Strategies for Hope, an organisation that produces and distributes books and videos that document
innovative strategies of HIV/AIDS work by NGOs and community groups, has published an HIV/AIDS activity guide called Making it Happen. The book forms part of The Called to Care Toolkit which consists of practical, action-oriented booklets and mini-manuals on issues related to HIV/AIDS is designed for use by church leaders, especially in sub-Saharan Africa.
The purpose of the materials in the Called to Care Series is to enable pastors, priests, lay church leaders and their congregations and communities to:
- Reflect on and understand the spiritual, theological, ethical, health, social and practical implications of the HIV epidemic and the Christian call to respond with compassion.
- Overcome the stigma, silence, discrimination, denial, fear and inertia that inhibit church and community action to address HIV/ AIDS-related issues more effectively.
- Guide their congregations and communities through a process of learning and change, leading to practical, church-based actions to help individuals, families and communities reduce the spread of HIV and mitigate the impact of the HIV epidemic.
The first book Positive Voices [1] was written primarily to enable church groups and communities to discuss HIV and AIDS, health, sexual behaviour, and issues related to religion and culture more freely and openly.
The Making it Happen book aims to be a guide to help church congregations and groups plan and carry out HIV/AIDS-related activities. It offers information on how they can assist and support people, how they can address the broader issue of preventing the further spread of HIV, and how they can deal with the sensitive and divisive issues of stigma, shame, discrimination and denial. The guide is designed to give a step by step description of processes that will enable an organisation to develop and implement a project that addresses some of the challenges related to HIV/AIDS.
- Reflect on and understand the spiritual, theological, ethical, health, social and practical implications of the HIV epidemic and the Christian call to respond with compassion.
- Overcome the stigma, silence, discrimination, denial, fear and inertia that inhibit church and community action to address HIV/ AIDS-related issues more effectively.
- Guide their congregations and communities through a process of learning and change, leading to practical, church-based actions to help individuals, families and communities reduce the spread of HIV and mitigate the impact of the HIV epidemic.
The Making it Happen book aims to be a guide to help church congregations and groups plan and carry out HIV/AIDS-related activities. It offers information on how they can assist and support people, how they can address the broader issue of preventing the further spread of HIV, and how they can deal with the sensitive and divisive issues of stigma, shame, discrimination and denial. The guide is designed to give a step by step description of processes that will enable an organisation to develop and implement a project that addresses some of the challenges related to HIV/AIDS.
44
English
Strategies for Hope website on June 06 2006 and an email from Glen Williams to The Communication Initiative, May 23 2006.