Akumu Sandy is HIV-positive. When she became pregnant, she feared her unborn child would contract the virus from her either before or after birth. Akumu sought medical help at New Life Medical Center in Uganda. New Life focuses a great deal of working ensuring babies are born free of HIV.

Today, Akumu has a healthy baby boy named Josh.

Stories like Akumu’s are exactly why this coming December 4 is so important to us. Blood:Water will be hosting its Third Annual Red Tie Gala at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville. This annual event has quickly become one of the country’s premier events advancing the fight toward eliminating HIV/AIDS and honoring leaders across the world who have made this fight their life’s work. In just the first two years, we’ve raised over $400,000 toward clinics and partners in Africa that are at the forefront of the fight.

Proceeds from this year’s event will enable Blood:Water to continue to come alongside our partner, New Life Medical Center, as they work to end the HIV/AIDS crisis in northern Uganda and help other moms like Akumu. New Life Medical Center is working to strengthen HIV care in the community and provide normal delivery, antenatal services, postnatal services and other mother-child health services through the maternity unit, allowing babies to be born free of HIV and giving life to the next generation and community.

Your participation at the Red Tie Gala won’t be just another night in which you learn about the HIV/AIDS crisis, but it will literally be a night in which you give new life to our friends, mothers and children in Africa.