Bridging the Gap: Conference Record [Abstract book, International Conference on AIDS (12th: 1998: Geneva, Switzerland)]

12th World AIDS Conference

Abstracts 24358-24363 509

lationship with HIV patients and expectations from the support group they were
applying to join. The interview transcripts were analysed by a research team of
psychologists, psychiatrists and psychosocial researchers.
Results: The main issue that emerged was the personal implication within the
caring relationship with the patients. HCW insist on the relational aspects of care
as their primary concern. Some of them chose specifically to work in a NGO for
this reason, hoping that they would have more time to spend with their patients
and to develop closer relationships with them. Most of HCW are motivated by
both professional and personal ideological commitments expressed in by their
ideals of a better quality of care and the search for valorisation in reference to
so-called 'medical power'.
Conclusions: Therapeutic progress produces changes in HIV care management. Before, to face the lack of therapeutic means, HCW tended to mingle
professional and militant ideals and give priority to the relational aspects of care.
They now often fear the loss of this former idealism and commitment to patient
care and its reduction to a merely traditional medical approach.
S24358 1 The role of positive men's union in community based
AIDS prevention and care
Fredrick Ssenyonjo1, R. Sserunkuuma2, R. Kizitobulya3, S. Ssenabulya2. 1The
AIDS Support Organization PO. Box 10443 Kampala; 2Taso Mulago, Kampala;
3Taso HQ, Kampala, Uganda
Issue: A group of HIV Positive men formed a support group in 1995 known as the
positive men's union (POMU). The goal was to create a concerted and organised effort in order to uplift the health and social economic status of men infected with HIV.
Project: Presently the group carries out sensitisation meetings in communities
around TASO Mulago centre. A number of manufacturing firms around Kampala
have been given talks on causes of AIDS, prevention and care of AIDS patients.
The group has formed a drama group and sensitise the communities through
music and drama. Testimonies are given during these talks and the overall objective is to create a change of behavoiur. We have set up self-reliance activities to
support ourselves, our children wives and other dependants.
Results: In the beginning it was not easy to convince HIV positive men to
come out in the open but with continous sensitising many have joined the group.
A sample indicates that more and more men are reportedly using condoms.
Lessons Learned: HIV positive men's organisation targeting fellow men can
greatly influence men's behaviour both anonymous and HIV positive men.
24359 Women's support groups and their psychosocial issues
living with HIV/AIDS
Lynn Kidd. 151 S Ye Arling Road Apt 12 Columbus Ohio 43213, USA
Issues: The speaker will share of her own experiences of living with AIDS over
past two years and her involvement in women's support groups.
Project: The speaker participates in an urban and rural women's support group
utilizing an informal, peer-directed format. She assists these HIV+ women with:
isolation through moral and emotional support; self-sufficiency and self-empowerment through activism and volunteer involvement; discrimination, stigma and
abuse through peer and social support; and, decision-making through developing
advocacy skills to address personal concerns. To acknowledge and achieve these
issues the speaker will look at modern and complimentary treatments that help
with the mental, physical and spiritual aspects of HIV/AIDS.
Results: The speaker networks with other women and agencies to enhance her
knowledge base of issues affecting women. Her involvement in these capacities
helps to reinforce the need for these women to also become more participative.
The women are empowered to demand quality of life interventions that assist them
in obtaining adequate health care, social support and improve their coping responses. We come from varied backgrounds that have an impact upon disclosure
issues, financial concerns, communication styles and accessing services.
Lessons: With the speakers assistance the support groups are a source
of emotional support and provides ongoing education for women living with
HIV/AIDS. The support group format is an opportunity for growth, development
and the positive integration of HIV into the life of women living with the disease.
| 24360 | Fighting stigmatisation
Christine K. Wanyenze. MBALE People With AIDS Crusade, PO Box 430,
MBALE, Uganda
Issue: Stigmatisation is born of the ignorance of the general public about HIV/AIDS
and the misguided desire of the P.W.A.S to keep their serostatus secret.
Project: Twenty of us PWAs formed a group we call Mbale People with AIDS
Crusade (MPWAC) in early 1997. Our goal is to demystify HIV/AIDS, prevent its
further spread, advocate for the rights of PWAs and their orphans and also fight
POVERTY. We have gone Public with our infection and have been before numerous audiences including schools, churches, colleges, prisons, hospitals and
other community gatherings. We teach about HIV/AIDS through talks, personal

testimonies, music, drama and question and answer sessions. We also provide
counselling and are constantly available to our communities.
Result: The response has been very positive. We have met with kindness and
total acceptance. Everywhere we have been, they want us to go back again and
again. Hundreds have themselves opted for the HIV/AIDS test after hearing us.
We have made true friends and other PWAs have requested us to help them
organise groups like ours.

Lessons Learnt: The best place to live with the HIV/AIDS infection is in the
open. The public prejudice virtually melts away once they learn the facts about
HIV/AIDS especially from those of us who speak from experience.
124361 Empower of women living with HIV/AIDS through
education
Janet Giovanna Torres Bravo. Calie Puerto Belen# 130 URB. Lincoln San Luis
Lima, Peru
Issue: In Peru there is not an educational program about HIV/AIDS for women
living with the virus. The absence of self esteem and integral knowledge about
sexuality can take to an acceleration of the disease.
Project: We disegned a program to empower and to elevate their esteem
personal and have a better life quality.
The principal themes are: self esteem, empower, couple armony and AIDS and
women. Our pricipal objetive is empower women through education in humankind
and sexuality.
The activities take place in PROSA (Autohelping seropositive persons support
program) every fifteen days. We had the helping of professionals in this area. We
mist often remind that education is power to have the neccesary instruments go
they are take the night decision.
Results: Although the women presence was not the best, we could get the
principal objetive of empower them. In Peru there is a bigger number of womwn
living with HIV/AIDS that have a pricipal role in the groups coordination developing
different actvities for women living with AIDS that want to put face to face their
situation and to be an HIV carrier.
Lessons Learned: To be the first experience the results were encouraged but
in the future can be better, developing these works in their own physical space
and coordinating they are get a greater women participation.
|24362 The response of youth to the HIV/AIDS pandemic:
A youth alive experience in Uganda
Richard Kirya. PO. Box 22395, Kampala, Uganda
Problem: The Youth and children constitute the biggest % of Uganda's population
and are most vulnerable to the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
Objectives: The objective is to reduce the incidence of spread of HIV/AIDS,
foster positive life attitudes and behavioural development that enhances young
people between 10-25 years, to make responsible decisions geared towards
their integral development as well as their communities.
Youth Alive Intervention: Youth Alive started on 1st July 1993 arising out
of Kamwokya caring community, a christian community based organisation located in Kamwokya, a suburb around kampala city. Kamwokya is a slum, highly
populated with the majority of inhabitants illiterate and low income earners and
unfortenately was badly affected by HIV/AIDS. Youth Alive as a positive peer-led
non-government organisation promotes the formation of children and youth clubs
as for which seek to enhance positive life attitudes, faith and human values as
well as behavioural responsibility in the lives of young people. The young people
are facilitated by Youth Alive in identifying problems and their root causes. Individuals and groups (clubs) are supported through on-going seminars, activities
which include drama, music and sports. Through these activities individuals are
empowered to live a positive lifestyle avoid risky behaviour and situations. Then
they are assisted to make responsible new choices and commitments so that
they live meaningful lives. The advantage of the Youth Alive approach is that it
enhances the individual response to risky situations which could result into the
contraction HIV/AIDS. The very name Youth Alive invites young people to become
actively involved, as opposed to such names as anti-AIDS clubs.
Lesson Learned: Peer education enhances positive life attitudes and behaviour change in young people and communities. The creation of a strong Youth
Alive club in an area/community can positively change life styles of youth and
many other non-club members through multiplier effects. As a result Youth Alive
is now respected as one of the most vibrant youth non-government organisation
with a network of 72 clubs in Uganda and has even been started in neighbouring
countries with clubs formed in Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
|24363 Establishing a drop-in-centre with self-help projects for
people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA)
Owen Chigariro. Men's Action Group, 7081A Western Triangle, Highfield,
Harare, Zimbabwe
Issue: Joining hands in sourcing funds to establish a drop-in-centre (DIC) to
specifically cater for PLWHA in a resource poor community.
Project: Given the huge financial and material obligation involved to establish
a DIC for PLWHA by a community based support group (SG) like ours, we decided to mobilise all the SGs in Harare. We therefore transferred this programme
from a single group to a group of 9 SGs. Each SG was therefore involved and
contributed knowledge and experience towards the fundraising programme. We

organised a series of fundraising events in the form of sponsored walk, music
concert, soccer match, etc. With our mission statement and programmes in hand,
we approached the community leaders, local authorities, politicians, ministries,
churches, companies, etc, for support. Groups that had their own potential donors
approached them for financial and material support.
Results: The programme was well recieved by many. The local authority offered to provide land and sponsored work. Relevant ministries pumping in cash