Viva MAC!

I've just recieved some amazing news in my inbox from MAC. Their Aids Fund does some incredible work in the field, and now they have decided to invest $2 million over the next 2 years towards the care of survivours of rape and sexual assault in SA.
I've always loved MAC, not only for their make-up, but also for their humanitairian work, and the fact that they have decided to invest here is just so wonderful.

Hillary Clinton is involved, and you can be too by buying Viva Glam products. Find out more about the Viva Glam Campaign here.

I've pasted the official press release below, as I can't really explain it any better

M·A·C AIDS FUND & U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE PARTNER TO EXPAND CARE FOR SURVIVORS OF RAPE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT IN SOUTH AFRICA
NEW COLLABORATION IN SUPPORT OF THE GOVERNMENT OF SOUTH AFRICA WILL HELP PROVIDE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES, COUNSELING AND HIV/AIDS PREVENTION AND TREATMENT

JUNE 2, 2011 – WASHINGTON, D.C. – South African survivors of sexual assault and rape will soon have greater access to needed medical, legal and psychosocial services through the expansion of the Thuthuzela Care Centres (TCCs) network. Because of South Africa’s high HIV prevalence, survivors of sexual violence are at high risk of becoming infected with HIV/AIDS. Evidence has also shown that women living with HIV/AIDS are at higher risk of experiencing violence.
At the June 2 event with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, the M·A·C AIDS Fund announced a commitment of $2 million over the next two years to expand the TCC network through the launch of new TCC centers and the extension of operating hours at existing clinics.
The founding partners in this public-private initiative are the Office of Global Women’s Issues at the Department of State, the M·A·C AIDS Fund, the USAID Regional Mission in South Africa, and the South African Government’s National Prosecuting Agency/Sexual Offensives and Community Affairs Unit(NPA/SOCA). 

The M·A·C AIDS Fund’s contribution will leverage the $18.9 million that the U.S. government has committed to the program to date. 

In addition to Secretary Clinton, the launch announcement event was attended by John Demsey, Group President Estée Lauder Companies/Chairman M·A·C AIDS Fund; Karen Buglisi, Global Brand President M·A·C Cosmetics/ M·A·C AIDS Fund Board Member; and Nancy Mahon, Global Executive Director of the M·A·C AIDS Fund and Senior Vice President of M·A·C Cosmetics. “As a company, M·A·C commits 100 percent of the sale price of VIVA GLAM Lipstick and Lipglass to support HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and education. We also partner with powerful women such as Lady Gaga to spread the message of empowerment around the globe,” said John Demsey,
Chairman of the M·A·C AIDS Fund.”We are particularly focused on supporting programs that address the root causes of HIV/AIDS and we are proud to join with the governments of South Africa and the U.S. in expanding this innovative and successful program.”
The TCC Network was launched by the South African government in 1999 with the support of the US Government to ensure that survivors of sexual violence, including women and children, have access to services, including HIV/AIDS testing, prevention, and treatment programs. The program is also supported by the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief in South Africa.
According to UNAIDS (2010), an estimated 5.6 million people are living with HIV in South Africa, 3.3 million of which are women and 330,000 are children. The most recent statistics also show that the rate of HIV infection among women in South Africa is as high as 29 percent.


“Through the TCCs the South African Government is helping to ensure that survivors of sexual violence receive the medical, psychological, and HIV-related services they need to end the cycle of violence and move forward with healthier lives,” said Nancy Mahon, Global Executive Director of the M·A·C AIDS Fund “We are honored to partner with the South African Government’s Department of Justice, specifically the National Prosecuting Authority’s Sexual Offenses and Community Affairs unit and the U.S. Department of State to help expand this critical network.”
In keeping with its mission of reaching those at greatest risk of infection and targeting resources to address key drivers of HIV/AIDS in specific regions, the M·A·C AIDS Fund has donated over $19.6 million USD to combat the staggering HIV epidemic in South Africa, $6 million of which was directed to expanding access to prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) services. An additional $3 million has been committed to the South African Leadership Initiative in partnership with the Human Sciences Research Council, the Columbia University HIV Center, and the UCLA Center for Global Health, to build local South African leadership capacity in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

ABOUT THE M·A·C AIDS FUND
The M·A·C AIDS Fund, the heart and soul of M·A·C Cosmetics, was established in 1994 to support men, women and children affected by HIV/AIDS globally. MAF is a pioneer in HIV/AIDS funding, providing financial support to organizations working with underserved regions and populations. As the largest corporate non-pharmaceutical giver in the arena, MAF is committed to addressing the link between poverty and HIV/AIDS by supporting diverse organizations around the world that provide a wide range of services to people living with HIV/AIDS. To date, MAF has raised $218 million (U.S) exclusively through the sale of M·A·C’s VIVA GLAM Lipstick and Lipglass donating 100 percent of
the sale price to fight HIV/AIDS. For more information visit http://www.macaidsfund.org/