1 December 2005
Tony Blair has helped raise awareness of HIV and Aids by playing a special football game with Essex teenagers.
Along with Manchester City goalkeeper David James, the PM travelled to the Barking Abbey Comprehensive School.
Mr James visited Malawi in May on an FA-sponsored visit.
His experiences there prompted him to create the David James Foundation, devoted to helping farmers in the southern African state draw on the expertise of farmers in the UK.
Barking Abbey is now twinned with a school in Malawi. December 1 is the international day of action for tackling HIV/Aids.
Year eight students designed a special game for the PM which involved dribbling a ball past some cones, collecting a piece of paper which spelt out a HIV prevention message.
The PM also met with Ruth Banda from Malawi, who has been working with DfID on communicating the HIV prevention message to youngsters.
Mr Blair said:
"It is important that we continue to make a big commitment from the wealthy countries to funding access to HIV/Aids treatment."
More could be done not just to fight Aids but also diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis, if finance was put behind those efforts, he said.
He added:
"The Global Health Fund back in September agreed almost four billion dollars worth of funding, so we are moving this along, but it is important continually to keep people aware of what this HIV/Aids threat is doing to countries like Malawi, and other African countries."
Reflecting on his experiences in Africa, Mr James said.
"I came back from the trip in May wiser, and sadder in some respects, but also determined to have some sort of input.
"There are problems on an immense scale with HIV, poverty and hunger and so it is easy to feel helpless. Whatever you do, you have to make it sustainable for the people who live there."
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