Yesterday, Bono was the guest editor of England's Independent.
(A link to his piece is attached below.)
I have watched these brave
and beautiful souls who are fighting a forest fire of a pandemic with watering cans, knowing they will not see the light of a day when their work will be honoured. I have been a witness to their conversations around canteen tables, deciding who will live or die, because they do not have
enough pills to go round.
Bono - 5/16/06
What can he be talking about? To grasp the situation,
recall the facts I discussed in my February entry:
• Swaziland is among the world's countries with the
greatest prevalence of HIV and the greatest need for treatment, training and education.
• In 2002, 39% of pregnant mothers were HIV positive. The survey from 2005 listed this rate at 56%.
• In southern Africa, 50% of all deaths of children under the age of five
are caused by HIV/Aids.
• By 2010, 10% to 15% of the population of Swaziland will be orphans.
The title of Bono's piece asks "What can I do?" And, I'll preface my thoughts by saying that life in Swaziland is barren and tragic. And, it seems that nothing that we do will reverse the situation
immediately. But, that is no excuse to do nothing. A few kind family and friends responded to my February entry by sending small donations to Lisa Mooneyham in Swaziland. And, our donations helped to buy the water tank pictured here.This tank will allow children of this village to have access to clean drinking water, without having to leave their village.
As some of you know, J. Scott Mooneyham and his wife are in the employ of the State Department. However, they also joyfully act as the boots on the ground that will act as our emissaries on a very local level.
Please make a donation of $10.00 to $20.00 or more to:
Lisa Mooneyham
2350 Mbabane Place
Dulles,VA 20189
Note: Aids Children/Titus Tribe
This is a State Department Address.
So, please only send checks (and/or clothes). Mail is filtered.
The children in the picture attached are recipients
of hand-made American teddy bears from the people at the Mother Bear
Project.
Here is a very common Swazi child: Bongani's Story
Background on John Scott and Lisa Mooneyham
The Independent - Guest Editor: Bono, May 16, 2006
Lisa is very fond of the children of Swaziland. And, she is very appreciative of the Mother Bear Project because they provide the only toys that many of these children will ever own.
Please make a donation to Lisa. I leave it up to her discretion as to how best to use our funds. However, she will send each giver a card and pictures of her activities. (February donors have these forthcoming.) And, please identify yourself as a member of the "Titus Tribe" because J. Scott and I have a bit of a competition as to whose tribe will raise more money.
LisaMooneyham (left) is pictured here with Jody from the Mother Bear
Project.
