Dear Friend,

I am writing to you from the kingdom of Swaziland, where I have joined 20 Foundation supporters on the fifth annual AIDS Walk Africa. This is our first walk in Swaziland, a tiny nation in Southern Africa with the highest HIV prevalence rate in the world. At sunrise tomorrow, our group will begin a four-day trek through this beautiful country, visiting sites where the Foundation supports vital HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment services for children and families.

Today we had a brief orientation and a very special opening ceremony, and now we are resting up to prepare for the journey ahead. We can't wait to get started.

I wish you could be here with me. It is rare that I have a chance to take in Africa's breathtaking scenery while getting a first-hand look at the Foundation's lifesaving work. But even though you weren't able to join us in Swaziland this year, you can experience the magic of AIDS Walk Africa through the eyes of the walkers.

Log onto our AIDS Walk Africa page between today and Friday, July 4, and click on the 2008 Virtual Walk. We will post daily summaries of our experiences, together with amazing photos. Read the first virtual walk entry.

Please take a few moments each day to check in and see how we're doing, and also to read a special blog by our AIDS Walk Africa Youth Scholarship winner, Talia Rosenberg. And if you'd like to make a donation to the AIDS Walk Africa fund by sponsoring a mile, please visit www.pedaids.org/awa2008. We need your support more than ever, because every child deserves a lifetime.

Sincerely,




Pamela W. Barnes
President and Chief Executive Officer
Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation



Click here to learn more about the Foundation's efforts to speed the eradication of pediatric AIDS.