Facilitation Associates responding to HIV


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Stories of Response



What is Local response:

 
In an AIDS-competent society, people are dealing effectively with AIDS where they live and work when they accept the reality of HIV, they assess how HIV and AIDS are affecting their lives and work, and they are adapting to live positively with HIV. (UNAIDS Local response Technical Note 3 July 2000)
 
For other Stories of Response see:

Care, Change, Community & Hope: Local responses to HIV in Zambia 

AFFIRM facilitation during the latter part of 2009, and into 2010, includes:

UNAIDS (Geneva) Prevention refresher workshops

The refresher workshops are a part of a UNAIDS strategy to engage all staff, globally, in prevention. Ian Campbell was part of the ‘Joint Learning Planning Process’ 27-29 October, and David Evans participated in the 15-17 December follow up.
 
About 66 UNAIDS staff members finished the first series of workshops 11 to 28 November 2009, with uniformly positive response and serious personal and workplace application. There will be another series of workshops in February.
 
Thanks to Geoff Parcell and Usa Doongsa for help with preparing the self assessment tool (which can be adapted by NGOs for their own use), and to David Evans and Alison Campbell for the resources document.
 
AFFIRM could be involved in more country workshops in 2010, possibly working with the Constellation for AIDS competence. There is interest in Uganda and Botswana.

 

Global Reconciliation

Ian Campbell, Zannah Jeffries, Rachel MacIlroy, Elvis Simamvwa, Sima Barmania, Paul Komesaroff, Kevin Belcher, and Onesmus Mutuki found each other in Amman, Jordan, 13-18 December for the summit on Pathways to Reconciliation. Paul Komesaroff led the summit. Ian Campbell convened the theme on Spirituality and Celebration.

 

As a demonstration of engagement, Paul and Ian are hoping to visit a Community Mental Health Programme in Gaza in early May 2010.

 

The reconciliation theme is an example of shared engagement by AFFIRM, the Community Health Global Network (CHGN), and InterHealth Worldwide.

 

Zambia: Community Health Response Programme (CHRP)

WHO is in the process of releasing some funds for the initiation of Zambia -CHRP. The monitoring and evaluation (M & E) partners from Washington will be visiting 23 to 26 February 2010, to help establish M & E tools and guidelines from the beginning of the project. AFFIRM (with DIFAEM: German Institute for Medical Mission) will facilitate the process of implementation. Negotiations by the World Council of Churches with the Norway Foreign Ministry are continuing for the implementation funds needed for 2010. We wish the Zambia team strength and optimism as they leap into the future.

 

WHO (Geneva) meeting on training Community Health Workers (CHWs)

Primary Health Care is a strong theme of WHO this year. Ricardo Walters and Sumon Vangchuay represented AFFIRM in November 2009 in Geneva for a meeting on CHW training. Ricardo helped initiate a tighter working group approach to follow up.

 

UK NGO AIDS Consortium

The Consortium has a faith based organization (FBO) committee, which is seeking to review the added value of FBO work. Gillian Paterson has been asked to shape the approach and she has enlisted AFFIRM.

 

Hands On Health

David Evans, through a working group of Community Health Global Network (CHGN), AFFIRM and USPG: Anglicans in World Mission, continues to facilitate the design of Hands on health. This is the USPG initiative aimed at revitalising health work in at least 3 countries, including Ghana and south India. Mirriam Cepe of World Vision (UK) has been very helpful in linking the initiative to WV country contact people. Design and partnership development visits are planned for January 2010.

 

Heythrop College, London

Gillian Paterson organized a day of discussion and reflection on AIDS: a Sign of the Times, around the themes of Stigma, Sin, and Hope. The goal was to link theologians working with HIV with practitioners, and with communities responding to HIV. Ian and Alison Campbell participated. AFFIRM is well placed, if asked, to arrange SALT visits with moral theologians and Christian leaders.

 

SALT Woking

The next meeting of SALT Woking will in February 2010 at the Woking Salvation Army building. The meetings and SALT (Support, Appreciate, Learn, Transfer) visits are always inspiring and point to an urgent area of work: HIV care and prevention within and by immigrant communities in the UK.

 

Strategies for Hope

The 20th anniversary of the launch of Strategies for Hope (a series of booklets on AIDS care and prevention) was celebrated on 19th November in Oxford. Glen Williams arranged the event. Ian Campbell, who co-authored the first book with Glen, attended, with Alison Campbell.

Posted 2nd February 2010

Update - November 2008


Dear friends,
The last month has been productive. Thanks to many for specific contribution in thought and action, and for all Associates and Affiliates who add strength by belonging and by supporting the HCD vision.
Read more:
AFFIRM Update Nov 2008 (.doc)
AFFIRM 2008 Self Assessment (.doc)
Community Health Response Program - Process outline (.doc)

 

AFFIRM and the promotion of gender equality

Drawing upon a stock of knowledge-based practices and experiences of facilitating a human capacity for response to HIV and other issues critical to communities worldwide, the methodology and tools which AFFIRM utilises facilitate the promotion of gender equality (individual) from a ‘community’ perspective (shared relational/collective) through assured inclusivity and meaningful engagement of all voices. Read more:  AFFIRM and the promotion of gender equality (.doc)

Posted 22nd November 2008

In memory of Simon Mphuka, a friend and Affirm member.


I was asked to write for dissemination through the Constellation for AIDS Competence, and with the thought already in mind to acknowledge Simon from many perspectives, including Affirm, I responded. (Ian Campbell).
Remembering Simon (.doc) 

Posted 24th August 2008

An analysis of the AFFIRM approach to 'Human Capacity Development for Response', in relation to HIV

click here to download...

Posted 11th August 2008

AFFIRM Core Group Meeting - 25th July 2008 - An informal update


PHC Revitalisation

A collaborative project to demonstrate human capacity development for response is being developed with WHO, WCC , Norwegian Church Aid and DIFAEM (German Medical Mission Institute). The challenge is to move toward a facilitation of expanded local response and encounter approach. Memorably expressed as follows: ‘We must be faith-sensitive, qualitatively-tuned and mission-focused, and in our matrix-orientation we should also be design-conscious. Gill commented that the aim is to hear the truth and have it told. It’s from that truth that a new vision will emerge.

Interhealth Tie-up

The following attachment is a significant note from Ted Lankester to all InterHealth staff describing the synergy expected from Affirm's link to Interhealth Worldwide. Click here to download.
 

Oxford / Woking

The Oxford meeting produced very positive results, and the SALT approach demonstrated how little people actually know about what is going on within African communities here. Alison is exploring the possibility of something similar in Woking, invited by Dr. Jillian Pritchard who is based in Woking and joined the Oxford meeting.

 

Tony Blair Foundation

Ian Linden (new director) is very interested in the way Affirm is working. Decided to try and invite him to join the next overseas project. Plan A – Zambia; Plan B – Ricardo to think of something. In 2009 we will have a research workshop in collaboration with (and financed by) TBFF

 

Edinburgh

CHGN is involved with a health conference for the centenary of the World Mission Conference (1910) focussed on Christian mission for health in the 21st century. Ted Lankester is exploring how the theme might be explored in London as well as in Edinburgh in a two-track on-going process.

AFFIRM at work-Learning from local action and experience



 

All AFFIRM members and advisors/friends are welcome to a catalytic learning and strategy consultation 8th -14th March, 2008 , at Chisikesi Zambia. We will be hosted by the Gwembe Health District manager who is Elvis Simamvwa and some other local friends, who also coordinate a small youth focussed programme called 'Spring of Life'.
 
Objectives include- AFFIRM identity discovery; stimulation and support, with learning from 'Spring of Life'; exploration of 'Human Capacity for Response' to HIV, applicable to a district wide approach over a two year period (inclusive of access to ART); spiritual reflection and renewal; visits to Lochinvar National Park (birds), and Victoria Falls National Park (falls and rafts and...) We will form small thematic teams to discuss and document critical elements such as measurement of response patterns; community to community transfer; facilitation team development; project writing as a support to community driven initiatives.
 
For all who request we are exploring co-funding options for tickets and costs - not yet available but we are hoping. Sign up in faith if you wish to come and we will expect to see each other.
 
The contact person is Sue Lucas – info@affirmfacilitators.org