Symposium on

"Preventing and Coping with HlV/AlDS in Post‑Conflict

Societies: Gender‑Based Lessons from Sub‑Saharan Africa"

Prepared by

Gladness Xaba

An essay on Religious Aids Program (RAP)

 

The Religious Aids Program (RAP) came about as a result of National religious people coming together to find away of making religious groups to be involved in HIV/AIDS IDS. The first meeting took place in Durban where the province was asked to do something as a region. The members decided to follow the Department of Health's division of the province 9 regions. Pietermaritzburgh has been called region B. I am going to discuss what RAP Region B is doing. RAP region B is a non­governmental Organization was formed by a group of Anglicans who were asked by the Bishop, of Natal to put in place such an organization. RAP works hand in hand with the Department of health. The region includes Ixopo, Richmond, Howick, Greater Pietermaritzburgh and Impophomeni. After some time the project invited other denomination and formed networks with existing organizations such as Cindi, ATIC, Women’s organizations, Child welfare, Aids initiatives etc.

RAPs target was youth, women, families of infected people and farm workers.It got its funding from KZN Department of Health R40.000, which was supposed to last for 10 months. The Cathedral of the Holy Nativity donated R700, Richmond farmers R50. These donations were made in 1998. The RAP executive committee stretched these funds to last for 3 years. This fund has been exhausted; the remainingbalance is to cover auditing for 2000 financial year.

The goal of the project was to give Aids awareness life skills, care for the sick and prevention of infection. This was supposed to be on going. The same topics were to be covered for the farm workers but given to their level of understanding. The strategy for this was to train 3 groups of youth per year comprising of 35 per section and to have 3 visits per 14 farms. The teaching team consisted of retired nurses nurse tutors, retired teachers and voluntary youth that have passed matric.

To implement the project a business plan was drawn up and approved by the department of health. There was no gender consideration people were taken as they came. Few males were used specifically to show males how to use condom. The outcome of the project was as expected, 3 groups per yaw, visits to the farms awareness lectures at Grey's hospital Sobantu township and at churches both white sod black. Home-based care has been given to about 60 families per year in rural and peri urban areas. We have also formed partnerships with PLWA/s and community health workers (onompilo) who give lessons on first aid, minor ailment and delivery lectures according to the level of their training.

The unexpected outcomes were that some women from RAP started a craft group, which make beadwork, sewing, juice etc. an income generating project. This has grown up to include prayer groups, fellowship, stockfels, HIV awareness and counseling. In July 1999 a winter school was organized and held at Lay Ecumenical center for matriculates from all over South Africa. There were 145 matriculants, the organisers requested RAP to give       on life skills and HIV/AIDS this stimulated interest in the local Youth who have since: requested to given lectures. Some students from Little Flower School at Ixopo have during holidays asked for assistance in, their AIDS tests and assignments. In turn they have linked RAP with their teachers who have asked for assistance when preparing for competition in AIDS poem and stories.

 The impact of the project is that RAP has become a community-based organization. The skills it teaches remain with the community and this has resulted in increased awareness, involvement of the churches who invite speakers to celebrations of AIDS days nationally and internationally and services arid sermons which include HIV/AIDS. Parishes have established AIDS committees called empowerment committees to remove the AIDS stigma. Interdenominational groups have been formed and resulted in Christian counselors. The voluntary testing and counselling campaign is very active, encouraging prominent people to be exemplary.    

The main obstacles are finance and stigma these are being addressed as follows:

bulletThe empowerment of the groups has encouraged members to talk about everything including health needs, craft, more people are talking openly about issues, and some people show faces, that is, they come up to declare their status in public e.g. Siyaphila group (We survive with our families in spite of HIV/AIDS). This has encouraged some openness.
bulletThe financial obstacle has been dealt with by getting volunteers, well wishers who donate in kind improvising e.g. use plastic bags instead of gloves and newspapers to protect linen, use of church groups to carry services to the people like pastoral counseling in the natural environment that a, in peoples homes thus building cap" at home with RAP representatives being available when needed.

The contribution to successes were co‑operation of members, experienced and professional contacts, willingness to sacrifice, compassion for people and willingness by people to donate cash and kind. TEE Theological college has Played a role in offering a course in church's response to AIDS. Five RAP members have completed the course, which they find interesting, and eye opening

The formal Monitoring of the project is done by submitting quarterly reports to the Department Of Health, bi‑monthly meetings reports, statistics and financial statements. The relationship between health program and peace building efforts was effected through networking with other groups and group co‑ operation, groups that did not talk to each other before re now talk, meet and work together in RAP, craft and in churches.

The key lesson learned is strength in numbers, cooperation between organizations and respect for other people and their ideas, involvement, sacrifice, love of human kind Men you talk nicely to people they understand and are willing to cooperate also being economical e.g. we were given funds to last 10 months but we stretched them to 3 years. Improvising is important and if the organisation is organised and orderly people are willing to join and assist.

The key recommendation to African Governments and policy makers are financial assistance to organisations that present quality reports should be given on regular basis according to ‑ reports, make available resources like buildings that are no longer used for conducting essential projects, co ‑ordinate projects to avoid duplication and to have inter-sectoral meetings for standerisation, quality and control.

To the international community, it would be helpful to work together with small organisations in developing countries which are doing good work, to share knowledge and skills of their countries and when possible invite them to go and see their initiatives mid also assist financially.

The role of professional experience is important in later life when people have retired because their skills can benefit needy people and are appreciated by organizations knowledge is power.

The violence has resulted in bad and good, bad, conflict and hatred, good, in that an emotional trauma center has been established at Portshepstone where people talk about their experience and the counsellor guides and advise them. The people who were previously in conflict meet there and talk and the so-called no go areas have been reduced. Thanks to the different organizations for networking and co-operation.

Gladness Xaba