Durex will send millions of dollars to help fund South African programme that keeps at-risk girls and women in school longer
Durex, the world’s leading condom brand, has begun a three-year partnership with the non-profit (RED) to bolster the ongoing battle against AIDS in Africa, and help boost overall awareness of the disease globally.
(RED) was launched in 2006 by U2 frontman Bono and American activist Bobby Shriver to enhance their ongoing efforts to fight the interconnected ills of poverty, famine and disease in Africa. Brands will launch (RED) versions of their products and a portion of sales go to the (RED) charity to be used to fund HIV/AIDS health and community programs. In the case of Durex when you buy one of their products part of the sale will go to the well-regarded Keeping Girls in School Programme in South Africa.
In addition to giving a portion of sales to (RED), Durex will be donating a minimum $5 million over three-years, matched by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation bringing at least $10 million to help educate girls and women and bring real change to their lives and communities. The goal is to reduce new HIV infections and pregnancies among young women by encouraging them to continue their education and by improving access to sexual health and reproductive services.
As we mark the 30th anniversary of World AIDS Day on December 1, 2018, it’s worth remembering the scale of this plague. We’ve covered AIDS in Africa in detail over the years, and despite progress in treatments and in many parts of the world, the number of people living with HIV remains staggering. In sub-Saharan Africa the number is estimated to be 26 million, and teenage girls make up a significant percentage of new cases, three times the rate of teenage boys. In South Africa alone 7.2 million are living with AIDS/HIV, and this is increasing.
AIDS/HIV, by the numbers, latest estimates:
- 36.9 million people living with HIV
- 1.8 million newly infected in 2017
- 9.4 million people did not know they were living with HIV
- 1.0 million people died from AIDS-related diseases in past year
- 35.4 million deaths overall since the start of the epidemic
- 1.8 million children (14 & under) currently have the HIV virus
- Sub-Saharan African women 15-24 are twice as likely as men to be infected with HIV
- HIV/AIDS is the leading cause of death for 10-24 year olds
THE GOOD NEWS: The number of new HIV infections and AIDS deaths having been dropping annually for well over a decade.
Here’s a video from Durex featuring participants in the Keeping Girls in School Programme:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yp5FnXYEDhA
Durex urges us to “Have Sex, Save Lives” and to #GAF
In addition to their commitment to fight HIV/AIDS on the ground in South Africa, Durex also wants people, particularly young people, all around the world to be very aware of the disease. Many studies show young people are actually less informed about HIV/AIDS than a decade ago. To battle this Durex has started a campaign featuring celebrities such as Swedish singer Zara Larsson, actress Thandie Newton and YouTube star Tyler Oakley.
The campaign and its stars urge young people to “GIVE A F**K”, and stay informed about HIV, AIDS and safe sex, and engage in the conversation online and off. A second less-explicit tagline of “Have Sex, Save Lives”(meaning, of course, have protected sex) will also be promoted, particularly in more conservative countries and markets around the world. Hashtags for the campaign are #GAF and #HaveSexSaveLives.
The Durex #GAF video featuring Zara Larsson for World AIDS Day:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=rNTQGCluEUc
So when you choose Durex condoms, you will be protecting yourself and your partner, while also contributing to the ongoing fight against AIDS. You can look for them at major retailers or buy online at Amazon. Visit DurexCanada for more info.
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