Sen. Bill Frist, MD, in Mozambique

Sen. Bill Frist, MD, is traveling through Mozambique and Rwanda for the next ten days and working with groups like Africare, Save the Children, Samaritan’s Purse, and the ONE Campaign to visit and observe the great work of U.S. led initiatives. Throughout the trip he’ll be blogging on the Healing Hands blog and here on the ONE Blog.

Vanduzi Town, Mozambique
13 July 2008

I had the privilege today to spend time right outside of Chimoio, Mozambique yesterday, in Vanduzi Town. Africare is doing some amazing work in this village, namely a housing project called Project COPE. Africare, partnering with Habitat for Humanity and the government of Mozambique (who provided the land), had built 30 new homes for families in need, many of whom were suffering from HIV. The homes were made with 100% local supplies and modern materials, rather than the traditional homes in the area. They were painted in a handsome, ochre color, and they featured sloped roofs that reached almost to the ground in order to prevent the rains from damaging walls of the house over time.

I met a young widow who was a beneficiary of one of the homes (See picture). Her husband had died of HIV/AIDS, and she was left to support three children. She began to cry because she was so incredibly thankful for the dignity that her home brought to her there. She explained that before this house they had had to live in a terribly camped hut. But, now they were in her dream home. Her little four-year-old started crying as well because his mother was so happy.

Africare also supports a Community Care Committee (CCC) by paying and training fifteen CCC members, chosen by the community, to oversee the humanitarian response. As a part of this response, each of these CCC members takes care of 15 HIV orphans, and they provide them with food, mentoring, education, housing, and a kind of advocacy: they identify their needs and then go to the community seeking on their behalf to provide for those needs. For instance, three times a week they provide a hearty, nutritious meal (see picture: dish of corn, vegetables, peanut butter, etc.) for young Israel an orphan recently diagnosed with HIV, who has been taken in by his grandmother, Taleza (see picture).

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From a Slumberparty to Awareness-Raising Experts

On March 28th, we attended a presentation at Saint Luke’s Parish where we learned about the ONE campaign. The stories and faces in the photographs touched our hearts like never before. That very night, we persuaded our parents for a sleepover and started brainstorming on how we might develop a plan for a fundraiser at our school. It was important for us to raise awareness as well as money. We believed in the vision that ONE person can make a difference, and we were determined to make that vision a reality.

Our ideas started with selling cupcakes and before we knew it, we were designing t-shirts and wrist bands to sell at our school. With assistance from Abby Warren and Caroline Eckersdorff, Student Council Advisors, announcements were made everyday and a power point was played in every homeroom. We were up and running in less than a month and the ONE vision was contagious! Students, faculty, and staff all contributed to make our fundraiser a tremendous success. To culminate the week, we sponsored a walk- a– thon at school in which many students participated. . With everyone’s support we were able to raise $3,400 dollars in four days!

Our vision and dream came true. We were able to raise awareness and money at Middlesex and we hope to make a difference in people’s lives in Africa, one by one. We plan to hold our next fundraiser in the fall. Stay tuned!

-Mara Donoghue, Catherine Wilcock and Kate Ferguson

(The money Mara, Catherine and Kate raised for ONE will be donated to the group Africare.)