# Keep a Child Alive

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US-based non-profit organization

Keep a Child Alive Formation 2003 Founder Leigh Blake, Alicia Keys CEO Antonio Ruiz-Gimenez Website keepachildalive.org

**Keep a Child Alive** (**KCA**) is a [nonprofit organization](/source/Nonprofit_organization) that provides healthcare, housing, and other support services to [HIV](/source/HIV)/[AIDS](/source/AIDS)-affected communities in Africa and India.[1][2] Co-founded by Leigh Blake and [Alicia Keys](/source/Alicia_Keys), the organization aims to "realize the end of AIDS for children and families, by combating the physical, social and economic impacts of HIV."[3] Keep a Child Alive organizes the annual fundraiser gala [The Black Ball](/source/The_Black_Ball_(gala)), established in 2004, where celebrities and philanthropists gather to support and raise awareness for the cause.[1] Since the first Black Ball, the organization has raised over $28.7 million for HIV/AIDS treatment.[4]

## Background

KCA cofounder and President Leigh Blake was first inspired to start the initiative in 2003 after an encounter at the AIDS Research and Family Care Clinic, which she helped fund, in [Mombasa](/source/Mombasa), Kenya. A woman named Anne brought her three-year-old son Brine for medical care, refusing to leave until she received the "drugs that you have in [America](/source/United_States) for your children".[5] Blake, who had already become involved in the AIDS [epidemic](/source/Epidemic) using her background in the music and film industry to co-found the [Red Hot Organization](/source/Red_Hot_Organization) and Artists Against AIDS Worldwide, told Anne that she would pay for the drugs. In so doing, the idea for Keep a Child Alive was born. The drugs were about $12,000 a year through the [New York University](/source/New_York_University) Hospital AIDS Research Department, which at that time was overseeing care at the clinic through Dr. Shaffiq Essajee. It was not long before word started to spread and friends of Blake and Essajee offered to make contributions. The first donor was Peter Edge, and soon KCA co-founder and Global Ambassador [Alicia Keys](/source/Alicia_Keys) joined the cause, sponsoring children along with [Iman](/source/Iman_(model)) and many others. In 2003, Keep a Child Alive was officially founded. The clinic in Kenya that led to Blake's vision became a model for other facilities that KCA now aspires to build throughout Africa and the developing world.[5]

KCA cofounder Alicia Keys was first affected by the HIV/AIDS crisis at eight years old when her mother's friend died from the disease. She discovered first-hand the extensive impact of the AIDS epidemic years later when she visited [South Africa](/source/South_Africa), a trip that was the impetus to co-founding Keep a Child Alive. Keys had befriended AIDS activist Leigh Blake, who had reached out to her and helped raise her awareness to the global impact of HIV/AIDS. Keys and Leigh visited South African clinics with HIV-infected mothers and children, where Keys encountered the lack of resources and education on the disease present in the communities.[6] Keys visited other African countries such as [Uganda](/source/Uganda) and Kenya to promote care for children affected by AIDS.[7][8][9] Her work in Africa was documented in the documentary *Alicia in Africa: Journey to the Motherland*.[10]

## Mission

Keep a Child Alive brings attention to the already 30 million people that have been killed by AIDS in [sub-Saharan Africa](/source/Sub-Saharan_Africa) and the millions more that are threatened and orphaned by the disease. Currently there are 33.3 million people living with HIV/AIDS, including 2.3 million children under the age of 15. Despite AIDS being a preventable and treatable disease, 2.9 million people died from AIDS related causes last year, including 380,000 children under the age of 15—the equivalent of one child dying per minute.[11]

## Campaigns

***Spirit of a Child*** campaign was one of KCA's first major endeavors to engage the public through "groundbreaking advertising and media campaigns" that "reinvent the way the public perceives their role in the issue."[12][5] The campaign, which was created for KCA by TBWA/Chiat Day and photographed by Marc Baptiste, was launched on November 3, 2005, at the annual [Black Ball](/source/The_Black_Ball_(gala)) fundraiser.[13]

***I Am African*** The *I Am African* campaign stirred up controversy with its appropriation of tribal markings and face-paint worn by noted celebrities like [Gisele Bündchen](/source/Gisele_B%C3%BCndchen), [Gwyneth Paltrow](/source/Gwyneth_Paltrow), [David Bowie](/source/David_Bowie), [Sarah Jessica Parker](/source/Sarah_Jessica_Parker), and [Sting](/source/Sting_(musician)). The concept was created in the summer of 2006 by model and cosmetics entrepreneur [Iman](/source/Iman_(model)) to reflect the idea that Africa is the mother continent of all human beings.[14] Photographed by Michael Thompson, the ads initially appeared in a fashion supplement to [Condé Nast](/source/Cond%C3%A9_Nast) magazines in September and has since received both positive and negative attention in the press, blogs, and among other social activists.[15]

***Buy Life*** The Buy Life campaign seeks to change consumer behavior, to reposition consumerism and the act of buying in the nonprofit environment through social media. With the tagline "The More You Buy, The More You Save", created by TBWA/Chiat Day, and photographed by [Markus Klinko](/source/Markus_Klinko) and [Indrani](/source/Indrani), this series of portraits of notable celebrities in T-shirts with personalized scannable [barcodes](/source/Barcodes), turns the commercialism of celebrity packaging into a literal bar code that consumers can scan to buy life for the ultimate instant gratification. The campaign features celebrities including [Katie Holmes](/source/Katie_Holmes), [Kim Kardashian](/source/Kim_Kardashian), [Usher](/source/Usher_(entertainer)), [Ryan Seacrest](/source/Ryan_Seacrest), [Alicia Keys](/source/Alicia_Keys), [Jaden](/source/Jaden_Smith) and [Willow Smith](/source/Willow_Smith), [Swizz Beatz](/source/Swizz_Beatz), [Serena Williams](/source/Serena_Williams), creative produced by [GK Reid](/source/GK_Reid). KCA is the first charity to use barcode technology on [smartphone](/source/Smartphone) devices to engage the public and encourage the purchase of life.[16]

***Digital Death*** The Digital Death campaign launched December 1, 2010, for [World AIDS Day](/source/World_AIDS_Day) with shocking images of celebrities posed in coffins, photographed by Markus Klinko and [Indrani](/source/Indrani_(photographer)), and produced and creative directed by [GK Reid](/source/GK_Reid), with taglines "[Kim Kardashian](/source/Kim_Kardashian) is Dead", "Ryan Seacrest is Dead", etc. created by TBWA/Chiat Day. The image art is accompanied by performance art/interactive dimensions, with the stars sacrificing their digital lives on [Twitter](/source/Twitter) and [Facebook](/source/Facebook) until their fans donate one million dollars to buy their lives back. Among the other celebrities featured in the campaign were Alicia Keys, [Lady Gaga](/source/Lady_Gaga), [Justin Timberlake](/source/Justin_Timberlake), [Usher](/source/Usher_(entertainer)) and Serena Williams. [Daphne Guinness](/source/Daphne_Guinness) explains, "This campaign is so striking and draws attention not only to the AIDS disaster in Africa but also to how we have lost our way in what we care about."[17]

## Corporate partners

KCA maintains that the reason it is able to give such a large percentage of monthly donations is because it relies on larger contributions from foundations, corporations, and major individual donors to support management and administrative costs.[5] KCA's corporate partners include the [Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation](/source/Bill_%26_Melinda_Gates_Foundation), [Donna Karan](/source/Donna_Karan), [Time Warner Cable](/source/Time_Warner_Cable), and [Maybelline](/source/Maybelline).[18]

## Mobile fundraising

In Fall 2008, Keep a Child Alive launched a [mobile donating](/source/Mobile_donating) campaign with Co-Founder and Global Ambassador Alicia Keys. Keys raised over $40,000 in [micro-donations](/source/Micro-donations) by asking concert goers to text ALIVE to 90999.[19] The mobile giving campaign was created through a partnership between Keep a Child Alive, the [Mobile Giving Foundation](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mobile_Giving_Foundation&action=edit&redlink=1) and [Mgive](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mgive&action=edit&redlink=1).[20]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Quarterly_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Quarterly_1-1) ["Alicia Keys' Nonprofit Honors Oprah Winfrey"](https://nonprofitquarterly.org/2012/07/12/alicia-keys-nonprofit-honors-oprah-winfrey/). *[Nonprofit Quarterly](/source/Nonprofit_Quarterly)*. July 12, 2012. Retrieved March 22, 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Keep a Child Alive Raises Over $130,000 During BET Awards Show Through mGive- Mobile Donation Program"](http://www.nonprofitpro.com/article/keep-child-alive-raises-over-130-000-during-bet-awards-show-through-mgive-mobile-donation-program-409207/all/). *NonProfitPRO*. July 1, 2009. Retrieved March 22, 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["About Us"](https://web.archive.org/web/20191231162847/http://keepachildalive.org/about-us/). Keep a Child Alive. Archived from [the original](http://keepachildalive.org/about-us/) on December 31, 2019. Retrieved March 22, 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Chance The Rapper & Salt-N-Pepa to Join Alicia Keys as Performers at Keep A Child Alive's Black Ball"](https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/chance-the-rapper-salt-n-pepa-alicia-keys-keep-a-child-alive-black-ball-7518977/). *[Billboard](/source/Billboard_(magazine))*. September 26, 2016. Retrieved March 25, 2018.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-keepachildalive.org_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-keepachildalive.org_5-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-keepachildalive.org_5-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-keepachildalive.org_5-3) ["Keep a Child Alive - Home"](http://keepachildalive.org/). *Keep a Child Alive*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-People_6-0)** ["Alicia Keys Opens Up About Fighting HIV/AIDS, Black Ball Fundraiser"](http://people.com/celebrity/alicia-keys-opens-up-about-fighting-hivaids-black-ball-fundraiser/). *[People](/source/People_(magazine))*. October 30, 2015. Retrieved March 25, 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["For The Record: Quick News On Gwyneth Paltrow, Chris Martin, Obie Trice, Notorious B.I.G., Jessica Simpson & More"](https://web.archive.org/web/20081227235047/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1528266/20060410/coldplay.jhtml). *MTV News*. April 10, 2006. Archived from [the original](http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1528266/20060410/coldplay.jhtml) on December 27, 2008. Retrieved December 16, 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Alicia Keys and 'Keep a Child Alive' Visit AHF's Ithembalabantu Clinic, Free AIDS Clinic in Durban, South Africa Run by AIDS Healthcare Foundation"](http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=168584). PR Newswire. April 16, 2006. Retrieved December 4, 2006.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Alicia Keys in Kenya for HIV Project"](https://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2006-04-06-alicia-keys_x.htm). *[USA Today](/source/USA_Today)*. [Gannett Company](/source/Gannett_Company). April 6, 2006. Retrieved July 17, 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Alicia Keys' Documentary "Alicia in Africa: Journey to the Motherland" Available..."](https://web.archive.org/web/20080408232538/http://www.prweb.com/releases/spiralfrog/child_alive/prweb838624.htm) Thomson Reuters. Reuters. April 7, 2008. Archived from [the original](http://www.prweb.com/releases/spiralfrog/child_alive/prweb838624.htm) on April 8, 2008. Retrieved November 2, 2010.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** [""College Guidebook""](https://web.archive.org/web/20070928004635/http://keepachildalive.org/images/handbook.pdf) (PDF). 2007-09-28. Archived from [the original](http://keepachildalive.org/images/handbook.pdf) (PDF) on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2020-11-23.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["Archived copy"](https://web.archive.org/web/20070508210049/http://keepachildalive.org/postdards.pdf) (PDF). *keepachildalive.org*. Archived from [the original](http://keepachildalive.org/postdards.pdf) (PDF) on 8 May 2007. Retrieved 9 August 2022.{{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_archived_copy_as_title))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["Archived copy"](https://web.archive.org/web/20070610044512/https://www.tbwachiat.com/). *www.tbwachiat.com*. Archived from [the original](https://www.tbwachiat.com/) on 10 June 2007. Retrieved 9 August 2022.{{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_archived_copy_as_title))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** [Givhan, Robin](/source/Givhan%2C_Robin). [Dressing Up in the Latest Fashionable Cause?](https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/02/AR2006110201710_pf.html) *Washington Post*. 3 November 2006: C2

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** James, Caryn. [Megastars Out to Save the World: Those Halos can Tarnish in an Instant](https://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/13/arts/13halo.html?ex=1321074000&en=0587bdf1f4d28ba2&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss). *New York Times*. 13 November 2006: E3

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** Wallace, Amy. "Farewell, Digital World." [\[1\]](https://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/28/business/28proto.html?src=busln) *New York Times*

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** Davis, Dawn "Kim Kardashian, Daphne Guinness and More Go Twitter-Silent for a Cause" November 30, 2010 [http://www.harpersbazaar.com/bazaar-blog/kim-kardashian-keep-a-child-alive-113010](http://www.harpersbazaar.com/bazaar-blog/kim-kardashian-keep-a-child-alive-113010)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** ["-= KEEPACHILDALIVE.ORG =-"](https://web.archive.org/web/20070120214343/http://www.keepachildalive.org/about_corporate.php). 2007-01-20. Archived from [the original](http://www.keepachildalive.org/about_corporate.php) on 2007-01-20. Retrieved 2020-11-24.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-19)** [Keep a Child Alive and Alicia Keys Raise $40,000 Through Mobile Donations During Fall 2008 Concert Tour](https://web.archive.org/web/20080928093055/http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS188626+02-Jul-2008+PRN20080702). July 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-20)** [Mobile Giving- How to Make it Work for Your Nonprofit](http://nonprofit.about.com/od/socialmedia/a/mobilegiving.htm) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20090212174156/http://nonprofit.about.com/od/socialmedia/a/mobilegiving.htm) 2009-02-12 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine).

## External links

- [Keep a Child Alive](https://www.keepachildalive.org/) - Official site

v t e Alicia Keys Discography Videography Awards and nominations Songs written Studio albums Songs in A Minor The Diary of Alicia Keys As I Am The Element of Freedom Girl on Fire Here Alicia Keys Santa Baby Live albums Unplugged VH1 Storytellers Box sets The Platinum Collection Remix albums Remixed Extended plays The Vault Playlist, Vol. 1 Tours Songs in A Minor Tour Verizon Ladies First Tour Diary Tour As I Am Tour Freedom Tour Piano & I Set the World on Fire Tour Alicia + Keys World Tour Keys to the Summer Tour Books Tears for Water More Myself Related articles Here in Times Square Swizz Beatz Keep a Child Alive Kerry Brothers Jr. Oven Studios Five Hell's Kitchen Category

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Keep a Child Alive](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keep_a_Child_Alive) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keep_a_Child_Alive?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.