The Mulago Positive Women's Network Announce Their 2010 Holiday Season "Online Marketplace" to Fight HIV/AIDS and Poverty in Uganda

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"Living Positively with HIV/AIDS"

"UNITED AGAINST AIDS" - Mulago Positive Women's Network (MPWN)

Austin, Texas (PRWEB) July 31, 2010

The Mulago Positive Women's Network of Uganda (http://www.mpwn-uganda.org) announces the latest additions to their very popular line of authentically African handicrafts for the upcoming Holiday Season. Included will be handmade greeting cards, "paper bead" jewelry (necklaces and bracelets) and wooden African animal statues - carved and painted by the teenaged children of the women of the MPWN.

In the first two years of its existence, the MPWN website has sold over $15,000 in MPWN craft items with ALL the money raised going directly back to the women who make the items. This year, with the addition of these exciting new items, the MPWN website hopes to raise at least $5,000 during the 2010 Holiday Season.

BACKGROUND

The Mulago Positive Women's Network (MPWN) was started in January 2004 to address the special needs of HIV+ women in Uganda. Based in Kampala Uganda, the MPWN functions as a support network to assist its members in "living positively" with HIV/AIDS. The MPWN is affiliated with TASO Uganda (The AIDS Support Organization of Uganda -- http://www.tasouganda.org) - one of the longest established and most prestigious African-initiated AIDS organizations in the continent.

Agnes Nyamayarwo is the founder and main facilitator of the Mulago Positive Women's Network. She has often been referred to by Bono (U2) as one of the "heroes" of the AIDS pandemic in Africa.

In 2002, during a trip to Africa, Bono visited with several members of TASO Uganda, including Agnes, and was inspired by her personal dignity and courage in her struggle with HIV/AIDS.

Agnes would become a main speaker on the "Heart of America" tour with Bono in December 2002 which launched DATA (Debt, AIDS, Trade, Africa -- http://www.data.org). Agnes also became a main spokesperson for ONE, the Campaign to Make Poverty History (http://www.one.org) where she continues to this day to advocate on behalf of the world's poorest people.

Bono continues his activities for Africa through ONE as well as through (RED) (http://www.joinred.com) and EDUN (http://www.edun.com).

CURRENT ACTIVITIES

The MPWN's "UNITED FOR UGANDA" program began in February 2009 and has proven to be a very successful way to raise awareness of the HIV/AIDS situation in Africa while providing additional financial support to the women of the MPWN through the slae of their handmade African craft items.

The "United 4 Uganda" Program (http://www.prweb.com/releases/2009/02/prweb2150854.htm) is a co-ordinated effort by concerned individuals and organizations to provide increased economic support to the women of the Mulago Positive Women's Network (MPWN) of Uganda. The effort is spearheaded by those involved with the website of the MPWN (http://www.mpwn-uganda.org) and includes active participation by involving supporters to directly get involved in fundraising efforts for the MPWN. The name of the program ("United 4 Uganda") is a natural extension of the slogan used for years by the MPWN's sponsoring organization, TASO Uganda. That slogan is "United Against AIDS".

All the money raised on behalf of the MPWN is used by the women to send their children to school and to provide additional nutritional support for them. But as the need is great in Uganda, the "UNITED 4 UGANDA" program provides an essential service to the women of the MPWN by allowing them an opportunity to reach a worldwide audience with their message of "living positively" with HIV/AIDS along with an "online marketplace" to sell their uniquely handmade African crafts.

The latest additions to the MPWN "online marketplace" (as mentioned above and as shown in the pictures to the right) will become a part of our "UNITED FOR UGANDA" kits.

AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEWS

Agnes Nyamayarwo has recently been interviewed by two leading social awareness websites regarding her life as a leading AIDS activist in Africa and regarding her longtime friendship / AIDS advocacy with Bono.

These two interviews were conducted by the "Positively Aware" website in their Jan/Feb edition (http://positivelyaware.com/2010/10_01/agnes_nyamayarwo.shtml) and by Change.org in March - http://globalpoverty.change.orgblogviewmeet_agnes_nyamayarwo_the_woman_who_inspired_bono

If interested in participating in our "UNITED 4 UGANDA" program or if interested in interviewing Agnes Nyamayarwo or the MPWN support staff, please email us at info(at)mpwn-uganda(dot)org or call us at (512) 992-7782.

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