In medicine, we can spend such a vast proportion of time perceiving those with illnesses as patients, or as statistical numbers that we fail to regard them as individuals. This is particular pertinent to people living with HIV, which are in excess of 30 million; It is such a colossal number it can be hard to comprehend. Despite the wealth of research into prevention and treatment of HIV which has made an undeniable impact on survival of populations, the experience of the individual…

Are we smart, safe, stupid….mad?????

Thirty years’ experience of HIV and I am hearing and reading the same old insincere language; the same old clichés by the same old top down approach method, sprinkled with the very few HIV positive tokens.  Are we smart, safe stupid or what?

For thirty years the population has been hearing about the modes of transmission, the vulnerability factors that fuel the continued spread of HIV and for thirty years the majority of the…

30 years have passed since the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) published its first reported case of AIDS. Since then over 25 million people have died from AIDS and an estimated 33.3 million are living with HIV today.

While tremendous advances have been made in terms of treatment, steering AIDS from what was once a fatal disease to a now chronic one; AIDS is still a global health threat, with many in the developing world unable to access adequate treatment.

However, while…

Меня зовут, Елена. По профессии я

мед.сестра, поэтому о ВИЧ-инфекции имела некоторое представление. В медицинском

училище изучали эту тему, но довольно поверхностно, да ещё и каждые пять лет

повышали квалификацию в стационаре, где я работала хирургической сестрой. Учила

и сдавала экзамены хорошо... Как передаётся вирус, как стерилизуется

инструментарий и тому подобное. Однажды в стационар поступила девушка, 19 лет,

с диагнозом ВИЧ. Помню смотрела и удивлялась,…

«Sir, you have opened my eyes. For 25 years I have had what you might call a successful life. But today I can see beyond this apparent success».  

This gentleman came to me after the presentation of Community Life competence in Singapore on November 24. Our proposition to people in businesses is met with enthusiasm! Let us hear a few more reactions:…

Does snark among aid bloggers go too far? Do aid workers just need and deserve to let off steam? Or does the language we use matter, because it either closes down or opens up dialogue, especially with our partners?

I’m not sure, frankly. (See some others illustrate the points here and…

This week I re-entered an aid “institution” after five years of working with small foundations and local groups.

After just two short days, I can’t help but be reminded of why I left.

I am once again surrounded by smart, driven, committed people. But unfortunately they are largely a group of people who are also exhausted, overwhelmed, and discouraged by fighting while propagating the very organizations in which they serve. From my still outsider’s perspective, it’s as if the…

THE COLD WITHIN

 By James Patrick Kinney

 

Six humans trapped by happenstance

 In dark and bitter cold

 Each one possessed a stick of wood,

 Or so the story's told.

 

Their dying fire in need of logs,

 The first woman held hers back.

 For on the faces around the fire,

 She noticed one was black.

 

The next man looking cross the way,

 Saw one not of his church,

 And couldn't bring himself…

The annual expressions of gratitude from the U.S.’ Thanksgiving holiday now subsided, I share a poem I wrote yesterday about how hard it is at times to be genuinely grateful.

Over the past year, I have been fortunate enough to live rent-free, staying with friends and family. But that has also meant that I have been someone’s houseguest.

After I wrote this reflection, I wondered: Is there a parallel to be drawn with those at the…

The Guyana Faith-and HIV Coalition along with Group 2 in support of the Community Life Competence process as a mean of stimulating local response and ownership by communities did a workshop with the Miss Guyana African queen Pageant delegates to stimulate their WOT and WOW towards their concerns using their strengths.

In terms of introduction of participants we used “ I am like this food …..  because …..” to stimulate their feelings towards the workshop and helped participants…

The GuyanaFaith-and HIV Coalition  with Group 2 in support of the Community Life Competence process held a sensitization workshop for the youths of the Wesleyan Church to stimulate their Way of Thinking and Ways of Working towards some social Stigmas.   

Introduction of participants using a fruit to indicate their personality and helped participants to feel comfortable, relaxed and a part of a community that knows each other.

 …

The Guyana Faith-and HIV Coalition with Group 2 in support of the Community Life Competence process held a sensitization workshop for approximately 50 Patients from five different regions who participated in  the workshop  at the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, Amerindian Hostel to stimulate their Way of Thinking and Ways of Working towards on the topic sexual offences.            

 Exercise 1 - Hopes and…

The Guyana Faith-and HIV Coalition in support of the Community Life Competence process as a mean of stimulating local response and ownership by communities did a workshop with the trainee prison officers who will soon be appointed, Assistant Prison Officers. The officers focused on discipline as it relates to their family, home and work communities.

During the half day’s learning experience, 28 participants were introduced to five exercise steps, while participating…

Group 1 conducted its first SALT visit with a group of very shy young workers from Denmor Manufacturing Company in Guyana, a member of the Guyana Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS (GBCHA).

We knew in advance that the group we were to meet would be reticent and that we may experience a challenge in reaching our objectives of "LISTENING" and "LEARNING". The group was large, so we split into two (13 each) with two facilitators to each sub-group.

We conducted the "Hopes and Concerns"…

The Guyana Faith-and HIV Coalition with group 2 in support of the Community Life Competence process as a mean of stimulating local response and ownership by communities did a workshop with two youth groups to stimulate their WOT and WOW towards their concerns using their strengths.

Introduction of participants using the weather inside to stimulate their feelings towards the workshop and helped participants to feel comfortable, relaxed and a part of a community that knows each…

There I was, together with Farellia, our coach from Madagascar. My first time Ghana. The challenge: facilitate a 4-day workshop on Food Security in West Africa with prominent church leaders and advocacy experts in the region. And we had to facilitate in English and French! The participants generally visit a lot of conferences, often dominated by Power Point shows and…

The RIGHTS Commission comprises three commissions: Women and Gender Equality, Rights of the Child and the Indigenous Peoples’ Commission. At a recent meeting of the executives it was discerned that there was tension among the staff including between senior management and subordinates.

Members of the senior management team agreed to an exercise to stimulate ‘team spirit’ among staff. Exercises of the Community Life Competence Process, was used to achieve the intended goal of…