Alicia Keys’ Visit To South Africa's 'Keep A Child Alive' AIDS Charity: ‘When I Came Back, I Was Never The Same’

Alicia Keys who is the co-founder of the charitable organisation, "Keep a Child Alive" is on a mission that involves helping people infected with AIDS.

The organisation was founded in 2003 in an effort to provide healthcare for individuals infected with HIV or AIDS that cannot afford medication. The "Girls On Fire" star credits the KCA co-creator Leigh Blake for having made her aware of the serious problem existing in the society that affects millions of people, according to Xpose.

Alicia Keys Raise Fund For People With HIV/AIDS

"The Black Ball, Key's organization's annual fundraiser in New York City, raised a whopping $2.4 million last year, and she's set to take it a step further at this year's event on Nov. 5," reported People.

Keys recollected that she was first introduced to AIDS when she was just eight or nine years when her mother's friend died of the disease. She noted that she could only understand that the person won't be back anymore and her mother couldn't explain Keys what the situation really meant.

Alicia Keys In South Africa About A Decade Back

The 36-year-old star that she was invited by MTV to South Africa to organise an event called "Staying Alive," highlighting AIDS. Blake and Keys were not the same after their visit.

They met pregnant woman as well as women that had just given birth to their children that had no idea that breastfeeding their babies would contract HIV from their infected mothers. The poor mothers were badly in need of medicine for keeping their children alive.   

"That was the first time as a 20 year old that I was aware of the injustice. I thought, 'How can something be available, but you can't have it because you're poor?' I just felt like that was a death sentence. That's what outraged me and motivated me. When I came back, I was never the same," Keys told People.