get involved: support HERO condoms to help get ZERO new HIV infections in botswana by 2016

HIV rates and the rate of STIs have increased in Australia over the past few years – and we are currently sitting at a 20-year high due to increasing unprotected sex between casual male partners. The need for preventative measures, such as condoms and regular testing, has become more and more apparent here in Oz, but did you know that in Botswana, the rate of HIV infection is the second highest in the world – 23%! These stats are based on sexually active adults aged 15-49 years old.

Ethical condom company HERO Condoms is devoted to creating a sustainable way for preventing an increase in the number of new HIV infections, both in Botswana and in Australia. The company donates a condom to Botswana for every condom sold in Australia, which are stocked in over 900 pharmacies across the country.

W hen HERO’s founder, Dustin Leonard, and HERO’s medical scientist, Kabo Matlho, spent time in Botswana recently, they soon learnt that getting the Batswana to actually use condoms would be no easy task – condoms made in the Southern African country smell bad and break easily!

HERO’s answer? A custom condom made especially for the people of Botswana, which HERO (and the Botswana government) hopes will help increase condom usage and reduce new HIV infections to ZERO by 2016 – but they need to get them designed and made ASAP! HERO’s game plan is to carefully research what the people of Botswana need and use this to make a great condom.

But how can this happen? Only with your help, of course! HERO has set up a crowdfunding campaign – check it out here – where you can donate a little (or a lot!) in support of HERO and the HERO to ZERO initiative.

And if helping out HERO and the people of Botswana isn’t enough of an incentive to donate, check out the great prizes available! You can donate just $20 and go in the running to win an exclusive trip to Botswana with HERO, Bert from The Used, and Pro Football Player Adam Griffiths! Or you can donate $150 and go into the running to win a date with HERO safe-sex advocate Madison Missina!

Click here to donate and support HERO in getting custom condoms to Botswana!