Dr. Mitch Besser, mothers2mothers’ Founder and Medical Director, recently attended the Global Health Conference in Washington DC, where he accepted the Global Health Council’s Best Practices Award on behalf of mothers2mothers.  This annual award is given to individuals dedicated to improving the health of disadvantaged and disenfranchised populations and to recognize programs that address the links between health, development and poverty.  Recipients of the Best Practices Award are selected for their ability to exhibit measurable results in the field, as well as the capacity and expertise to share, inspire and extend their work.

With this award, m2m continues to be recognized as a leader in service delivery for PMTCT programs. m2m was also recently the recipient of the Impumelelo Trust’s Social Entrepreneurship award, which is the second time mothers2mothers has been honored by the organization.

mothers2mothers continues to foster strong bonds in the UK.  Co-Founders and Skoll Fellows Dr. Mitch Besser and Gene Falk, accompanied by External Affairs Director David Torres and South Africa Site Coordinator Viwe recently flew (Viwe for the first time) to England for the Skoll World Forum. Following m2m’s participation in the annual conference from last year, Viwe was invited to speak on a panel, and to answer questions from Skoll delegates about her experiences with HIV, PMTCT and her current role at mothers2mothers.  Viwe then accompanied the management team and ventured from Oxford to London to step into  the homes of 'friends of mothers2mothers UK' to talk about her crucial and life-saving work in Cape Town.  mothers2mothers donor and activist supporter, Annie Lennox, pitched in to support Viwe’s 'London Tour' after the two ladies had spent time together in Oxford.  Speaking of the experience, Viwe said that it was "exciting and great to be a part of this." Of her first plane ride, Viwe reflected, “I was relaxed…It was like being in a lift.'  Congratulations, Viwe, on your successful journey and thank you for representing m2m so powerfully!    

Mahleloa Pitso, a Site Coordinator in Lesotho, was recently invited to speak at the Women Deliver Conference, held in Washington, D.C.  The theme of the conference was Delivering Solutions for Girls and Women, with a focus on political, economic, social/cultural and technological solutions.  In a joint panel discussion with co-founder and International Director Robin Smalley, Ms. Pitso reflected on living with HIV as well as her experiences as a peer educator and counselor for pregnant women and mothers in similar situations.

"Each year, an estimated 430 000 babies are born with HIV globally, the large majority in Africa.  Over the course of a 90-minute football match, nearly 80 babies will become newly infected with HIV.  In many parts of Africa, AIDS-related illness is the leading cause of death among infants and young children."

Sidibe describes how UNAIDS has teamed up with leaders among the football community in a campaign to eliminate mother-to-child HIV transmission by the time the next World Cup is held in 2014.

Thank you, Mr. Sidibe and UNAIDS, for your continued advocacy.  mothers2mothers is sending up a wave of supportive blasts from our vuvuzelas!

1. The 2009 m2m Annual Report is now available for download.  To receive a hard copy, please email us.

2. Recently, mothers2mothers co-Founder and President, Gene Falk has spoken at high-profile conferences, including the World Economic Forum, held in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, and the World Economic Forum on Africa in Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania.

3. Mrs. Laura Bush recently released her new memoir, Spoken from the Heart, in which she speaks about mothers2mothers and her experiences meeting some of our Mentor Mothers.  We would like to thank Mrs. Bush for this wonderful mention.

4. Last week an art exhibition fundraiser in Toronto, Canada, was held for mothers2mothers.  Prints of pictures taken by Andrew Topham, one of the photographers commissioned to photograph m2m sites, staff and clients, were on sale, with proceeds going to the organization.  Guests were given an insider’s view of what the m2m program is all about.  For more information and pictures from the event, please click here.  Thank you to the organizer, Heather Thorkelson, and Andrew Topham for bringing mothers2mothers to Canada!

5. m2m recently participated in The White Ribbon's Alliance for Safe Motherhood's video project entitled Stories of Mothers Saved.  By telling the stories of women from all across the world who did not needlessly die during pregnancy or childbirth, the project aims to illustrate the importance of maternal and child health.  One of our Mentor Mothers from Lesotho is featured in the video - please click here to view it.

6. mothers2mothers continues to meet new partners and share its success with current ones.  Upcoming appearances and events include:

• Swaziland Regional Manager Nontobeko Mbuyane and other m2m staff members will present at the International AIDS Conference in Vienna, Austria, in July;

• Dr. Mitch Besser will speak at the TEDGlobal Conference in Oxford in July; and

• Fundraisers will be held in October in Los Angeles, Philadelphia, New York and London – more information to follow on our website!