Charity biography

Annie Lennox has come a long way since fronting the Grammy Award-winning Eurythmics in the 1980s. Since then she has become a successful solo artist, sold more than 80 million records, and become renowned for her charity work with organizations such as Amnesty International, Greenpeace, and Nelson Mandela’s 46664 Foundation.

The singer, who received the British Red Cross' Services to Humanity Award in 2008, dedicates much of her time to raising awareness of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Africa.

Earlier this year the 53-year-old Lennox released a special fundraising single called Sing, which featured a 23-member choir of female celebrities, including Madonna, Faith Hill, Pink, and many more. Proceeds from the single went to the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), an organization that that provides much needed support in the continent’s struggle against the deadly virus.

Lennox believes everybody can do something to help those affected by AIDS in Africa. She is especially supportive of what she calls “Laptop Activism”, and runs many of her charity initiatives through the internet.

The singer also recently took part in Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday concert in London, where she urged people to join in the struggle to help the 15 million children orphaned by the disease in Africa.

“One third of pregnant women in South Africa are HIV positive,” Lennox told CNN. “We can prevent their children being born with the virus if we let the women have access to treatment. If you do not allow that to happen, you’re going to have future generations simply being wiped out.”