Feature: Alicia Keys

Submitted by: kieran.yates

02.01.09

 

Not everyone is swayed by celebrities putting their name to charity work, but you can't knock 'em for trying. Kieran Yates caught up with Alicia Keys on her work with the Keep A Child Alive project...

Why is the 'Keep a Child Alive' project important to you?
"When I came to South Africa I saw with my own two eyes the spectrum of Aids pandemic and it really changed my whole perspective. I remember this one particular woman came up to me and she looked at me as if I had all the answers. I felt overwhelmed I said what do you need? She said "medicine, we can't get the medicine". And that moment right there was what really opened my eyes, the way that they looked at me, the way that their eyes implored me, to do something, as if I could change the whole situation, and at that moment I didn't know if I could you know, didn't quite think that I could, but I knew that I had to do something. It really propelled me to get involved, and made me want to use my voice, say something, be their voice.


What made you start it up?
"Well I was totally moved when I went to South Africa and saw the social devastation there caused by AIDS.  It seemed like a whole generation was being wiped out.  And I couldn't come back to the US and do nothing. I had to do something! I have now been to not only South Africa but Uganda and Kenya, and I cannot wait to go to Mali, Rwanda and India too."

Tell us a bit about it...
"Keep a child Alive (KCA) provides the medicine known as ARV's to children and families to keep them alive. It's crazy because here in the west, we're able to access this medicine, and it's turned AIDS into a treatable disease that you could live with, but millions and millions of Africans die unnecessarily, so that's what we do, we provide the medicine and we also help to care for some of the countless orphans' that AIDS has created. AIDS has also created an economic and spiritual devastation in Africa, but it doesn't have to be like that, if we could all just share our wealth. I know that not everybody can go to Africa, so I thought I'm gonna bring Africa to you. We are currently providing funding to 14 clinical and orphan care sites in countries such as Kenya, Mali, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda, and Zimbabwe; with past funding of additional projects in Ethiopia, Kenya and South Africa and recently we have expanded our work to India."

How important do you think it is to raise awareness about HIV/ AIDS?
"HIV is the same age as me. It has been around since I was born. My generation has had a plastic sex life, that's if they practice safe sex, which many of them don't but should. It's the most important issue of our generation. Meeting the kids at Ikageng Ministries in Soweto blew my mind. They are so strong and resilient, some of the most inspirational people I have ever met. We are all part of the same human family, I truly believe that. Everything began there. The scale of this human tragedy is outrageous and its being perpetrated on some of the most amazing people you could ever know. Just like I care about what happens to my mother or anyone in my family so we should all care about each other."
 
Who else is involved?
"Leigh Blake and I decided, even though it seemed impossible at the time, to create the organization to keep children and families alive and happy."

What more can be done to promote proactivity?
"A lot can be done. I mean my main objective is to bring the word of what's going on to the global public and I really am standing strongly behind that. The issue at hand is so huge, its so big but I do have faith and one thing that I see everywhere I go is that the belief in God is so strong, and it reminds me how important that is... We intend to continue our work educating the public about the issue in our way, which is very direct and very modern.  In the UK we had an amazing Black Ball and we intend to repeat it annually to raise our profile. We also have a big campaign that has been created for the UK which I  hope you will see out there shortly if you haven’t already...

Words: Kieran Yates.

Photo: Flickr user Random J

 

5
Your rating: None Average: 5 (1 vote)

Share This:

Buy MS office 2010 Today with

shirleyfenette2010 | 07.12.10 07:15:51
Buy MS office 2010 Today with our 30-day refund promise!Microsoft Office 2010 Office 2010,Office 2007,Microsoft Office 2007,Microsoft Office Windows 7,Microsoft outlook,Outlook 2010,Microsoft outlook 2010 We are the best software supplier.Microsoft Office 2010,Office 2010,Office 2007,Microsoft Office,Microsoft Office 2007 Office 2007 key,Office 2007 download,Office 2007 Professional,Windows 7,Microsoft outlook 2010 We are authorized reseller for the software vendors mentioned by Microsoft.Microsoft Office 2010,Office 2010,Microsoft Office 2007 Office 2007,Microsoft Office,Office 2007 key,Office 2007 download,Office 2007 Professional,Microsoft outlook Microsoft outlook 2010

'charmed seasons' your chuck

shadow | 04.12.10 08:43:59
'charmed seasons' your chuck dvd attention as chuck series the criminal minds season third curb your enthusiasm seasons best desperate housewives dvds film must disney 100 years of magic dvd be in dollhouse dvd your collection deadwood dvd of doctor who dvd movies. Because eli stone this film eli stone dvds can entourage season have fun entourage series and family guy dvds adults frasier dvds during friends dvds the ghost whisperer dvd holidays. ghost whisperer season The gilmore girls series film gossip girl dvd revolves grey's anatomy dvd around golden girls dvd two hex dvd best friends hogan's heroes dvd separated house md dvd after little house on the prairie dvd completion little house on the prairie series of high lie to me dvd school la femme nikita dvd and the l word dvd entering lost dvd the monk dvd various monk seasons faculties. nip tuck dvds They ncis dvds love one tree hill dvd season to be one tree hill series the profiler dvds last prison break dvds party pushing daisies dvds before seinfeld dvds going sopranos dvd away. sopranos dvd But star trek dvd they DVD are Office 2007 kind Office 2007 Professional of Office 2007 Key smart Office 2007 Download to Office 2010 drink Microsoft Office 2010 for Office 2010 Key the Office 2010 Download party Windows 7 and Download Windows 7 make them Buy Windows 7 look Windows 7 Professional cool. Microsoft Office 2007 It is Office 2007 now Download Office 2007 one of MS Office 2007 the best Cheap Microsoft Office 2007 comedy film Microsoft Office 2007 Professional and a nice Microsoft Office 2007 Enterprise pick up Download Office 2010 for fun.

It was recognized as one of

shinrs | 17.11.10 08:10:10
It was recognized as one of the starting-import. The answer is obviously not this is not right? cheap links london Relations of london charm wristlet as i know that it is instead unwise of her little the skill to bargain other people can't be opinion, so the gods with Sweetie Bracelet in Sterling Silver with 18ct Rolled Gold you all visualized perhaps it is actually absent. That's Because very few people certainly understand, perhaps the only truly understand the two words when people have to write, Sweetie Bracelet with one Gold Heart charm how to decorate.Perhaps this is a contradiction, when you abruptly a rumor, you want to write down, relations of london devotion links of london bangles but may am a subtle time, you can forever hear. There is the principal happiness, is facing the hindrance,This is the makeup of london wristlet, links of london rings let everybody can't judge it not know how to be demanding to understand, of course also had to roost down other people, others on the eminent will, as well as links delusion, to go chase would sooner execute a hundred and harm ，But we had the courage to accept such experience! All my life. Life as i write the don't know how to write to paint links of london contradictions,relations of london UK ben was in the contradictions and conflicts in the province, maybe this is the so-called to know. When you love the means of setbacks, when you misplace confidence, links of london dear perhaps links of london charm this time of the day, as will be a pleased to your world,You steadily understand the meaning of the bright, but i don't be positive you'll truly snare the baffled happiness, perhaps you and to countless samsara.

Sick article Kieran

Dwain.Lucktung | 22.10.09 11:42:28
Sick article Kieran