NEW YORK – Sir Richard’s condom company kicks off National Condom Week with the announcement of its 500,000-condom donation to Haiti.
“We are humbled and inspired by the incredible work of Partners In Health,” said Mathew Gerson, co-founder of Sir Richard’s. “With a mission of providing the world’s best medical care to those most in need, it is our great honor to support their work.”
The donation will be made available for free at Partners In Health’s (PIH) clinics including the Mirebalais National Teaching Hospital, built by PIH in collaboration with Haiti’s Ministry of Health.
Scheduled to arrive in late spring, the condom donation marks Sir Richard’s first donation to the developing country. According to the company, Sir Richard’s will donate a condom for every one purchased.
In addition to helping bridge the need gap for condoms, Sir Richard’s said it aims to deliver a product and brand that is culturally relevant to Haitians, thus promoting usage. Sir Richard’s worked with Marc Baptiste, the company’s creative director, a Port-au-Prince native, and acclaimed artists, to create the brand KORE, which is a slang term that translates as “I have your back.” The packaging also incorporates Haitian Kréyòl messaging and visual instructions.
“Haiti is the closest thing to my heart,” Baptist said. “I want to help the country progress in any and every way possible. And working with Sir Richard’s, we are able to help bring people together -- through trust, love, and protection.”
“At the heart of Sir Richard’s is our belief that the power of business can not only deliver a quality product, but can also help serve the global community,” said Jim Moscou, CEO of Sir Richard’s. “Delivering KORE is the first step in seeing that vision come to fruition.”
The KORE condoms will be distributed through Partners in Health (PIH) and its Haitian sister organization, Zanmi Lasante, which has been delivering healthcare in rural Haiti for more than 25 years.
“Within the last year, Partners In Health has treated more than 6,300 HIV-positive patients in Haiti,” said Christopher Hamon, Haiti procurement coordinator for Partners In Health. “Reinforcing the importance of condom use and ensuring that condoms are available and accessible is key in our battle against the spread of HIV/AIDS. PIH is deeply grateful for Sir Richard’s partnership in this mission.”
