 HIV/AIDS: World Student Christian Federation Response in Africa |
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by Okok-Obuoga |
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Being a student in Africa is a major challenge in that one’s status is characterized by many dynamics that make the journey difficult and often impossible to even begin. These dynamics evolve around the social-economic, cultural, and political environment. Young people/students, women , and children bear a heavy brunt during times of economic hardships and political upheaval throughout the continent. A present and ever-growing threat to student-life in Africa is the pandemic of HIV/AIDS. The social-economic conditions and health dimensions related to HIV/AIDS gravely affect the lives of students. A weak economic power base and little understanding by young people of their own reproductive systems predisposes many to the dangers of contracting the HIV virus. World Bank statistics indicate that of the 40 million people living with HIV/AIDS throughout the world, 28.1 millions (about 70.25%) adults and children are found in Sub-Sahara Africa. This situation becomes even more devastating when considering that half of the 15,000 new infections that occur daily are among 15 to 24 year-olds. Thus, there is urgency for more involvement of the church and society in addressing this crisis. The General Board of Global Ministries (GBGM), mission agency of The United Methodist Church, has responded on many levels including giving leadership to a church-wide financial appeal as well as denomination mission study theme of “Hope for the Children of Africa (2001-02).” GBGM has an international radio ministry where information is shared. It has sent supplies, medicine, built schools and orphanages -- and funded leadership training on AIDS awareness in Africa, including a special conference held for youth in Zimababwe in 2002. A long-time partner of the World Student Christian Federation (an ecumenical body of 90 national student Christian movements), GBGM recognizes the importance of direct involvement of young people in responding to the crisis. Tamara Walker, Executive Secretary for the GBGM Office of Youth and Young Adults works in partnership with the WSCF as it seeks to raise awareness and assist in the lives of those affected by HIV/AIDS. Consider the story of a young girl called Amina: Ten years of age, she lives in a remote part of the country devastated by poverty. Amina has lost both parents to AIDS and is under the care of her grandparents. She and her younger brother face stigmatization as well as segregation from classmates. Their school is disintegrating due to the short supply of teachers because so many have succumbed to AIDS. Amina was eventually forced to leave school because of the meager resources of her grandparents who opted to let her brother remain. She now faces a future without parents, education, skills, or resources to guide her choices. Amina will come of age without a clue of her body and reproductive system. Being economically deprived, she may be forced to turn to men for survival, hence exposing herself to risks of pregnancy and or contracting HIV/AIDS . There are many students with situations similar to Amina’s – young people whose tragic existence make them lose hope and their numbers increase daily. These are youth the World Student Christian Federation is attempting to help. Several organizations both governmental, religious, and community-based are involved. WSCF supports existing efforts and develops new initiatives that identify issues facing students in relation to HIV infections. Recognizing the impact of the pandemic throughout the Continent, the World Student Christian Federation designed procedures to help students and young people in the academic community that (1) generate a sense of responsibility in the personal lives; (2) builds structures that enable them to identify and address the problems related to HIV/ AIDS. The uniqueness of the Federation’s approach is the aspect of promoting the theology of divine relations of love and affection without segregation and denigration. In order for the process to reach those like Amina in rural parts of the country and whose school face imminent closure, the Federation has developed an interconnected web of operation with an overall objective of reducing the spread of the virus through increased awareness. The process adopted is very simple. It begins with sub-regional gatherings their respective regions to train members of national Students Christian Movements. Through the principle of collaboration and partnership, networks are developed at the national, sub-regional and regional levels. It is expected that a regional gathering shall be convened to evaluate and examine the outcome of the program. Operating within the premise of Christianity and modeling a responsible approach, the Federation has developed thematic studies around issues of HIV/AIDS. These themes were provided by the regional offices and came out of a long exchange of ideas. Apart from endeavoring to address the pandemic directly, they are also geared to generate spiritual hope to those drowning in despair. During training sessions, students are taught to look at those affected with virus with affection and compassion. The program also helps develops counseling skills. A recent participant wrote “...the workshop has made me aware that people who are HIV infected need my help. It has changed my perception and attitude on how to interact with them.” Amina was uprooted from school to pave way for her little brother. Despite the fact that this resulted from poverty inflicted on the family, it is testimony of the cultural bias in gender that prevails throughout the continent. The Federation has generated an agenda of facilitating the debate around the relationship between the economic justice and gender and culture as it relates to HIV/AIDS. Among the strategies applied to the building of teams of students within respective communities is to advocate against bias cultural practices. The task before WSCF is not a simple one, but a tremendous obligation that calls for both human and material resources. The world Student Christian Federation appeals to all and sundry to join hands with us in this struggle. With fervent prayer and in mission together, we shall be able to address and find solutions to problems like Amina’s and other issues of students in our world family.
Date posted: Oct 01, 2002 |
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