Health extension workers test local villagers for malaria at this station. They typically see 5-6 cases a week except in outbreaks when they can see around 30 each day. Malaria nets are purchased by UNICEF with funds from USAID, the World Bank, and the PMI initiative and distributed through posts like these.

Rapid malaria tests performed by health extension workers at the Adama Health Post. Rory from UNICEF holds them up to display to advance team. National health system clinic partially funded by PMI through USAID.

Rapid malaria tests performed by health extension workers at the Adama Health Post. Rory from UNICEF holds them up to display to advance team. National health system clinic partially funded by PMI through USAID.

USAID funded internal residual spraying with DDT to prevent malaria.

Mosquitos and larvae for testing purposes. The larvae are 25th generation mosquitos who have never been exposed to pesticides.

Health extension worker at the Adama health post. There are 15,000 villages in Ethiopia. Two women from each village were selected to become health extension workers after year long training. The program is intended to extend primary health care servides and education throughout Ethiopia. There are now 30,000 health extension workers in Ethiopia. Part of the program is paid for by the gov’t. Other contributers include Gates Foundation, PEPFAR, PMI, and the Global Fund.

Yesterday we spent time at the Mother-to-Mother program at Adama Referral Hospital in Ethiopia. The hospital is a comprehensive HIV/AIDS service site, currently providing over 12,000 people with HIV care and more than 7,300 people with antiretroviral therapy.

The Mother-to-Mother program offers support groups for expectant mothers who are newly diagnosed with HIV. Mothers already living with HIV gather with expectant mothers recently diagnosed with HIV to mentor, educate and listen to each other.

Visiting with the mothers at the Mother-to-Mother program was a rare opportunity for an intimate discussion. We were able to speak on a personal level with mothers suffering from HIV, but these women didn’t speak of suffering. They spoke of surviving. They were gathered together to support one another through the experience of having a child while being HIV positive. I was moved by their stories and their perseverance. They were attending support groups twice a week, working to be strong mothers to their children and helping to spread the word about HIV prevention. As our discussion ended, one woman asked that we not forget them. My memory is strong. It was a true honor.

-Kathleen Biden

UPDATED: Here’s Maggie Williams on her visit to the Mother-to-Mother program

And here is Senator John Sununu on the Mother-to-Mother program

In a few days, ONE and our partner organization, (RED), will be headed to Ethiopia and Ghana with a diverse delegation of policy and business leaders to see how strong African leadership and smart donor policies and investments are helping everyday Africans fight their way out of poverty.

You may recall we took a similar trip to Rwanda last summer with an impressive bipartisan group led by former US Senators Tom Daschle and Bill Frist. This trip will have a similar focus. The delegation will explore a wide spectrum of issues and hear from a variety of Africans in an effort to learn which policies and investments are achieving results, what programs and approaches are not working and what more is needed.

The delegation will visit health, agriculture, education and trade projects and meet with government leaders, program implementers, entrepreneurs, intellectuals and everyday Africans. In Ghana, we will spotlight how (RED) proceeds and the power of (RED) consumer action are helping to provide lifesaving treatment to thousands of people who are HIV positive.

We’re very fortunate to be joined on this trip by Josh Bolten, former Chief of Staff to President Bush and ONE Board member; Tony Lake, former National Security Advisor to President Clinton, professor at Georgetown and Board member of US Fund for UNICEF; former Senator John Sununu who was a key supporter of U.S. anti-poverty initiatives; Sandy Berger, former National Security Advisor to President Clinton and a major actor in the debt relief efforts of 2000; Maggie Williams, former Hillary Clinton campaign manager and advisor, Tony Fratto, former Deputy Press Secretary to President Bush; Bo Cutter, a former budget and economic advisor to Presidents Carter and Clinton and currently the Chairman of the Board of CARE; Hunter Biden, a Partner at Seneca Global Advisors, as well as business and creative leaders like Juliet Flint from Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Tom Freston, ONE’s Board Chairman and former CEO of Viacom, MTV executive Bill Flanagan, (RED) executives Susan Smith Ellis and Seb Bishop and Google executive Megan Smith.

We’ll all be sharing our experiences throughout the trip and when we return, so watch this space and follow along.

-David Lane, ONE President & CEO