Visiting TASO
March 10th, 2008 at 9:54 am | posted by Virginia SimmonsVisiting TASO
Today, ONE Staff visited “The AIDS Support Organization” (TASO) in Kampala, Uganda.
TASO was founded in 1987 and today is the largest indigenous NGO providing HIV/AIDS services in Uganda, Africa. The organization has 11 service centers, and 13 more “mini-TASOs,” throughout the country.
A note from Kimberly:
We just visited the good people at TASO Kampala. We were able to visit some of the people they provide treatment to in their homes.
The woman that Marjorie, Josh and I met with was diagnosed in 1999 but didn’t begin receiving ARV treatment until 2002. Because of the ARV treatment, she is healthy enough to work and care for her grandsons (she has 4) and support her son who just entered his first year of university.
She was very pleased we came to hear her story. She wanted us to convey her thanks to all of those people that make it possible for her to be on treatment.
Thank you for being one of those people.
-Kimberly Cadena
March 10th, 2008 at 12:39 pm
Kimberly and Josh, all I can say is - THANK YOU, ONE !
Thank you for being there at the beginnings of our modern day movement to end extreme poverty some ten years ago when we started out as the international Jubilee Movement for debt cancellation.
Thank you for being there when we progressed and broadened our scope to become DATA - a comprehensive approach to tackling the various issues facing Africa through debt cancellation, funding for AIDS programs and fairer trade regulations between the rich and the poorer countries.
And now, WE ARE ONE in the movement to save lives and futures in Africa.
I don’t know when I have been prouder to wear this white band which seldom leaves my wrist.
Let me just mention that there are two websites which can tell the MAGNIFICENT story of TASO (The AIDS Support Organization of Uganda) and of the women who are part of all that happens at the Mulago Hospital for TASO - the Mulago Positive Women’s Network (MPWN),
The MPWN is facilitated by our own beloved ONE spokesperson - Agnes Nyamayarwo, whom I worked with on the creation of the site. At the MPWN site, you can read some of the personal stories of these courageous women and consider purchasing some of the African craft items that they make to support their families economically.
The websites are TASO (www.tasouganda.org) and
MPWN (www.mpwn-uganda.org).
Hope to hear from some of our ONE supporters soon!
ALWAYS ONE in the Spirit, debbie
March 19th, 2008 at 7:43 am
Nice job, Kimberly! Thanks for the report. Looking forward to seeing you back home soon! Taylor