India.Arie Explores the Worldwide Struggle Against HIV/AIDS in 'VH1 NEWS PRESENTS: Battling The Global AIDS Epidemic'

India.Arie Explores the Worldwide Struggle Against HIV/AIDS in 'VH1 NEWS PRESENTS: Battling The Global AIDS Epidemic'

A Special Highlighting VH1's Partnership With the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria

NEW YORK, Nov. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- AIDS. The world's worst ever health crisis. As part of its continuing public affairs initiative VH1, invited India.Arie to come up close -- real close -- by spending time with those living with AIDS in the poor neighborhoods of Africa. What she found was terrible and shocking, yes. But she also found hope. Hope through the courage and stamina of women caring for their fellow sisters in the slums of Nairobi. Watch her emotional journey on "VH1 News Presents: Battling The Global AIDS Epidemic."

Premiering in mid-2005, "VH1 News Presents: Battling The Global AIDS Epidemic" finds India.Arie touring and volunteering in Nairobi at KENWA (Kenya Network of Women with AIDS) alongside the local women and men who are helping to stem the mortal tide of AIDS/HIV in their community. Established in 1993 by five HIV-positive women experiencing stigma, KENWA is a grassroots community-based organization formed and run by women living with HIV/AIDS and funded by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (the Global Fund). India, accompanied by her mother, Joyce Simpson, will meet face to face with the people living with this disease under dire circumstances, help feed and find housing and schooling for those orphaned by the disease, deliver meals to those bedridden and provide hope and support to those women newly diagnosed.

"The partnership between VH1 and the Global Fund, which puts a face to the work of such organizations as our Kenyan Network of Women with AIDS, is truly admirable," says Asunta Wagura, Executive Director of KENWA. "It is our wish that many will witness our story through India's eyes and see that our programs, made possible by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, bring hope for the future of our society's fight against this terrible disease."

"The Global Fund is financing some amazing people doing incredible work to fight HIV/AIDS around the world, often under very difficult circumstances," says Richard Feachem, the Executive Director of the Global Fund. "We are very pleased that India.Arie went to spend time with the women from KENWA. Thanks to India and VH1, a U.S. audience will be able to see what it really means to live with HIV when you are poor, but also see the fantastic work these women are doing to alleviate pain and suffering."

"With 40 million people infected and many more contracting this disease everyday, we at VH1 wanted to make the struggle against the spread of AIDS real by showing India.Arie with her mother engaging on the ground in Nairobi," commented Christina Norman, President, VH1. "I think our viewers will see that with the efforts of groups like KENWA and the Global Fund there is hope. We can fight this epidemic."

"VH1 News Presents: Battling The Global AIDS Epidemic" is an unprecedented, intimate look at the global emergency that is AIDS/HIV. India, as well as one other celebrity, will spend two weeks volunteering on an actual Global Fund AIDS project in Africa. Every day they'll be hard at work, feeding and caring for patients, going on house calls with other volunteers, helping to end suffering, and bonding with these total strangers at a very personal level.

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria was created in 2002 to dramatically increase resources to fight three of the world's most devastating diseases. The Global Fund attracts, manages and disburses resources to developing nations in their fight against AIDS. The Fund works closely with the 129 countries providing assistance during development and implementation of prevention, treatment, and training programs. Out of every dollar donated, 98 cents goes directly to the cause.

VH1's efforts will also extend to its VH1.com web site, which will stream all of the network's PSAs and will highlight the network's campaign with the Global Fund and feature HIV awareness information.

"VH1 News Presents: Battling The Global AIDS Epidemic" is a production of VH1, executive produced by Michael Hirschorn and Brad Abramson.

VH1, available in 87 million households in the U.S., connects viewers to the music, artists and pop culture that matter to them most with series, specials, live events, exclusive online content and public affairs initiatives. VH1 also has an array of digital services including VH1 Classic, VH1 Soul, VH Uno, VH1 Mega Hits and VH1 Country. Connect with VH1 at http://www.vh1.com/ .

VH1 is a unit of Viacom International Inc.

Contacts:

For VH1: Laura Nelson Michelle Clark
212/846-7920 212/846-5576
laura.nelson@vh1staff.commichelle.clark@vh1staff.com

Vanessa Reyes/MTVN
310/752-8081
vanessa.reyes@mtvstaff.com

For the Global Fund: Jon Liden
011 41 79 244 6006
jon.liden@theglobalfund.org


Source: VH1

CONTACT: Laura Nelson, +1-212-846-7920, or laura.nelson@vh1staff.com, or
Michelle Clark, +1-212-846-5576, or michelle.clark@vh1staff.com, both of VH1;
or Vanessa Reyes of MTVN, +1-310-752-8081, or vanessa.reyes@mtvstaff.com, for
VH1; or Jon Liden of the Global Fund in Switzerland, +011-41-79-244-6006, or
jon.liden@theglobalfund.org

Web site: http://www.vh1.com/

Company News On-Call: http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/130123.html


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