 
February 13, 2009
French First Lady to Visit Burkina Faso, Africa, for Global Fund
On her first trip as goodwill ambassador for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, France’s first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy will visit mothers and children living with HIV/AIDS in the West African country Burkina Faso, Agence France-Presse reports. The visit is scheduled for February 18.
According to the article, Bruni-Sarkozy, wife of President Nicholas Sarkozy, was compelled to get involved in the fight against AIDS after an eye-opening visit to South Africa, which has the highest rate of HIV infection in the world. In addition, her brother died of AIDS in 2006. In November, the supermodel-turned-singer agreed to become a Global Fund goodwill ambassador, hoping to use her celebrity to draw attention to those living with HIV in the developing world, particularly women and children.
During her one-day visit, Bruni-Sarkozy will also meet with charity workers and health officials and visit one of the country’s HIV testing centers.
A 2008 U.N. report said that due to increased condom use, Burkina Faso was able to reduce its rate of HIV infection from 7.4 percent in 1997 to 2 percent in 2005.
Search: Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, Global Fund, President Nicholas Sarkozy, South Africa, Burkina Faso
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