The Reviewed and
Revised Compendium of Christian Projects
Addressing the Diseases
of Poverty: HIV/AIDS, Malaria, and TB
Project/ program name: Mobilizing for Life, World Relief
Country: Burkina Faso
Church or denomination: Non-denominational/
Inter-denominational
Project summary: Realizing that Radio is one
of the most powerful tools to reach rural Burkinabè populations, we began collaborating
with Christian radio stations from the start. There are 2 radio channels: Radio
Evangile Developpement (RED) which has stations in the towns of Ouagadougou,
Bobo-Dioulasso, Leo, and Ouahigouya, and Canal Viim Koega (CVK), which has one
station in Ouagadougou. Both channels hope to increase their number of
stations, but RED has already started to install 4 new transmitters in the
towns of Boussé, Yako, Koudougou, and Houndé.
Our work in AIDS programming began last year in
collaboration with RED. In 2001, RED and World Relief produced 40 weekly
emissions on AIDS, transmitted at the 4 existing stations in French and in 2
national languages. The formats used consisted of interviews, reporting, and
panel discussions. Each emission is about 30 minutes in length. Both a complete
report and copies of the cassettes of these emissions are available (in
French).
History/Background: World Relief has been
involved in supporting churches in mobilizing churches against AIDS for nearly
10 years. In 2000, we started to build upon our successes in East Africa by
opening a regional AIDS office in West Africa, based in Ouagadougou, Burkina
Faso. We are focusing on Burkina Faso this year but in the following year will
put more effort into neighboring countries such as Sierra Leone, Liberia, Mali,
and Nigeria. Since we began, a large
number of churches, non-government organizations (NGOs), and community
associations have been mobilized and networked. World Relief exists to strengthen their capacity and is assisting
them in seeking funding to enable them to reach their communities.
Goal: The goal is to reduce the
spread of HIV/AIDS and to support affected families through the mobilization of
Christian organizations and their local communities.
Objectives:
1)
The
Christian community and its various structures – churches, associations, and
NGOs – are active and collaborative in HIV/AIDS programs, supporting national
strategies.
2)
20
Faith Based Organization-partners are implementing effective community-based
HIV/AIDS programs with financial support, technical support, monitoring, and
evaluation.
3)
Stigma
of AIDS is reduced through behavior change communication via churches,
community groups, role models, theater troupes, and written material.
4)
A
cadre of trainers is actively training community leaders in HIV/AIDS
counseling, home-based care, and youth behavior change.
5)
Adapted
teaching and training tools are being exploited at the community level through
at least 20 partners.
Who does the
work? The project is carried out by a partnership
of churches, community-based organizations and HIV/AIDS associations.
Main
activities:
·
Coordination
and networking
·
Selection
and management of sub-grant process to build capacity in community-based AIDS
activities
·
Radio
spots
·
Trainer
of trainers workshops in pastoral counseling and home care to establish a
volunteer network
·
Adaptation
and production of Behavior Change Communications (BCC) materials such as the
home care manual, pastoral counseling manual and youth education manuals
Expected
outcomes:
Short term
outcomes:
A series of tools for AIDS
prevention, counseling, home care, training, and community mobilization is
available to the Church in Burkina Faso.
Medium term outcomes:
·
Increased
number of people hearing accurate messages about AIDS in churches
·
Increase
in the median age of first sexual activity
·
Greater
percentage of the population showing tolerance and compassion to AIDS patients
·
Increased
number of Christian associations providing AIDS care in their community
·
Improved
access to AIDS test, accompanied by church-based counseling
Long term
outcomes:
· Reduced incidence of AIDS among the targeted youth population
·
Improved
quality of life for persons living with AIDS in targeted communities
Results: The emissions have had a powerful impact both in the
city and in urban areas. The first result has been to decrease the stigma of
AIDS, in order that people realize that those affected by AIDS are deserving of
compassion as much as any other human being. The second result is improved
information about AIDS, removing misconceptions and providing convincing facts
about preventing AIDS, particularly from the Christian perspective. The third
is the improved mobilization of local churches as a result of these radio
emissions: with an increased understanding both by local populations and by
church leadership, more and more churches have committed to organizing their
communities and providing leadership in the fight against AIDS. World Relief
continues to help support the church in this commitment.
Testimony of a
Pastor whose attitudes were changed through World Relief’s program:
As a direct result of the Conference of Christian
Leaders organized by World Relief on the theme Role of the Church in the Fight against AIDS, my understanding of
AIDS has completely changed.
Previously, AIDS for me was a worldly matter, a payback for sin for which the church could do nothing, except perhaps to receive those who came to the church. Too bad for the others; they are paying their price.
Now, I’m convinced that the church should seek those affected by AIDS with a
message of acceptance and compassion, a message of hope. Knowing that AIDS is a
disease, not unlike other diseases, helps me feel closer to AIDS patients.
World Relief discussed these attitudes about AIDS and provided a document
called “Helpers for a Healing Community”, which I very much appreciated. Thanks
to the Biblical ideas presented, my relations with members of our church have
radically changed. I try now to listen more attentively, and I can feel that my
responses are more effective, better targeted and more appreciated.
Recently I initiated an AIDS program among our
congregation which was adopted by the church. This was inspired by World
Relief, and I constantly refer to their documents to deliver messages as well
as to adjust my own behavior.”
Note: Following the encouragement of World Relief to put
into place local AIDS committees in the churches, this pastor was a key factor
in creating the committee in his church denomination. He has been elected
president of that committee, which has planned practical activities such as
home visits to the sick and prevention among youth at summer camps. In our
recent meeting, Pastor requested World Relief’s assistance for a workshop
training regional Apostolic church leaders on the theme: The Church Faces AIDS: What Strategy? This workshop is planned for
31 Jan – 2 Feb 2002, with the participation of 30 pastors plus women and youth leaders.
The pastor himself took the initiative to organize this workshop which is
financially supported by the church itself.
Lessons
learned:
·
Churches,
communities, families are the front line of response to AIDS; they need to be
equipped and supported to maximize their impact.
·
Funds
alone are not an adequate solution, and can actually be harmful if they flatten
a community’s response rather than augment its capacity.
·
Coordination
and networking are essential components to enable the churches to share ideas
and resources
·
Rural
areas in Burkina Faso are heavily impacted by AIDS due to migration; churches
are well placed to lead the effort especially in these zones.
·
Training
of trainers allows a multiplier effect, and professional training should
accompany the distribution of written tools.
Despite the successes, we realize that we can do
better in the year to come. We are hoping to include more theatre-type
programming, use other more entertaining formats, and involve more people
living with AIDS. However, due to budgetary constraints we have not been able
to realize these goals, and in fact at present the frequency of emissions has
been reduced. We are currently researching additional financial support.
Financial and
other resources: This project is seeking funding in order to multiply its impact, as
described by the objectives above. Funding for activities to date has been
provided by World Relief.
Further readings or
documents: Hope at Home home-care manual available
in French, Choose Life series of 3
manuals for youth education: Child edition has been translated and printed,
Pre-adolescent manual pending translation, Adolescent manual translated by not
yet printed, and Biblical Counseling
Manual--currently being adapted for the local context. For more information
on World Relief, their web site is: http://www.wr.org.
Contact information:
John Scicchitano
Telephone: + (226) 36-1681
E-mail: Jscicchitano@wr.org