The ECWA AIDS Ministry
(TEAM)
Country: Nigeria
Church/denomination: The
Evangelical Church of West Africa (ECWA)
Project Summary: The Evangelical
Church of West Africa AIDS Ministry (TEAM) works with a target population
of 5 million members through the Evangelical Church of West Africa in a holistic
program of building HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention by encouraging abstinence
before marriage and marital faithfulness. TEAM works through hospitals and
other health facilities of ECWA to do pre-test and post-test counseling and
home based care with HIV+ people. It aims to facilitate the training of pastors
and church leaders and setting up of HIV/AIDS committees in the 53 District
Church Councils to coordinate their own HIV/AIDS awareness and take care
of those in their church communities who are infected or affected by HIV/AIDS.
This includes the growing number of AIDS orphans.
Background/History: TEAM
began in 1997 in response to the growing HIV prevalence in Nigeria and the
potential threat to the country’s large population. It began as an awareness
and prevention mobile team, who conducted 300 seminars in a 36-month period
reaching 50,000 church leaders and other members of ECWA’s congregations.
The need for counseling and care of People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) was
discerned and the counseling program began at the beginning of 2000. Currently,
the priorities for orphan care are being investigated.
Goals:
TEAM aims to promote the prevention of HIV/AIDS
by encouraging members to live according to the Word of God, to impart hope
to PLWHA, and to demonstrate the love of Christ by caring for those infected
and affected by HIV/AIDS (including orphans).
Objectives:
1. Expose as many of the
5 million ECWA members to the facts about HIV/AIDS and the best means of
prevention though abstinence and marital faithfulness
2. Equip church leaders to
provide their own AIDS Awareness and HIV counseling
3. Facilitate the formation
of HIV/AIDS committees at each district level to coordinate care for PLWHA
and provide orphan care
4. Provide quality HIV screening,
counseling and care through ECWA’s health facilities, including 4 general
hospitals and 20 comprehensive community health clinics
5. Screen all ante-natal patients
at 3 of the ECWA hospitals so that Nevirapine can be given at time of delivery
Who does the work? TEAM has 8
paid staff members, 2 expatriates and an increasing number of volunteers.
Main Activities (2002-2003):
1. HIV/AIDS Awareness
through Information, Education and Communications (IEC) seminars addressing
general congregations and conference attendees
2. HIV/AIDS Awareness seminars for Youth in secondary and primary schools
3. 20 Training of trainers workshops for church leaders and volunteers
4. Daily counseling in 4 hospital, including pre-test and post-test counseling
5. Ante-natal group counseling, subsidized HIV screening with Nevirapine
given at time of delivery
6. Voluntary Counseling and Testing with be provided at two of the hospitals
and 20 community health clinics
7. Follow-up home-based visitation and care for PLWHA referred from counseling
8. Orphan care pilot program
Expected outcomes:
1. 100,000 more people
in the Evangelical Church of West Africa congregations will have their awareness
increased concerning HIV/AIDS.
2. 3,000 church leaders will be equipped to train others on HIV/AIDS.
3. 20 HIV/AIDS Committees at district level will be established.
4. Health workers will be equipped to provide HIV counseling and care
in ECWA health facilities.
5. 1,000 HIV infected people will have received counseling.
6. 3,000 pregnant women will be screened each year during the three-year
program and approximately 10% or more – 300 will have been given Nevirapine
to cut down risk of transmission of HIV to their babies.
7. An undetermined number of people will have come to the counseling facilities
of ECWA counseling, and at least half of those counseled will be visited
in their homes.
8. Families in the churches who are caring for orphans will be supported
in their efforts.
Results:
The results of the TEAM program so far include:
1. 250,000 people and leaders
within the Evangelical Church of West Africa have participated in HIV/AIDS
Awareness and prevention seminars (includes conferences).
2. Distribution of HIV/AIDS awareness literature – handbooks, brochures,
posters, car stickers etc.
3. 1,000 HIV+ people have received HIV counseling through the 2 general
hospitals of ECWA from Feb.2001-Feb.2002.
4. 1,000 pregnant women have been screened for HIV. 120 of these women
have been offered Nevirapine- 50 have received it.
5. The Zonal Coordinators of ECWA Community Health Program have been trained
in HIV counseling in order to train their health personnel.
6. 4 pilot training of trainers courses have equipped 500 pastors. A
Hausa-speaking pastors’ course training reached 6,000 pastors.
Lessons learned:
Using large conference gatherings of the churches in homogeneous groups –
women, men, youth has helped ECWA to build HIV/AIDS awareness and spread
relevant messages. Training of church leaders needs to be intentional.
Funding and other resources:
TEAM is largely funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
through the Evangelical Church of West Africa’s mission partner Serving in
Missions (SIM) Canada. They operate on a 3:1 matching ratio.
Further readings or documents:
N/A
Contact information:
Rev. Isa Bello, TEAM Coordinator
The ECWA AIDS Ministry
1 Noad Road
Box 63
Jos, Plateau State
NIGERIA
Telephone: +234-73-454269; +
234-73-456679
Fax: +234-73-456-891
E-mail:
TEAM@hisen.org
To mail from overseas:
TEAM, c/- Mrs Margie Upson, Project
Manager
C/- Nigerian Courier
SIM USA
Box 7900
Charlotte, NC 262412
USA