate instant gratification. The campaign features celebrities including Katie Holmes, Kim Kardashian, Usher, Ryan Seacrest, Alicia Keys, Jaden and Willow Smith, Swizz Beatz, Serena Williams, creative produced by GK Reid. KCA is the first charity to use barcode technology on smartphone devices to engage the public and encourage the purchase of life. [16]

Digital Death
The Digital Death campaign launched December 1, 2010, for World AIDS Day with shocking images of celebrities posed in coffins, photographed by Markus Klinko and Indrani, and produced and creative directed by GK Reid, with taglines "Kim Kardashian is Dead", "Ryan Seacrest is Dead", etc. created by TBWA/Chiat Day. The image art is accompanied by performance art/interactive dimensions, with the stars sacrificing their digital lives on Twitter and Facebook until their fans donate one million dollars to buy their lives back. Among the other celebrities featured in the campaign were Alicia Keys, Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake, Usher and Serena Williams. Daphne Guinness explains, "This campaign is so striking and draws attention not only to the AIDS disaster in Africa but also to how we have lost our way in what we care about." [17] The million dollar donation goal was reached in six days.[ citation needed ]

Corporate partners

KCA maintains that the reason it is able to give such a large percentage of monthly donations is because it relies on larger contributions from foundations, corporations, and major individual donors to support management and administrative costs. [5] KCA's corporate partners include the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Donna Karan, Time Warner Cable, and Maybelline. [18]

Mobile fundraising

In Fall 2008, Keep a Child Alive launched a mobile donating campaign with Co-Founder and Global Ambassador Alicia Keys. Keys raised over $40,000 in micro-donations by asking concert goers to text ALIVE to 90999. [19] The mobile giving campaign was created through a partnership between Keep a Child Alive, the Mobile Giving Foundation and Mgive. [20]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Health Resources and Services Administration</span> United States government agency

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services located in North Bethesda, Maryland. It is the primary federal agency for improving access to health care services for people who are uninsured, isolated or medically vulnerable.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AIDS Healthcare Foundation</span> Nonprofit organization in Los Angeles

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) is a Los Angeles-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and advocacy services. As of 2024, AHF operates about 400 clinics, 69 outpatient healthcare centers, 62 pharmacies, and 22 Out of the Closet thrift stores across 15 U.S. states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and 46 countries, with over 5,000 employees, and provides care to more than two million patients. The organization's aim is to end the AIDS epidemic by ensuring access to quality healthcare, including HIV and STD testing, prescription of medications like Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), and referrals to specialty pharmacies. AHF is the largest provider of PrEP in the United States, though its founder Michael Weinstein has received criticism for his past opposition to the drug.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TBWA\Chiat\Day</span> American advertising agency

TBWA\Chiat\Day is the American division of the advertising agency TBWA Worldwide. Created in the 1995 merger of TBWA and Chiat/Day, the agency operates offices in Los Angeles, New York City, Nashville, and Mexico City. Prior to the merger, Chiat/Day created internationally notable advertising, including "1984" for Apple Computer, the advertisement that introduced the Macintosh computer. The merger also inspired the creation of the ad agency St.Lukes by Chiat/Day's London office's employees.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HIV/AIDS in India</span>

HIV/AIDS in India is an epidemic. The National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) estimated that 3.14 million people lived with HIV/AIDS in India in 2023. Despite being home to the world's third-largest population of persons with HIV/AIDS, the AIDS prevalence rate in India is lower than that of many other countries. In 2016, India's AIDS prevalence rate stood at approximately 0.30%—the 80th highest in the world. Treatment of HIV/AIDS is via a combination of antiretroviral drugs and education programs to help people avoid infection.

Blood:Water Mission is an international nonprofit that partners with African community-driven organizations to end health disparities caused by the HIV/AIDS and water crises. It is based in Nashville, Tennessee, US, and is led by Jake Smith.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PATH (global health organization)</span> Global health nonprofit

PATH is an international, nonprofit global health organization. PATH is based in Seattle with 1,600 employees in more than 70 countries around the world. Its president and CEO is Nikolaj Gilbert, who is also the Managing Director and CEO of Foundations for Appropriate Technologies in Health (FATH), PATH's Swiss subsidiary. PATH focuses on six platforms: vaccines, drugs, diagnostics, devices, system, and service innovations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Health in Kenya</span> Health status and problems in Kenya

Tropical diseases, especially malaria and tuberculosis, have long been a public health problem in Kenya. In recent years, infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which causes acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), also has become a severe problem. Estimates of the incidence of infection differ widely.

Kenya has a severe, generalized HIV epidemic, but in recent years, the country has experienced a notable decline in HIV prevalence, attributed in part to significant behavioral change and increased access to ARV. Adult HIV prevalence is estimated to have fallen from 10 percent in the late 1990s to about 4.8 percent in 2017. Women face considerably higher risk of HIV infection than men but have longer life expectancies than men when on ART. The 7th edition of AIDS in Kenya reports an HIV prevalence rate of eight percent in adult women and four percent in adult men. Populations in Kenya that are especially at risk include injecting drug users and people in prostitution, whose prevalence rates are estimated at 53 percent and 27 percent, respectively. Men who have sex with men (MSM) are also at risk at a prevalence of 18.2%. Other groups also include discordant couples however successful ARV-treatment will prevent transmission. Other groups at risk are prison communities, uniformed forces, and truck drivers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HIV/AIDS in Mozambique</span>

Mozambique is a country particularly hard-hit by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. According to 2008 UNAIDS estimates, this southeast African nation has the 8th highest HIV rate in the world. With 1,600,000 Mozambicans living with HIV, 990,000 of which are women and children, Mozambique's government realizes that much work must be done to eradicate this infectious disease. To reduce HIV/AIDS within the country, Mozambique has partnered with numerous global organizations to provide its citizens with augmented access to antiretroviral therapy and prevention techniques, such as condom use. A surge toward the treatment and prevention of HIV/AIDS in women and children has additionally aided in Mozambique's aim to fulfill its Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Nevertheless, HIV/AIDS has made a drastic impact on Mozambique; individual risk behaviors are still greatly influenced by social norms, and much still needs to be done to address the epidemic and provide care and treatment to those in need.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HIV/AIDS in Rwanda</span>

Rwanda faces a generalized epidemic, with an HIV prevalence rate of 3.1 percent among adults ages 15 to 49. The prevalence rate has remained relatively stable, with an overall decline since the late 1990s, partly due to improved HIV surveillance methodology. In general, HIV prevalence is higher in urban areas than in rural areas, and women are at higher risk of HIV infection than men. Young women ages 15 to 24 are twice as likely to be infected with HIV as young men in the same age group. Populations at higher risk of HIV infection include people in prostitution and men attending clinics for sexually transmitted infections.

The Black Ball is an annual fundraiser gala for Keep a Child Alive, the non-profit organization which brings dignified treatment, care and support to children and families affected by HIV. Keep a Child Alive's (KCA) Black Ball brings celebrity and philanthropy together to fulfill hopes, dreams and raise funds for children and families affected by HIV in Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda and India. Hosted by KCA co-founder Alicia Keys, this event takes place in New York and has raised over $18.5 million since 2004. The evening features a cocktail party, seated dinner, live auction and unique musical performances and collaborations. The Black Ball is held annually in New York City and has been produced by Empire Entertainment. The Black Ball gala has also been held in London, England in 2008, 2010 and 2011.

Starfish Greathearts Foundation is an international non-governmental organisation formed in 2001 to help orphaned and vulnerable children in South Africa. Its mission is to help make a difference in the lives of such children via community-based projects working at grassroots level. This enables individual communities to develop their own solutions to fight the challenges they come across. As of January 2022, Starfish projects have reached more than 220,000 children in 110 communities across South Africa.</ref> Starfish Greathearts Foundation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indrani Pal-Chaudhuri</span> Indian-born Canadian-British director, photographer, artivist and lecturer

Indrani Pal-Chaudhuri is an Indian - Canadian founder, futurist, film director, and artist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sing campaign</span> Non-governmental organization

The SING Campaign is a UK-based, non-governmental, nonprofit organization founded by artist/activist Annie Lennox which aims to raise funds and awareness for issues surrounding HIV/AIDS. The money raised by SING is used to help prevent the spread of HIV in South Africa, and also to support those currently living with HIV. Comic Relief manages the SING fund, and assists in co-ordinating the SING campaign.

Peter Edge is an English-American record executive. He is the chairman and CEO of RCA Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">YouthAIDS</span>

YouthAIDS is an international nongovernmental, nonprofit education, funding, and health initiative of Population Services International (PSI) that provides humanitarian assistance and brings global awareness to the proliferation of HIV/AIDS. The organization is based in Washington, D.C., and reaches out to 600 million youth in over 60 countries through the delivery of information, products, and social services. Methods used to address issues include film, television, and radio; celebrity spokespersons; pop culture initiatives; theatrical productions; music; and sports. Actress and humanitarian Ashley Judd serves the organization as their Global Ambassador.

The Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare (AMPATH) is an academic medical partnership between leading North American academic health centers, primarily led by the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis, Indiana, and the Moi University School of Medicine based in Eldoret, Kenya. It is the first integrated healthcare model to be established in Africa, encompassing both medical treatment and pharmaceutical provisions. The program aims to deliver comprehensive HIV care services and is guided by a three-fold mission: providing care, conducting research, and offering training opportunities. Currently, AMPATH serves a population of 3.5 million individuals, operating over 60 clinics in urban and rural areas of Western Kenya.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Markus Klinko</span> Swiss fashion and celebrity photographer

Markus Klinko is an international fashion/celebrity photographer. and director,

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catholic Medical Mission Board</span>

The Catholic Medical Mission Board (CMMB) is an international, faith-based NGO, providing long-term, co-operative medical and development aid to communities affected by poverty and healthcare issues. It was established in 1912 and officially registered in 1928. CMMB is headquartered in New York City, USA, and currently has country offices in Haiti, Kenya, Peru, South Sudan, and Zambia.

The Beyond Zero Campaign is an initiative launched by Kenya's First Lady, Margaret Gakuo Kenyatta. Its goals are to improve maternal and child health in Kenya, and to reduce new HIV infections among children. The campaign was unveiled in 2013 on World AIDS Day, and launched on 24 January 2014. Many international organizations have joined Kenyatta and the Kenyan government in supporting Beyond Zero.

References

  1. 1 2 "Alicia Keys' Nonprofit Honors Oprah Winfrey". Nonprofit Quarterly . July 12, 2012. Retrieved March 22, 2018.
  2. ↑ "Keep a Child Alive Raises Over $130,000 During BET Awards Show Through mGive- Mobile Donation Program". NonProfitPRO. July 1, 2009. Retrieved March 22, 2018.
  3. ↑ "About Us". Keep a Child Alive. Archived from the original on December 31, 2019. Retrieved March 22, 2018.
  4. ↑ "Chance The Rapper & Salt-N-Pepa to Join Alicia Keys as Performers at Keep A Child Alive's Black Ball". Billboard . September 26, 2016. Retrieved March 25, 2018.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Keep a Child Alive - Home". Keep a Child Alive.
  6. ↑ "Alicia Keys Opens Up About Fighting HIV/AIDS, Black Ball Fundraiser". People . October 30, 2015. Retrieved March 25, 2018.
  7. ↑ "For The Record: Quick News On Gwyneth Paltrow, Chris Martin, Obie Trice, Notorious B.I.G., Jessica Simpson & More". MTV News. April 10, 2006. Archived from the original on December 27, 2008. Retrieved December 16, 2008.
  8. ↑ "Alicia Keys and 'Keep a Child Alive' Visit AHF's Ithembalabantu Clinic, Free AIDS Clinic in Durban, South Africa Run by AIDS Healthcare Foundation". PR Newswire. April 16, 2006. Retrieved December 4, 2006.
  9. ↑ "Alicia Keys in Kenya for HIV Project". USA Today . Gannett Company. April 6, 2006. Retrieved July 17, 2009.
  10. ↑ "Alicia Keys' Documentary "Alicia in Africa: Journey to the Motherland" Available..." Thomson Reuters. Reuters. April 7, 2008. Archived from the original on April 8, 2008. Retrieved November 2, 2010.
  11. ↑ ""College Guidebook"" (PDF). 2007-09-28. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2020-11-23.
  12. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). keepachildalive.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 May 2007. Retrieved 9 August 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  13. ↑ "Archived copy". www.tbwachiat.com. Archived from the original on 10 June 2007. Retrieved 9 August 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  14. ↑ Givhan, Robin. Dressing Up in the Latest Fashionable Cause? Washington Post. 3 November 2006: C2
  15. ↑ James, Caryn. Megastars Out to Save the World: Those Halos can Tarnish in an Instant. New York Times. 13 November 2006: E3
  16. ↑ Wallace, Amy. "Farewell, Digital World." New York Times
  17. ↑ Davis, Dawn "Kim Kardashian, Daphne Guinness and More Go Twitter-Silent for a Cause" November 30, 2010 http://www.harpersbazaar.com/bazaar-blog/kim-kardashian-keep-a-child-alive-113010
  18. ↑ "-= KEEPACHILDALIVE.ORG =-". 2007-01-20. Archived from the original on 2007-01-20. Retrieved 2020-11-24.
  19. ↑ Keep a Child Alive and Alicia Keys Raise $40,000 Through Mobile Donations During Fall 2008 Concert Tour. July 2008.
  20. ↑ Mobile Giving- How to Make it Work for Your Nonprofit Archived 2009-02-12 at the Wayback Machine .
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.