From mothers to mothers

A charity tie-up between Victoria Beckham and e-tailer The Outnet sheds light on the work of Mothers2Mothers, a charity that works to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV/AIDS.

Style icon Victoria Beckham is paying it forward with her fashion-forward wardrobe. The fashion designer, former pop star and red carpet darling has teamed up with The Outnet.com to sell more than 600 clothing items in aid of the charity Mothers2Mothers from August 20 to 25.

"We were very fortunate to have Victoria pay us a visit in Cape Town in February as part of her trip with the Born Free campaign," says Robin Smalley, co-founder and director of the non-profit organisation.

"Victoria understood immediately the urgency of ending paediatric AIDS and the first thing she said was, 'How can I help?' She initiated the idea of the charity sale and has guided its progress every step of the way."

Born Free is a private sector-led initiative to end mother-to-child HIV transmission.

In February this year, following an invitation from American Vogue editor Anna Wintour to visit South Africa, Mrs Beckham was so moved by the experience that she began to plan an initiative to raise money and awareness.

With help from her mother and sister, she selected iconic pieces from her wardrobe - pieces from her early days with the Spice Girls, that she wore out with David Beckham, and from catwalk appearances, parties, awards shows and other events that have been heavily documented and photographed by the world's press.

"Victoria and her team approached The Outnet.com due to our global presence, extensive database and existing relationships with designers," says Stephanie Phair, president of The Outnet.com.

"We were extremely excited by the opportunity to support such an amazing initiative and really help make a difference."

During her trip, the celebrity mother of four interacted with several of the group's Mentor Mothers - HIV-positive mothers who are employed to support and mentor other HIV-positive pregnant women and mothers so they can stop the transmission of the HIV virus to their babies, says Ms Smalley.

An Emmy Award-winning producer and director, Ms Smalley now works alongside founder of the non-profit and husband of British musician Annie Lennox, Dr Mitch Besser. This is the first time the group has worked with a celebrity.

"The fact is that while Victoria is certainly a famous celebrity, she is first and foremost a mother and if there is one thing M2M stands for, it is the importance of mothers helping one another," says Ms Smalley.

"We believe mothers are a formidable force to fight injustice, especially for our children. Regardless of nationality or income level, all mothers share one thing - the over-reaching commitment to doing whatever it takes to have a healthy baby.

That is why Victoria got involved and it is also why we hope women around the globe will support this auction."

In a speech he delivered during TED Talk, Dr Besser revealed that 98 per cent of babies are born HIV-negative in resource-rich nations, yet 40 per cent of children are infected in resource-poor countries - where tests and treatments are not available to the average mother.

Working alongside doctors and nurses in understaffed health centres as members of the healthcare team, these Mentor Mothers provide essential health education and psychosocial support.

They are trained and paid, which benefits not only their families but also the community as a whole and reduces the stigma associated with HIV.

Since its founding in 2001, M2M has reached more than 1.2 million HIV-positive mothers in nine countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

Besides drawing attention to an important cause, the sale is also an opportunity for fashion lovers to own designer threads worn by Mrs Beckham, which have been valued by auction house Christie's, in the first charity initiative by the designer fashion outlet retailer.

"We have some truly iconic pieces in the sale that are instantly recognisable.

I love the Roberto Cavalli fluorescent yellow gown that Victoria wore to the 2006 pre-World Cup party at the Beckhams' country home and the Anna Sui glitter tulle dress worn by Victoria to a Valentino dinner in Paris," says Ms Phair.

"I'm excited that there really is something for everyone in the sale, from hats, shoes, jewellery and handbags to daywear and eveningwear."

The funds raised will help the group reach even more HIV-positive mothers to stay healthy and protect their babies from HIV infection.

"When I gave birth to my daughter in 1989, I had an emergency Caesarean section and had to receive a number of blood transfusions and my concern at that time is that I could have been exposed to blood contaminated with HIV," recalls Ms Smalley.

"I can't even begin to imagine how a young woman would feel facing an HIV diagnosis alone with no support from the medical community. Victoria responded strongly to the injustice that there are still about 600 babies being born with HIV every day in sub-Saharan Africa and that each and every case is preventable."

This article was first published on Aug 16, 2014.
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