30/30 Project

I'm thrilled that today I get to share with you all an exciting project that my family has been working on for the past few months (with Jenny and Jason who are like family!). There is a part to my life that I haven't written about on this blog that I'd like to fill you in on to give some context to the 30/30 Project...so here goes!

When I was born in 1984, my mom had a miserable labor and received a blood transfusion due to hemorrhaging. Unfortunately, the blood that she received was infected with the HIV virus. Miraculously, my sister and brother, who were born after me, and my father were not infected with the virus.

This March we didn't just celebrate my 30th birthday, we also commemorated the 30 years that my mom has lived with HIV/AIDS. Despite the doctors only giving her a few years to live when she was diagnosed, she has survived partly due to the access she has to powerful medications. To commemorate this monumental moment in her life, my mom said it wasn't enough to just be grateful, she wanted to do something to give back...and so she came up with the 30/30 Project.

For the past few years my mom and Jenny have volunteered their time working for an organization that you've heard a lot about on this blog, Construction for Change. Working alongside local leaders in developing communities, CFC constructs clinics, community centers, and schools that will last for a least 30 years. Jenny and Jason have been traveling and photographing their projects for over five years now. The 30/30 Project brings together Construction for Change and Partners in Health to build a clinic in the Neno District of Malawi. This clinic will provide healthcare for a community of people who formerly had to drive two hours to get medical attention. It will also provide lifesaving medication to the 10% of their population that is infected with HIV/AIDS. Pretty great huh??

Every mom out there deserves to have access to cutting edge healthcare like my mom does. I only dared to dream as a young girl that she would live to see my life as an adult and it's hard for me to describe how grateful I am that she is in Mylo's life and my own 30 years later. It's time to pay it forward.

Jenny and Jason just returned last week from Malawi where they spent a week meeting the people of the Neno district and photographing the site where the clinic will be place (amazing photos on their way!). We are all so excited about this project and the impact that it will have on this community. I am asking all our readers to watch the video above and consider giving to this initiative that is so dear to my heart. Click here to learn more. Let's build a clinic!