Soul singer Beverley Knight fronted Christian Aid's Christmas 2011 appeal to raise awareness of our HIV projects.
The MOBO-award winner saw the power of music when she visited the In Tune for Life (ITFL) project in Lilongwe, Malawi with Christian Aid.
Using music to educate about HIV
In Tune for Life helps musicians in impoverished communities to produce music and video that promote HIV prevention and challenge stigma attached to the virus.
Christian Aid has funded ITFL in Malawi, Sierra Leone, Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
With an illiteracy rate of one in three adults in Malawi, the power of music and video to educate is of vital importance.
Beverley said: 'The scale of the HIV pandemic here is huge. 11% of the country's 15m adults are living with HIV.
'Christian Aid and their partners are trying to slow it down. In Tune for Life shows how the language of music is universal. There is a real power in what they are doing here.'
Video playlist: Beverley Knight in Malawi
To navigate between clips in the playlist, click the grey box at the bottom of the frame.
Life-changing projects
'I would urge people in Britain to give what they can to Malawi. The work being done really is remarkable'
Beverley also saw Theatre for a Change, which also uses music and drama to educate students and former sex workers on HIV, and another partner MANERELA+, a coalition of religious leaders committed to fighting the stigma that surrounds the HIV virus.
She also played at the Lake of Stars Festival, the biggest ever cultural event in Malawi's history.
This is the second trip with Christian Aid for Beverley, who saw HIV projects funded in Brazil in 2002.
She also performed at our Big Christmas Sing launch event in 2009.
Beverley added: 'I know there is currently a recession but having seen the value of the projects here, I would urge people in Britain to give what they can to Malawi, the warm heart of Africa.
'The work being done here really is remarkable, and we can learn from it.'
Bring joy this Christmas
Donate nowPlease donate whatever you can and give hope to people living in poverty around the world this Christmas.
