Indian Americans raise $26 mn for AIDS awareness

December 5, 2005

December 05, 2005 16:03 IST

To raise awareness amongst the Indian-American community on the

growing epidemic of HIV/AIDS, the American India Foundation has

launched a series of initiatives on World AIDS Day.

The Foundation -- with former US President Bill Clinton at the

honorary chair -- was fomed in 2001 and has since raised over $26

million from Indian Americans and US firms for improving public

health, education and right to livelihood projects in India.

" Indian-Americans must provide high-level visibility, leadership and

resources to accelerate the prevention and mitigate against the

stigma and discrimination of HIV/AIDS in India, " said Rajat Gupta,

the co-chair of the foundation.

The initatives that were launched were the Service Corps, the

Digital Equaliser, League of Artisans and Donor Education.

" While the Service Corps will help develop young American leaders,

the Digital Equaliser will aim at bridging the digital divide by

providing computers and training to under-resourced schools, " he

said elaborating on the initiatives.

" The League of Artisans will create sustained livelihood for

underprivileged artisans, particularly tribal, rural and women

artisans and Donor Education will train donors to become strategic

philanthropists, " he continued.

Early next year, AIF plans to pilot the India Public Health HIV/AIDS

MediCorps (IPHAM) by recruiting an initial four to six Indian-

American public health care professionals to be placed with Indian

organizations to tackle the prevention, treatment and care of

HIV/AIDS.

They have also launched a web-based public information outreach

effort to promote knowledge and awareness of the epidemic in India.

The foundation will work with the India AIDS initiative of the Bill

& Melinda Gates Foundation, to convene a high-level AIDS summit in

Washington, DC in early 2006.

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