Clouds of Hope Aids Project

BUY A PINT FOR SOUTH AFRICA

The stadiums are finished, the hotels fully booked-up and the airports gleaming. FIFA has already banked 2.2 billion in media and marketing revenues and the footballers will be making millions. But away from the shiny buildings, South Africa remains as poverty-stricken and racially divided as ever. Most football fans won't see the appalling conditions that millions have to cope with in townships across South Africa. But for most South Africans this is reality, and will continue to be so after the World Cup bandwagon has left.

There are currently 5.7 million people living with HIV and AIDS in South Africa, and it is estimated that during 31 days of The World Cup 23,000 people will die of AIDS. International AIDS charity AVERT predicts that during the World Cup 4,500 babies will be born with HIV and 30,000 adults will become infected with HIV.

Clouds of Hope is a small volunteer run registered UK charity set up to give support to children affected by HIV/AIDS in South Africa. The charity is home to over 70 children (from new born babies to teenagers) orphaned or abandoned due to the AIDS pandemic. Clouds of Hope provides children who have no-one else to turn to not only with shelter, food and education, but with loving care, and most importantly the feeling that they are valued and part of a family. The organisation aims to provide its children with the education, the capacity and the positive and independent spirit they need to provide for themselves and their future families, so breaking the poverty cycle into which these children were born.

Clouds of Hope are running a 'Buy a Pint for South Africa' campaign during the tournament. Obviously they don't mean they actually want you to buy a pint; the campaign is to encourage people to donate the price of a pint (3) to Clouds of Hope. For the price of a pint of beer you could feed an orphaned child for a week!

The campaign is being run using posters, leaflets, social-networking websites, and you may also see their beer mats down the pub whilst watching a World Cup game.

Tom Mecrow, Chair of the UK branch of the charity says:

"Whilst watching The World Cup from the comfort of our sofas, or on the big screen down the local pub, it will be easy for viewers to only see the positive side to South Africa. What they will be missing is the dire poverty in which many South Africans live. HIV is rampant in society, and hundreds of children are being orphaned by the virus every day. For the price of a beer down the pub people can make a real difference to the lives of South Africans. All they need to do is text the word 'Pint' to 70007 to donate 3. Easy!"

Clouds of Hope have made it easy to take part in the campaign. They have set up a 'text-to-donate' number so people can text the word 'PINT' to 70007 to donate 3.

For more information or to donate online visit their website: www.cloudsofhope.com

Please contact Tom Mecrow:

tom@cloudsofhope.com

07747 893749

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