by lwang | Aug 18, 2014 | Female Empowerment, Health, HIV transmission, m2m, mothers2mothers
Fashion designer and pop singer Victoria Beckham celebrated the work of mothers2mothers earlier this year in the pages of Vogue and People Magazine, but she isn’t done yet. Later this month, Beckham will auction off more than 600 items of clothing from her personal wardrobe, in a partnership with The Outnet, to support the work of m2m, a 2012 recipient of the Henry R. Kravis Prize in Leadership, in reducing mother-to-child HIV transmission. In a recent blog item in Vogue, Beckham explains, We approached The Outnet as they have an incredible global reputation and are the perfect partner for us to build awareness and raise as much money as possible for Mothers2mothers. Visit here for more information on the upcoming Beckham auction. RELATED: Read more about the Henry R. Kravis Prize in Leadership Who has won the Kravis Prize? Learn more about past recipients Learn about mothers2mothers at the Kravis Prize...
by lwang | Jul 31, 2014 | Female Empowerment, Health, HIV transmission, Kravis Prize, m2m, mothers2mothers
For Former U.S. President Bill Clinton, the key to the successful future treatment and prevention of HIV and AIDS must focus on the most intimate human relationship of all. Mother and child. “We are trying to help countries eliminate mother-to-child transmission,” he told an audience at a world AIDS conference held in Melbourne, Australia, “and this is one of the most exciting goals in public health … and essential to achieving an AIDS-free generation.” Mother-to-child transmission has also been the focus of the work of mothers2mothers, a 2012 recipient of the Henry R. Kravis Prize in Leadership, since the organization was founded in 2001. In its efforts to highlight the problem of mother-to-child transmission, the non-profit organization has recently found unexpected allies in the celebrity community, including pop star and fashion designer Victoria Beckham and music producer and musician Ryan Lewis. Beckham spent time with m2m’s founder in South Africa, while Lewis revealed a personal story of his mother’s plight with HIV transmission in a video receiving much media attention. The organization was thrilled to have this issue highlighted by the former president. “Like President Clinton, we at m2m believe that eliminating pediatric AIDS and achieving an AIDS-free generation is possible,” the organization said in a statement. “No one is better placed to address this stigma [of mother-to-child transmission] than the Mentor Mothers” which is a hallmark of m2m’s work. In addition to Clinton’s remarks, the issue was also highlighted at the AIDS conference by several m2m members who served as conference participants. Details of m2m’s participation at the Melbourne conference is described on the m2m website. RELATED: Visit...
by lwang | May 8, 2014 | Female Empowerment, Health, HIV transmission, Kravis Prize, m2m, mothers2mothers
Mother’s Day is a golden opportunity not just to honor our own mothers, but many others, too. 2012 Kravis Prize recipient mothers2mothers has teamed up with an award-winning journalist and a philanthropic non-profit as part of their campaign, “Double Your Mommy,” which is tapping into this year’s holiday to maximize outreach to impoverished women around the world. At first glance, the “Double Your Mommy” page established by the 13-year-old organization, which is dedicated to reducing mother-to-child transmission of HIV, presents a variety of Mom-themed gifts like most department stores and boutiques. Look closer, though, and you’ll find a decided difference. Philanthropic organization Modropy, which has partnered with the American Cancer Society, Royal Family Kids, and several autism groups among many others, has created shirts, hoodies, and totes for m2m. Proceeds from the sales will go to support m2m’s programming and services. To learn more about Modropy, visit its homepage. According to m2m co-founder Robin Smalley, these proceeds will be doubled by an anonymous donor to increase the services that they can provide to m2m’s staff and Mentor Mothers working in sub-Saharan Africa. Journalist Jennifer Haupt, whose e-book Will You Be My Mother? The Quest to Answer ‘Yes’ looks at her experiences in genocide-torn Rwanda, is also donating sales from her memoir to m2m. These purchases — along with several other items offered on the “Double Your Mommy” page (including donations to support educational materials, nutritional assistance, cell phones, and more)— include a Mother’s Day card that will be mailed or emailed to each customer’s mother so that they’re aware of the impact of their gift on lives in another country....
by lwang | Apr 24, 2014 | HIV transmission, m2m
When Victoria Beckham, pop icon and fashion designer married to soccer great David Beckham, traveled to Cape Town, South Africa, in February to learn more about mother-to-child transmission of HIV, she spent time with the founder and several members of mothers2mothers, an organization that was awarded the Henry R. Kravis Prize in Leadership in 2012. Beckham’s journey is chronicled in Vogue Magazine, with accompanying pictures by acclaimed photographer Annie Leibovitz. To see a short gallery of photos from Beckham’s journey, and her encounters with some of m2m’s Mentor Mothers, who help women receive the proper medical attention, visit the following link: http://www.vogue.com/vogue-daily/article/victoria-beckham-born-free-fight-against-hiv/#1 Beckham’s support of mothers2mothers is also spotlighted in the April 28 issue of People Magazine in the feature “40 Facts About Me” (see photo, above). Beckham’s list offers plenty of playful asides (“I believe in karma,” “If I had more time, I would read more…”), but her serious commitment to empowering women and helping the poor is highlighted in yellow at No. 13, where she identifies her involvement with both UNAIDS and mothers2mothers. In 2012, when m2m was honored with the Kravis Prize, the Prize Selection Committee cited the organization’s efforts under founder Mitch Besser “in nine countries and [for] continually working to expand their reach to women in new countries and move deeper into countries where they currently operate.” Besser, who is the brother of Richard Besser, chief medical correspondent for ABC News, also receives attention during a recent “Good Morning America” segment about pop musician Ryan Lewis’ mother Julie. For more about this ABC News segment, visit this post on the Kravis Prize Blog to learn more about Lewis, m2m’s work, and...
by lwang | Apr 24, 2014 | Female Empowerment, Health, HIV transmission, Kravis Prize, m2m
Along with the travels of Victoria Beckham to South Africa and her efforts to raise awareness about mother-to-child HIV transmission and the work of mothers2mothers, another figure in the world of pop culture and entertainment is also shedding light on this crucial topic. Musician and producer Ryan Lewis (who has teamed up with Macklemore to produce several hit songs) shares a deeply personal story that teaches the lesson that HIV transmission doesn’t occur only in the Third World: It can happen anywhere. It has happened to his own family. A segment airing on ABC’s Good Morning America describes the circumstances of Lewis’ mother, Julie, who has been HIV positive since receiving a blood transfusion in the 1980s. At the time, she was given 3-5 years to live. That segment, which is followed by a roundtable GMA discussion, includes Richard Besser, ABC News Chief Health and Medical Editor. Besser, whose brother Mitch is the founder of mothers2mothers, describes the work of m2m to George Stephanopoulos, Robin Roberts and the rest of the GMA cast. Watch video here:...
