Words by Smiley Team
In 1990 Elton John became friends with Ryan White, a teenager from Indiana who died from AIDS.
Ryan’s life inspired the singer to take action, and he set up the Elton John AIDS Foundation.
Fast forward three decades, and Elton is one of the UK’s leading philanthropists, having donated £395m to charity with his focus on achieving a world free of AIDS for everyone.
The Foundation’s goal is to end AIDS by 2030, which they hope to achieve by funding frontline partners to prevent infections, fighting stigma and providing treatment with love, compassion and dignity for the most vulnerable groups affected by HIV around the world.
Elton has set out his ambition clearly, stating: “No one should suffer from stigma, fear or lack of access to treatment anymore – everyone deserves the right to a healthy life.”
So far the Foundation’s work has saved five million lives globally, raised $450m worldwide for their work and supported 3,000 projects which align to their mission.
Their recent projects have focused on fighting AIDS in America, with their new initiative Breakthrough.
In association with Walmart, the Foundation has launched a three year engagement programme to accelerate the end of AIDS in America by increasing access, education and awareness to safe, convenient HIV testing and services in the southern United States.
There are currently 250,000 people in the U.S. southern region who are living with HIV but lack access to treatment, indicating an urgent need for HIV testing, education, prevention and resources in the area.
The AIDS epidemic disproportionately impacts communities of colour, especially in the South, where people are more likely to be diagnosed with HIV over the course of their lifetime than Americans living in other parts of the country.
The epidemic also has a significant impact on the LGTBQ+ population, with half of Black gay men and a quarter of Latino gay men projected to be diagnosed with HIV within their lifetime.
Anne Aslett, CEO of the Elton John AIDS Foundation commented: “America and the world have set a goal to end the AIDS pandemic by 2030.
“Vulnerability to HIV/AIDS in the U.S. South must be addressed if America is to achieve its goal. This is only possible if no one is left behind. It is wrong that the colour of your skin, your sexuality or your economic status should determine your risk of HIV.
“Walmart is part of the fabric of U.S. communities. Working together, we want to reach into the communities that most badly need support and help them where they are.”
To learn more about the Elton John AIDS Foundation’s work visit their website or follow them on Twitter.
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