Your Excellency, Ladies and gentlemen,

It is a great pleasure for me to be here with you to celebrate our charity's third Annual Golf Day.

Since we last met we have continued our activities in various countries (Kosovo , Kazakhstan and Congo) but I would like to focus the attention on Zimbabwe, which is at present the most important project we are running. Just a few weeks ago myself and a group of colleagues visited the country in order to get us closer to the people we are helping.

Last year, when I spoke to you of this project, we were treating 224 patients affected by AIDS. On May 19th, 2004, the number stood at 571, 120 of whom are children. This result has been made possible by the availability of a new type of drug, so-called “generic”, produced in India and offering all the same guarantees as the branded ones, but at approximately one third of the cost of the branded version. The hospital gradually transferred the patients over to the new treatment, beginning with adults and we hope to transfer the children shortly.

In this way, keeping the same financial commitment of about € 350k, we will be able to provide care to 600 patients, keeping them alive and in good health. Of course, we must also continue to contribute to improvements in the overall structures of the Guidotti Hospital in Mutoko, staff training, laboratory equipment etc.

Now I would like to lead you briefly through some images, just taken during our trip, to show you a hint of the Zimbabwean reality.

The first image is of grandma Febbie and baby Batsirai, 7 months old and orphan of both parents. Of course, he is HIV positive. There are over one million orphan children in the country, either completely abandoned or living with their grandparents.

The next is little Innocent, with Dr. Spagnolli, the Italian doctor who set up with us the program of ARV treatment, back in 2002. He is orphan and lives in a house in the Hospital compound, where 14 children are cared for.

And this is Wadzanai's gaze, recovering from an AIDS opportunistic disease. She will be fine again, and back home soon.

The next image shows the arrival of ARV drugs to the Hospital, Anna, the pharmacist and the Nurses' School where 44 pupils attend a three year course. In a country where doctors are in very short supply, capable nurses are essential for healthcare.

And finally: medical help for the exhausted team of the hospital: the Virologist Prof. L. Nigro and two doctors, Emiliana and Valentina from the Catania University , all arrived in May 2004. They will stay until August and hopefully be replaced in shifts . One of their tasks will be training of local staff.

In general terms, the feeling we got from the trip was that, in very difficult and insecure country, the “Guidotti Hospital”, thanks to its structure and staff and to the drugs provided by our Charity, has achieved result of some consequence, results that we have to consolidate and improve upon.

I would also like to inform you about another project on which a lot of work has been done since February 2004. We were informed about the possibility of applying to a European Union Program for “Policies and Actions on Reproductive and Sexual Health in Developing Countries”. Our idea is to obtain E.U. approval and financing in order to treat some 800 mothers, over a period of three years, on a PMTCT PLUS program. This means breaking the cycle of the disease at birth, so that the child is not positive, and taking care of the mother with ARV treatment. We applied in February, and are now waiting for the first response from the E.U. The process is lengthy and complicated, and we are just hopeful.

Of course, the E.U. would not help us in “our” existing project, which will continue to require appropriate and ongoing funding in order to ensure the patients' lives.

I conclude by saying that, thanks to you and to all our supporters in Ireland , Italy and in the U.S., we have done something in a country in very poor shape. In 2004 a few other initiatives like ours have started, and the staff of the “Guidotti” Hospital are providing advice to their colleagues.

I hope that our Charity will continue to enjoy your support, and express to you all my sincere thanks for being here tonight.

Sebastiano

June 10 th , 2004