Over the past 11 years, Apple’s customers have provided the equivalent of 475 million days of medication that prevents the transmission of HIV from mothers to their unborn babies. Pictured is Project Red Ambassador Constance Mudenda and her daughter Lubona, who was born HIV-free in 2012.
AppleApple has raised a lot of money from its customers for HIV/AIDS work in developing countries. On Friday, World AIDS Day, it will seek to raise even more.
At midnight in each market, App Store customers will see a “Today” tab that features stories about HIV/AIDS. King, the maker of the popular Candy Crush matching game, will offer limited-edition bundles where all proceeds from in-app purchases will go to the Global Fund, a nonprofit organization that offers prevention, testing, treatment, counseling and care services to HIV and AIDS patients in developing countries.
Starting on World AIDS Day and continuing through the next week, Apple will donate $1 to the Global Fund for every Apple Pay transaction made at retail stores, online or in apps. And more than 400 Apple Stores will turn their logos red or display red Apple logo window decals for the week.
Apple and game developer King will donate money to help combat HIV/AIDs.
AppleThe money will come on top of the $30 million Apple has raised from its customers in 2017 for the Global Fund. That amount equates to about 144 million days of medication that prevents the transmission of HIV from mothers to their unborn babies.
Apple has been a big supporter of HIV/AIDS work for over a decade. Through its 11-year partnership with Red, a nonprofit started by U2 frontman Bono in 2006, Apple’s customers have helped raise $160 million to provide an equivalent of 475 million days of lifesaving medication. Red donates the money it raises from Apple and others — over $500 million since its inception — to the Global Fund.
Nearly 21 million people have access to lifesaving medicine today, up from 700,000 in 2000, Apple said. The number of babies born each day with HIV has dropped significantly, to 400 today from 1,200 in 2005. UNAIDs predicts that number could near zero by 2020, and AIDS could be eliminated from the world as soon as 2030. There are currently 36.7 million people living with HIV in 2016, the organization said.
“Connecting through our products and services helps make it easy for our customers to join us in the effort to create the first AIDS-free generation,” Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice president of environment, policy and social initiatives, said in a press release. “By working with Red to stop the transmission of HIV from moms to their unborn babies, we’re already seeing a significant impact in areas where help is needed most.”
Along with Apple Pay donations and in-app fundraisers, Apple also has introduced Product Red devices and accessories like its bright red iPhone 7 and 7 Plus and its red leather iPhone cases.
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