Written testimony of Princess Kasune Zulu

Good morning. It is a pleasure to be with you today. My name is Princess Kasune Zulu and I work with World Vision as an advocate for children. World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. World Vision has programs in nearly 100 countries with 5 million donors, supporters, and volunteers in the United States. Today, World Vision runs AIDS prevention and care programs in more than 60 countries.

First, I want to say thank you to the Senators on this important Committee, the full U.S. Congress, and President Bush for your leadership on Global AIDS. The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief is saving lives. It is a holistic approach focusing on treatment, prevention and care. However, more needs to be done to fight the AIDS pandemic.

Global AIDS is very real to me. By the time I was 17, I had lost both of my parents and a baby sister to AIDS-related illnesses. I was left alone in Zambia to care for nine children — four younger siblings, three of my cousins and two nephews. I tested positive for HIV infection in 1997. At that time in Zambia, AIDS was rarely discussed and it carried a heavy stigma, yet I went public with my diagnosis. I launched a campaign to educate other Zambians about AIDS. I spoke to truckers, gave seminars to businesses and worked with churches and schools. I even hosted my own national radio show in Zambia to educate people about the dangers of AIDS. It was called “Positive Living” and received an award from the U.S. Embassy in Zambia for excellence in broadcasting on HIV and AIDS.

Global AIDS is having a major impact on children. Every day thousands of children lose a parent to AIDS. Worldwide, more than 15 million children have lost one or both parents to AIDS. World Vision supports continuing the requirement which was included in Public Law 108-25, “The United States Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Act of 2003,” to require that 10 percent of all resources in this act are directed to the care of orphans and vulnerable children. World Vision strongly supports the reauthorization of the Global AIDS, TB and Malaria bill. Congress must act on this legislation quickly to ensure continuation of the live-saving global AIDS programs. Congress must also ensure that adequate resources are provided so the United States can hold up its end of the promise all G8 leaders made in 2005 to provide universal access to AIDS treatment, prevention and care by 2010.

I will be glad to elaborate more with the Committee during the question and answer session on the real-life challenges that exist in Africa for children, women and families responding to the devastation of AIDS. I look forward to our discussion.

See video footage from the hearing.