While volunteering in a Zambian refugee camp last summer, Katie Bollbach, Jonny Dorsey and Lauren Young, all ’07, witnessed the region’s urgent need for HIV/AIDS treatment and support. Instead of blithely resuming their stateside lives, the trio stopped out and founded FACE AIDS, a nationwide campaign to raise $1 million on 200 college campuses.
FACE AIDS works with Zambian co-ops to manufacture beaded pins, which it then offers in the United States for a $5 donation. Each donation will be matched by challenge grants that Dorsey and Young have secured, including contributions from California State Controller Steve Westly,’78, MBA ’83. Bollbach remains in Zambia to manage supply networks and collaborate with the artisans. 12,000 pins have been produced; the group hopes to distribute 50,000.
At press time, Dorsey and Young had raised $62,000 and, with a team of 25 Stanford students, persuaded 13 other schools to join the effort. The three hope to reach their million-dollar goal by January 2007. They plan to resume their studies this fall.
Read a November 2010 update on this story.
