By CLAIRE KEETON – Jun 20, 2010

New HIV infections in South Africa dropped by 35% between 2002 and 2008, a new study reveals. The most striking reduction was a 60% decline among 15 to 24-year-olds. These results – obtained from analysing three national HIV household surveys conducted in South Africa in 2002, 2005 and 2008 – confirm the initial findings of the 2008 survey, SA National HIV Prevalence, Incidence, Behaviour and Communications Survey: A Turning Tide Among Teenagers?

They provide the first scientific proof that HIV prevention campaigns in South Africa, promoting condom use and HIV testing, are making a dent in the high rate of new infections. “Behaviour change has definitely helped to reduce incidence among young women,” said Professor Thomas Rehle, the lead author of the paper published this week in PLoS One.

HIV incidence may be declining, but South Africa already has a high prevalence of HIV, with about one in seven adults (15%) infected by the virus. Dr Nono Simelela, CEO of the SA National Aids Council, said the latest findings were important. “They suggest we are making progress with behaviour change and treatment. But ours is a mature epidemic and the pool of HIV-positive people is already high.” Simelela suggested the goal of halving new infections – a target in the national HIV-Aids Strategic Plan 2007-2011 – was ambitious.

Dr Sue Goldstein from Soul City said the 2008 survey had hinted at a decrease in incidence and the latest analysis was good news. “I think the decrease, especially in the younger group, means that all the education and communication is coming to fruition – including the Soul Buddyz, Soul Buddyz Club and loveLife, which are making an impact, as well as Soul City. “We do know that there has been a huge increase in the use of condoms among the youth particularly and this, with other safer sexual practices, is starting to show an effect. “We cannot let up, and it is important that older people take their role modelling seriously and focus on all safer sexual behaviours, not just condom use, that is, decrease transactional and inter-generational sex, sex after drinking, multiple concurrent sexual partners and early sexual debut.”

For the first time in the 2008 survey researchers measured how many participants who tested positive for HIV were on anti-retroviral treatment (ART) – and this improved the accuracy of the latest calculations. They found nearly a fifth (17.5%) of the survey participants with HIV had tested positive for anti-retroviral drugs. In January 2005 only 33 000 people were on treatment, but by July 2009 this number had soared to 872 000.

Rehle said: “440 000 HIV-infected South African individuals were alive in 2008 because they were on anti-retroviral treatment and would have been dead otherwise.” People adhering to anti-retroviral treatment are less infectious but the numbers are not yet high enough in South Africa to make an impact on new infections. “Since access to treatment has only increased significantly in recent years, it is expected that such an effect would take longer to develop and require higher levels of ART coverage for an extended period of time,” the authors wrote.

See full details of the study:

Decline in HIV infections in South Africa – A Study

16 May 2010

The annual Candlelight Memorial continues as the longest running public event for HIV and AIDS awareness since inception in 1983 and is still the largest grassroots movement against HIV, spreading hope, and uniting countries and communities to honour and remember loved ones and compatriots who have died of AIDS, and to demonstrate support for those living with HIV and AIDS.

The Theme for this world wide event is “Many Lights for Human Rights” which is meant to promote both global solidarity and the need for collective action around HIV and human rights. The theme captures the collective movement of the Candlelight to move to action in the drive for access to treatment, care, and prevention, in addition to the elimination of stigma and discrimination. It also aligns with the UNAIDS 2009 World AIDS Day theme of “Universal Access & Human Rights”.

The Candlelight is also much more than just a memorial. It provides opportunities for leadership development, policy advocacy, partnerships, and improvement of community mobilization skills. With 33.4 million people living with HIV worldwide today, the Candlelight continues to serve as an important intervention for global solidarity, breaking down barriers, and giving hope to new generations.

Prayer

God of all the nations, so many of your children are crying out to you
worn down by injustice and suffering.
Help us to fulfil our goal of helping to make real the vision
that Christ spoke of as ‘the kingdom of God’
where justice reigns.
Help us to foster compassion one for another,
tolerating damage to no one and oppression by no system.

As we lit a candle remembering those living with HIV
and those who have passed on at this time
may we use all our energy and imagination
and trusting in your steadfast love
be united in conquering disease and fear.

In the last quarter, Vana Vetu has provided training to community volunteers, , after-school support services and School is Cool campaign, life skills, HIV & Aids prevention education, drama, dancing and music, survivor camps and accessing of legal services. In addition, child-care workers assist with psychosocial support, accessing of child support grants and registration for birth certificates and applications for ID.  

Major Programmatic highlights

In October Vana Vetu had successful collaboration with the University of Stellenbosch. The Unit for Religion and Development developed a course called Empowering women leaders of the Vana Vetu Orphans and Vulnerable Children programme of the Anglican Church.  This was an accredited training course NQF Level 5/12 credits. In the months which followed we have observed greater confidence in the women who attended this workshop and they are far more knowledgeable about community development, strategic planning, implementing and evaluation. They also learned about home based care, medication and caring for orphans and vulnerable children (OVC). This information has been shared in the CBO and OVC workshops held in most of the parishes.

Other highlights include the participation of university students in the program. Two third year students from the Social Science Department at Stellenbosch are doing their internships at the Diocese of False bay and nine students from Rhodes University are doing community service with the Diocese of Grahamstown in the St Augustine parish. Students are from the Departments of Agriculture and Social Science.                

“School is Cool”

Stationary packs and school uniforms were also handed to deserving children. Between October 2009 and February 2010, 4083 services have been provided including after-school support, uniforms and stationery.

 CBO & OVC training

Training of child care workers and volunteers on OVC and Community based organisations are going well.  Saldanha have trained 26 people, False bay 99, St. Mark’s 66, Port Elizabeth 108, Umzimvubu 52 and Natal 13.  Most dioceses will be finishing training by the end of March.  

 Networking

AAHT has been in discussion with the Department of Health in the following provinces: Limpopo, North West and Western Cape, and Gauteng. Linkages with the following PEPFAR partners have resulted in benefits for Vana Vetu including services and information: Ingwavuma, Hospice, Noah, Child Welfare, Senzakwenzeke and Wo’zobona. Networking with other organisations similar to our OVC programme as well as clinics and schools has been a good method of strengthening community support, growing the program and assisting with the identification of new OVCs.

Netherlands, 22-23 March 2010

Dear friends, I bring greetings to you all from the Anglican Church of Southern Africa.  I also want to express my thanks to the organisers of this Summit, for arranging such a valuable programme – and therefore I’d particularly like to mention Revd Jape Heath from the Steering Group who was instrumental in arranging my invitation. 

I have recently returned from a pastoral visit to Haiti, where I found myself deeply stirred, in heart and mind and soul and body, as I saw the pervasive devastation and heard the deeply painful accounts of those who had lived through it and were now facing its aftermath.

As if that were not enough, the personal stories and testimonies that we have heard here today have been similarly soul-stirring.  I am deeply grateful to those who have had the courage to share in this way.  It makes me feel I am standing on holy ground – and respond with great care and sensitivity, responding not only to what was said, but also the breadth of sacred traditions that we represent here.

In this context, I will first paint a picture from the perspective of the Anglican Church in Southern Africa, using broad strokes.  Then I will end with a more detailed story from the windswept township of Khayelitsha on the outskirts of Cape Town.

When responding to HIV and AIDS, the question of stigma has been at the forefront of our minds within the Anglican Church of Southern Africa for some time.  Many of you will remember my predecessor as Archbishop of Cape Town, Njongonkulu Ndungane, speaking forcefully on the matter at least a decade ago. 

Before the end of the last century, we were realising that far too often the churches were, frankly, at least as much part of the problem as we were part of the solution.  Yes, we were committed to caring for the sick.  But when it came to stopping the spread of HIV, much of our stance was, I fear, unhelpful – fuelling stigma, with all its negative consequences.

Because of our disapproval of sex outside marriage, and because a small vocal minority have described AIDS as a judgement from God, not surprisingly, many have said that a cleric is the last person to whom they would disclose their status or go to for help.  Further, Churches have fuelled society’s negative responses to HIV and AIDS.  We all know the horror stories, which I won’t bother repeating.

Therefore, within Southern Africa, the Anglican Church has worked hard to change the way we speak about sex and sexuality, and HIV and AIDS.  Since 2002 we have had a comprehensive strategy, within which major resources have been devoted to educating clergy and lay leadership around all aspects of the virus;  and to producing age-appropriate and culturally sensitive material for sexual education within the church.

Tackling stigma has been a particular goal.  An independent survey conducted in 2006 shows we have been making progress.  People in our churches, by and large, have grasped that discourse around ‘God’s judgement’ is entirely inappropriate.  However, in a minority of places, social judgement is still communicated – explicitly or implicitly – from our pulpits and, perhaps more frequently, our pews.  The message coming across is that people have received their just deserts for immoral behaviour – whether sex or drugs – they have only themselves  to blame and should be ashamed of themselves.

Let’s be honest.  It is not easy for the church to get it right – especially when our spiritual teaching does indeed uphold faithfulness within marriage, and sexual abstinence outside of marriage, as the ideal.  But at the same time, we should not appear to preach that only perfection is acceptable, nor that sexual sin is worse than any other.  The true gospel of Jesus Christ addresses the real world:  of fallible humanity, often falling short on all manner of moral issues;  and of a God, who – though holy himself and sitting in judgement on all that is evil – is nonetheless a God of compassion and forgiveness.  More than this, as it says in the letter of St James, ‘mercy triumphs over judgement’ (Jas 2:14).  This is the message we must communicate effectively. 

Churches have never had a good track record when it comes to speaking about sex.  To address constructively what is largely a sexually transmitted disease has been a challenge – especially when some of our cultures have significant taboos around speaking openly on matters of sex.  Teaching clergy and a widening circle of lay leaders remains key in changing the attitudes within congregations and communities. 

Alongside this, we are finding it is important to develop ‘grass roots’ leaders who are role models within the wider community and among their peers, particularly among young people.  An additional priority to which we have become conscious is the deliberate, active and open inclusion of those who are HIV positive in leadership around the disease;  and indeed in church leadership more generally.  Too often in the past, others have acted ‘on behalf of’ those infected or affected by HIV, which has reinforced the message of second-class citizenry and exclusion.

There is still work to be done to ensure and maintain good levels of accurate knowledge around the disease.  We are also looking at why some clergy find it harder than others to address the issues.  Gender equality – or rather, prevailing inequality – is another target area – and again one in which Churches have long been part of the problem.  Churches must not be afraid to develop effective collaborative partnerships with other bodies, so that comprehensive programmes can be pursued in changing both attitudes and behaviours.

Let me end with a good news story from the township of Khayelitsha in Cape Town.

When church-based support groups were set up a few years ago, we found that people attended the one farthest from their home.  That has since changed.  Attitudes have altered in both the churches and the wider community. 

The main engine of change has been this:  through collaborative working of clinics, NGOs and others, nearly all women with children under 5 know their status.  This has proved to be a critical mass within the community, and it has become accepted for people to be open about their status, without stigma.  Knowledge is fundamental in overcoming stigma and ignorance. 

Or as Jesus said ‘You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free’ (Jn 8:32).  This is our goal.

Promiscuity, unfaithfulness and unprotected sex are an offence against the sanctity of life, according to the head of the Anglican Church in South Africa.

Archbishop Thabo Makgoba made the remarks in a “moral state of the nation address” delivered at an interfaith function in Johannesburg on Wednesday night, and released on Thursday.

 
Although he did not mention President Jacob Zuma, his comments come amid controversy over the news that Zuma has fathered his 20th child with a woman who is not one of his wives.

Makgoba said it would be easy just to preach “no sex outside marriage”, which was what Christians and others upheld because it made for strong families and healthy societies. “But, if my words are completely out of touch with how people actually live, then I risk being dismissed as irrelevant,” he said. “Let me rather put it this way: promiscuity, unfaithfulness, adultery, unprotected sex that risks spreading HIV or resulting in unwanted pregnancies and the appallingly high numbers of abortions that occur in our country — all of these are offences against the sanctity, the sacredness, of life. “They are acts of emotional violence and physical peril, and demeaning to the human dignity of all involved.” He said such conduct was damaging to those involved, to the stability of society, and to future generations.

Sex was wonderful, and was one of God’s best gifts to humanity. “But the greatest gifts are open to the worst abuses. Let us use the gift of sexuality wisely and well.” Makgoba listed Mahatma Gandhi’s “seven deadly social sins”, one of which, he said, was “pleasure without conscience”.

“As the American satirist Felicia Lamport put it: vice is nice. But a little virtue won’t hurt you.”

Sapa

The Anglican Aids and Healthcare Trust (AAHT) sponsored a Dissemination Workshop for the DfID-funded Siyakha Programme – a comprehensive HIV & AIDS programme – in Johannesburg 28 -30 September 2009.  The purpose of the workshop was to share the “best practices” developed.  Reports presented at the workshop (plus additional ones not completed in time to be included) will soon be attached to AAHT’s website (www.anglicanaids.net) so that visitors can get a better feel for the work each diocese is doing. The workshop was attended by representatives from various stakeholders in the Anglican Church of Southern Africa – The Archbishop of Cape Town – The Most Reverend Thabo Makgoba; Bishop David Bannerman; Bishop Peter Lee; Bishop Les Walker; Bishop Meshack Mabuza; Bishop Adam Taaso and Bishop Merywn Castle; representatives from the British Government’s Department for International Development (DfID); Partner Organizations; Staff of the Trust; and Diocesan HIV & AIDS Coordinators from most of the 26 dioceses across the six countries in the Church’s Province of Southern Africa.

The broad objectives of the dissemination workshop were to:

• showcase the activities carried out within the funding period as well as the outcomes;
• share experiences, lessons learnt results, best practices and challenges for better future performance in their projects.
• Help projects to adopt strategies towards a sustainable future 

The Archbishop of Cape Town – Thabo Makgoba in his keynote address has thanked the British Government and its tax-payers for their support of his church’s work with those infected and affected by HIV and AIDS. Those words of thanks were further reiterated by Diocesan HIV & AIDS Coordinators across the province. To mention a few:

“When we first heard the news of DfID funding coming to an end in November 2008, we went back to our communities to share the news. Although it came as a shock to all of them, they made a resolution to continue with the projects. The nine month extension (January – September 2009) that was awarded has helped these projects to expand capacity to such an extent that they show signs of being able to sustain themselves beyond this period.” Ms Inhle Mdlalose – Anglican Diocese of Swaziland.

“Thank you – I am being so resourced that I can be used anyway by my community”,  Reverend Canon Thomas Mafora – Anglican Diocese of Matlosane.

“I am so greatful to DfID, having started as an administrative person, now I wear several hats in my country in the HIV & AIDS field. I am so resourced in such a way that I am a consultant in the area of fundraising and proposal writing for companies big or small.” Ms. Mabothobile Shebe – Anglican Diocese of Lesotho.

 Although the Anglican Aids Healthcare Trust lost one of its major funding sources, it is not the end of the Trust. There are still programmes that are currently being run on the areas of prevention, capacity building and orphaned and vulnerable children.

The Archbishop of Cape Town has thanked the British Government and its tax-payers for their support of his church’s work with those infected and affected by HIV and AIDS. Speaking in Johannesburg on Monday evening, 28 September, at a workshop run by the Anglican AIDS and Healthcare Trust (in partnership with the UK’s Department for International Development), Archbishop Thabo Makgoba said ‘You have helped us achieve the purposes for which this Trust was created.’

The meeting brings together representatives of the British Government, staff of the Trust, and Bishops and other participants from across the Anglican Church of Southern Africa. Over three days they are reviewing progress on the UK-funded Siyakha (‘We are building’) Project, and sharing best practices around the themes of prevention; treatment, care and support, income generation; and sustainability. 

In his opening address, the Archbishop expressed thanks also to the coordinators and volunteers from across the church, saying ‘You are the ones who take the vision and make it live.’ He said that though there was much to do, and challenging tasks ahead, it was also a time for celebrating so much that was already happening. ‘Orphans and vulnerable children are being better cared for; more people are receiving home-based care; more people are testing – and getting the treatment they need; more people are earning some cash income to supplement their diet, assist with school fees, and meet the basic needs of life; and more young people know about HIV prevention – and are developing the personal skills to protect themselves from HIV and AIDS.’ He added ‘and all this is just the tip of the iceberg of the holistic care that we aim to share and develop within the communities of which we are a part.’

Commending Sabelo Mashwama, CEO of the Trust, and his staff, the Archbishop placed this work within the Church’s wider goal of sharing Christ’s promise of ‘life in abundance’ with all people, bringing healing and wholeness in every dimension of life. Referring to Jesus’ lesson to his disciples that ‘whoever welcomes a child in my name, welcomes me – for the least among you is the greatest’, he said that the church’s concern, like that of Jesus, must be the well-being of every human person, every child of God, especially those who were less able to care for themselves.

In this regard, Archbishop Makgoba expressed concern at reports that the South African government was failing unequivocally to promote full equality for women before the law, in debates at the Human Rights Commission in Geneva. He called on the government to ensure the upholding of its commitment to women’s rights, which he described as ‘so important in the battle against HIV and AIDS.’ He added ‘This is especially so in our region, where gender inequality has been identified as one of the drivers of the pandemic, wherever women have limited or no power to protect themselves against infection.’ 

Putting others first was to put God first, said the Archbishop, and putting God first would enable people to draw on his energy and commitment, when the responsibilities of caring for others risked becoming exhausting or demoralising. He therefore stressed the importance of ensuring time to ‘rest in God and find his refreshment’. Archbishop Makgoba also noted that welcoming others as if welcoming Christ himself ensured that people were treated with appropriate dignity and respect. ‘We are not to deal with people as if they are children in the childish sense – as if they are immature and we alone are adults’ he stressed. 

Recalling Jesus’ words that ‘whoever is not against you is for you’ the Archbishop also commended collaboration with all who share the same overall goal, from international partners through to appropriate bodies in every sector of society including at parish level. He affirmed the Trust’s long-term commitment to working cooperatively. 

Archbishop Makgoba ended his address by praying that God would bless those present through their time together and beyond, and make them a rich blessing to others.   

Note for editors:

1. The Siyakha Programme – which means ‘We are building’ – is funded by the UK Government’s Department for International Development (DFID). It seeks to strengthen understanding among church and community leaders on HIV and AIDS, with a particular focus on the reduction of stigma, through care and impact mitigation, and of marginalization and to reduce the further spread of HIV.

Siyakha is building on the skills and capacity developed in the Isiseko Sokomeleza Programme and supporting and expanding projects initiated at each diocese. For further details see www.anglicanaids.net. 

2. The Anglican Church of Southern Africa, which Archbishop Makgoba heads, encompasses Angola, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, St Helena, South Africa, Swaziland and Tristan da Cunha.

3. The full text of the Archbishop’s address is available from his office.

Issued by the Office of the Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town

 A number of clergy have asked how we should respond to the outbreak of H1N1 or ‘swine’ flu, especially in the light of the recent statement issued by the Archbishops of York and Canterbury, which recommended the suspension of the sharing of the chalice at communion.  This followed advice from the UK Department of Health to the British public not to share ‘common vessels’ for food and drink.

 Within the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, we should observe prudence in maintaining good hygiene and in taking care to reduce exposure to infection.

 There has been legitimate alarm around this pandemic, at least 6 people have died from swine flu. All of life is sacred and we regret the loss of this precious life. Yet we should not panic, but rather be prudent about our health.  If you are not well, it makes sense to behave as you would with any of the other strains of flu that we experience each year.  We should take care not to expose others needlessly to the virus, and to remember the tried and trusted practices of covering coughs and sneezes, washing hands regularly and so forth.

 I have spoken on the phone with Prof Adrian Puren, an Anglican who is a virologist and a professor at the National Institute of Communicable Diseases.  He has confirmed all the above.  Thus, we are encouraging prudence, and asking those who may have swine flu (or indeed, normal winter flu) to take special precautions, to reduce exposure to others, and to take proper account of adverse weather.

  Issued by the Office of the Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town
Inquiries:  Cynthia Michaels on 021- 763-1320  (office hours)
 
Note to editors – The Anglican Church of Southern Africa, which Archbishop Makgoba heads, encompasses Angola, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, St Helena, South Africa, Swaziland and Tristan da Cunha.

It’s been run in the U.S. for years and has been shown to produce behavioral change on the part of parents.  It has been introduced into Kenya and Botswana over the past couple of years.  It is just getting started in Tanzania and Zambia.  At the same time, CDC/Johannesburg is introducing it into South Africa.  Mozambique is scheduled for introduction next year.

The basic thrust of the programme is to prepare parents of 8/9-12 year olds to talk with their children about sex and HIV (pregnancy, STI, etc.) prevention.  Research shows that when parents share information about sex with their youngsters, it gets mixed with a healthy dose of values (though the programme itself is value-neutral), but when children get their information about sex from their peers it may/may not get mixed with a values message – or it may not be the one that parents intend.  Also, when youngsters have access to sound information about sex, it appears to “immunize” them (to some degree) from the sort of experimentation that often accompanies more-informal sources of information on sex.

Siyafundisa now has the materials to initiate its own community assessment at St. Michael’s in Khayelitsha this winter and, when appropriate, at St. Mark’s in Lavender Hill – both in the Diocese of Cape Town.
Under the Siyafundisa Project, AAHT is charged with training parents, as well as priests, and it makes sense to incorporate this new, research-proven programme into our portfolio.  Assuming an assessment that confirms community interest between now and September, Siyafundisa would like to initiate the training of trainers as soon as the training materials have been adapted and are ready for use – possibly by late November/early December.  The actual training of parents could then, conceivably, start shortly after the first of the year – January 2010.

]]> http://www.anglicanaids.net/2009/07/09/new-curriculum-for-parents/feed/ 0 http://www.anglicanaids.net/2009/07/09/siyafundisa-sponsors-holiday-camps/ http://www.anglicanaids.net/2009/07/09/siyafundisa-sponsors-holiday-camps/#comments Thu, 09 Jul 2009 08:48:12 +0000 Editor http://www.anglicanaids.net/?p=76 All across South Africa during the June/July School Holidays, youth from Siyafundisa’s Peer Education and Life Skills programmes were gathering together for Holiday Camps.  These camps were designed to build interest and engagement in these programmes. 

Lessons were interspersed with devotions, games and other activites, time for private and/or guided reflections, introduction/reinforcement of leadership and teambuilding skills and more.

Camps typically were made up of youth from more than a single site – providing an opportunity for youth to meet their peers from other parishes.  They were accompanied to the camps by their Peer Education Supervisors.