In March 1994, it started a programme to mobilize its member churches to develop a response to lllV I AIDS. It helps the churches to develop a theological response;
encourage the churches to respond to orphans and people living with AIDS (PWA); and help to change attitudes and behaviour through working with area-based church AIDS co-ordinators and youth leaders in set community churches. It primarily gets the different churches together with NGO and CBO (community based organizations) to discuss what services the NGO and CBO are already providing to people living with AIDS. This is done to ascertain where and how they can help them to discuss lllV/AIDS awareness and perception in their communities. A basic lllV/AIDS infonnation workshop is conducted with the church people. It covers the follOwing aspects. 2
a) What is AIDS?
b) What causes AIDS?
c) What happens to a person infected with lllV?
d) How do you get lllV/AIDS?
e) Can AIDS be treated/cured?
o
How do you know if you have HIV/AIDS?g) You cannot get AIDS by ....
h) Preventing AIDS - blood to blood; mother to child; sex i) What if you have AIDS?
j) What can our Church do about AIDS?
2 Interview with Ms T. Semple. August 2003.
The above aspects are discussed in conjunction with thirteen posters on HIV I AIDS. The workshop is conducted with people from the different churches who in turn conduct it with people in their geographical communities. At the end of the workshop, a suitable date is decided whereby all the participants are taken on an exposure visit to an already existing church response so that they can see what the different responses are and choose how they would like to respond to IllV/AIDS in their geographical communities. When they have decided on a response, Diakonia then tries to assist them in formulating a practical programme. Each response will vary, therefore each programme will be different - for instance, some might choose to work with AIDS orphans or PW A or in awareness and prevention, etc. A key person is chosen from that group of church people to be
a
network coordinator and whose function is to ensure the church denominations are meeting regularly and networking with those involved inmv
I AIDS, thus avoiding duplication of services. The organization meets the individual coordinators in their community and organizes regular bi-monthly meetings for all the coordinators in order to exchange information and ideas. At those meetings, a guest speaker is invited to discuss topical issues and time is also allocated for spiritual reflection.3The organization draws up a World AIDS Day liturgy of about ftfteen pages for all the churches on its mailing list, namely, 376 ministers. It is based on the current theme of World AIDS Day. A workshop is frrst conducted with the clergy before the liturgy is distributed so that the ministers get information on how to successfully conduct the World AIDS Day service. As part of the World AIDS Day programme, a breakfast
3 Interview with Ms T. Semple. August 2003.
briefmg is held with a prominent guest speaker who addresses all the people of Diakonia on the theme of World AIDS Day. The liturgy is evaluated every year.4
As part of the AIDS programme, workshops on important issues like obtaining social grant; personal documents, etc. are conducted with church people who in tum empower the rest of the community. This is conducted by way of inviting the relevant role players of the important issue at hand to be discussed, example, officials from the Home Affairs, Social Welfare, etc. The organization also draws up liturgical resources on InV I AIDS for member churches. These include prayer books and bible studies. A monthly publication called "AIDS Update" has been launched in August 2003 which looks into current issues that are focused in the media; prayer; information on how the church can be involved in InV/AIDS; forthcoming events and current publications of Diakonia.
This publication is distributed to all the AIDS coordinators, the AIDS Advisory Committee and the people involved in InV/AIDS work.s
6.2. THE RAMAKRISHNA CENTRE OF SOUTH AFRICA
The Centre is a socio-religio-humanitarian organization that was founded in 1942 in Durban and has been providing social welfare services among the poor and needy. The Centre has grown over the years and has fIfteen branches in the different parts of KZN and a branch in Lenasia, in Gauteng. It began its AIDS awareness programme in 1985 by printing charts and booklets in English and Zulu on InV I AIDS information taken
• Interview with Ms T. Semple. August 2003.
, Interview with Ms T. Semple. August 2003.
from the literature of the health department These were distributed in rural clinics, doctors' rooms, African schools and handed to 'local chiefs in the areas of Inanda, K wa Mashu and from Verulam to Ngoma in the north coast of KZN.6
One of the divisions of the Centre is the Ramakrishna Clinic that was established at the Centre in 1959 in Durban. It has been providing voluntary medical services to disadvantaged people from all religious groups. Over the years its services have expanded into other peri-urban and rural areas of KZN. The services depend on the local circumstances and the needs of the community. Doctors, health care workers and other paramedical staff are enlisted from the Centre's Hindu congregation. The clinic has been active in mY/AIDS programmes since 1992 and has embarked on various projects. It conducts regular paediatric camps in the rural area of Etete on the north coast of KZN.
Twelve medical doctors and forty support staff including medical students, laboratory technicians, phannacists and dental therapists are in attendance. Medication is dispensed free of charge and up to about 600 patients may be attended to on anyone day.
Paediatric clinics are held at an informal settlement in Effmgham Heights in Durban and in a sub-economic suburb of Northdale in Pietennaritzburg. Adult medical camps are also held in Etete and Chatsworth in Durban which include screening and diagnostic services. At the various clinics, patients suspected of having
mv
infection are counseled and referred to appropriate agencies. Many of these patients present symptoms and signs suggestive ofmv
positivity such as fungal infections, wasting and lymph node enlargement Appropriate therapy for the opportunistic infections are given. In addition,6 Interview with Swami Saradananda. August 2003.