Eva M. Clayton: “But the one thing that we are happy to say is that that has now presented us proceeds of over $600,000 that we are…”

“But the one thing that we are happy to say is that that has now presented us proceeds of over $600,000 that we are giving to different health facilities to treat persons, especially women and children, with this very deadly disease. It was years ago that someone told me about this disease; and I thought, well, I am in the State legislature, trying to pass laws, and I really do not have time for this. But it was not until that next year or so that someone brought me the facts, brought me the data; and that is when I said, no, that is not their problem, it is our problem and, more importantly, it is my problem to look at. We know that HIV/AIDS continues to devastate women throughout the world, and nowhere is it more overwhelming than on the African continent. As news reports tell us daily, AIDS in Africa has reached crisis proportions. In fact, it is a pandemic. Two-thirds of the world's 33 million AIDS-infected victims live on the African continent. Tragically, the epicenter of this disease is among African women, with profound effects on their children.”