About us

ABOUT US

The Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) is one of the foremost independent AIDS charities in the world.  Our mission is to provide focused and sustainable funding to frontline programmes that help to alleviate the physical, emotional and financial hardship of those living with, affected by or at risk of HIV/AIDS, and to continue the fight against this worldwide pandemic.

Following the loss of many close friends to AIDS in the early 90s, including Freddie Mercury and American teenager Ryan White, and seeing the lack of understanding and stigma attached to the disease at that time, Sir Elton John established EJAF in the US in 1992, and subsequently EJAF in the UK the following year (1993).  While functioning as separate organisations, both EJAF UK and EJAF US pursue the common goals of empowering people infected, affected and at risk of HIV/AIDS; alleviating their physical, emotional and financial hardship; and improving their quality of life, enabling them to live with dignity and exercise self-determination.  Presently, EJAF UK focuses its grant-making on programmes in Africa, Asia and Europe, with EJAF US funding in the Americas and Caribbean.

Since its establishment in 1993, EJAF UK has grown from funding solely domestic programmes, to providing grants in 15 countries across 4 continents.  To date we have raised over £91 million*, which has been used to support more than 1,200 projects.  Our funding has also helped to leverage another USD$355m for our programme partners, enabling them to reach millions of people infected, affected or at risk of HIV/AIDS.  Some of the Foundation’s beneficiaries include:

• 150 million people around the globe - including 5 million children

- provided with information about HIV/AIDS.

• 100,000 people living with or affected by HIV in India

- supplied with livelihood and nutritional interventions.

• 80,000 people in Sub-Saharan Africa, of which 30,000 are children

- supported to access antiretroviral treatment.

• 300,000 HIV postive women in Sub-Saharan Africa

-  supported to access effective prevention of mother-to-child transmission services.

• 200,000 people living with HIV/AIDS in Russia and Ukraine

- supported through positive people’s groups & networks including the first national networks of positive people.

EJAF is proud of its record championing innovative programmes, these have included:

• supporting football-based programmes to educate vulnerable young people on HIV/AIDS, dispel myths and to get them tested in a positive and fun environment;

• being one of the first grant makers in the world to acknowledge the needs of men who have sex with men (MSM) in countries where homosexuality is still illegal;

• supporting needle exchange and methadone substitution programmes for injecting drug users living with or at risk of HIV/AIDS;

• introducing a cost effective transport system to reach sick patients in rural Africa.

To support its charitable activities, EJAF raises funds in a variety of ways.  These include arts-related exhibitions, clothing sales, sponsor partnerships, licensed merchandise and events - our headline fundraising event being the annual White Tie and Tiara Ball, held in the grounds of Sir Elton and his partner, David Furnish’s Windsor estate.  We ensure the maximum amount received from donations is directed expressly to grant-making activities; most of our events are 100% sponsored and run at no cost to the Foundation and our head-office in London has overheads running below 4%.

OUR MISSION

The Elton John AIDS Foundation exists to empower people infected, affected and at risk of HIV/AIDS; to alleviate their physical, emotional and financial hardship, enabling them to improve their quality of life, live with dignity and exercise self-determination. 

The Foundation believes and values that:

• Everyone is entitled to dignity and respect.
• Everyone has the right to access the best medicine.
• Everyone has the right to information, opportunities and choices as part of the empowerment process.
• Those most directly affected by the epidemic are central to finding effective solutions.
• Care and concern for each and every person, respect for their human and legal rights – particularly of the most vulnerable and marginalized - is central to any caring community.

The Foundation aims to:

• Be transparent and accountable.
• Be effective and responsive as a grant making charity.
• Achieve a positive impact with its funding.
• Work in partnership with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Learn from its work and share knowledge gained.

*as at last audited accounts of December 2010