Art AIDS Africa

On June 1, 2000, Dr. Shirley A. Harris, her sister Folami Harris and concerned friend Annemarie Eades founded Art AIDS Africa, a nonprofit organization that uses the money from art sales to support organizations fighting HIV/AIDS on the African continent. "This is hard work and a bit of a challenge, since all of us board members are full-time professionals," admitted Harris. "None of us have ever been involved in retail or international work." Art AIDS Africa buys traditional art from artisans and craft cooperatives in the poorest sections of Africa and brings it back to the United States for sale. Every time consumers purchase a piece of artwork, their dollars are used to benefit AIDS patients. All profits and donations are sent directly to individual groups and organizations that sponsor HIV/AIDS programs in Africa. Because art is bought specifically from cooperatives, Art AIDS Africa is also creating financial opportunities for local artists.

Since its inception, Art AIDS Africa has raised more than $20,000 in sales and donations, including $12,000 in unrestricted grants from the founders and pharmaceutical companies Pfizer, TAP, Novartis and Astra-Zeneca. The first grant was to Diepsloots near Johannesburg, South Africa, which is the poorest town with the highest number of HIV/AIDS cases, to build a $10,000 AIDS prevention center called Vuselela Ulwazil Wakhoo Drop-in Center. In addition, the organization has donated food, clothing, toiletries, medicine and medical supplies to an orphanage in Johannesburg and a hospital clinic in Zambia.

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