EVALUATION SESSION OF THE ACTIVITIES OF IMCS PAX ROMANA IN THE FIGHT AGAINST HIV/AIDS IN AFRICA- DOUALA , CAMEROUN

From 05 to 09 November 2007, the Pan African Coordination of IMCS Pax Romana organized an evaluation session of the activities of the same movements in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Africa . Present were representatives of the four sub regions of IMCS Africa, two Pan African coordinators (Jules and Maurice), the Pan African Chaplain, Fr. Fratern MASAWE as well as the members of IMCS-Cameroon, who constituted the local organizing committee.

The session started with an open question asked by Jules, the coordinator and moderator of the session. It was a question to find out what the expectations of the participants was at the end of the session. After a long debate, a lot of deliberations were reached at but they were finally reduced to three which are:

-sharing of our experiences on HIV/AIDS

-successful and weak actions of IMCS in the fight against AIDS.

-master plan to show the actions of IMCS in the fight for HIV/AIDS.

The participants were obliged to do a pre-evaluation on IMCS in general. After a well thought reflection, it was agreed that IMCS in Africa was facing many problems like the lack of means to execute its projects.

The second day concentrated on presentation of reports from the sub regions.

      1. Central Africa and Madagascar

This report was presented by the coordinator of this sub region, Mr. Alain KIPA, who presented the reports of D.R.C, Cameroon and Rwanda .

Starting with the D.R.C, which is his country of origin, Mr. Alain explained the foundations of their actions in the fight against HIV/AIDS. He showed that their engagement in the fight against HIV/AIDS in the university centers finds its foundations first in the PAA-- Pan African Assembly, the 8^th session held in Lome(Togo) from 07 December to 20^th December 2002 which had the theme: (the reality about Aids facing young Africans: No to stigma, Yes to solidarity!). Another PAA of Kabgayi of October 2006 accorded the struggle against HIV/AIDS an important place, notably with the formation of the door-to-door strategy. Thus the fight against poverty cannot really be achieved if we don’t eradicate HIV/AIDS which posses a permanent danger to development.

Talking of activities undertaken in the D.R.C, it was noted that other than the study on HIV/AIDS in the University centers, as well as the AIDS program and responsible sexuality in student centers of the same in the D.R.C, the IMCS Cameroon chapter can be successful in the fight against HIV/AIDS. It can be said, notably in Douala , where a campaign on the fight against HIV/AIDS was organized, while the IMCS in Yaoundé organized talks and a projection of a film on the pandemic, followed by a debate which lasted for a week from the 1^st to the 7^th of December 2003.

In Rwanda , just like the coordinator of the sub region had said, the IMCS organized some activities associated with voluntary screening and then presented donations to persons living with HIV/AIDS.

In general, here are some challenges presented from this region:

-lack of means to give training

-lack of necessary sensitization materials

-lack of relative training on HIV/AIDS

On finishing his presentation, the coordinator of the central Africa and Madagascar sub region, solicited for technical support from the Pan African Coordination, for the organization of sessions in the coming days in the Central African Republic , Gabon , Congo Brazza and in the countries where actions were undertaken, but in a partial way.

2. East Africa .

First of all we were given the geography of East Africa by Mr. Charles Ochero who is the coordinator of this sub region, he then recalled on the multiple activities IMCS undertook in this sub region.

In 2004 a sub regional session was held at Morogoro in Tanzania .

In 2005, a workshop on the fight against HIV/AIDS was held in Dar Es Salaam .

In Ethiopia , the 1.2% of catholic population made conditions difficult, but the IMCS did its best to organize different sessions.

In Kenya , there is a tradition of organizing parades in October for abstinence and blood testing, and this year there was also blood donation.

In 2002, in Sudan , the IMCS managed to do training on leadership, a session on HIV/AIDS with screening but with no statistics given.

The members of IMCS volunteered to serve in the hospitals.

IMCS Sudan chapter expressed its worry and concern on the bad conception that HIV/AIDS was a disease associated with Christians only.

In Uganda , we noticed political goodwill and the involvement of IMCS on its strategy on the door to door campaign.

3. West Africa .  

In his report, the representative of the west African sub region started by showing their principle challenges which comprises countries of two different languages: French and English.

In Togo , the IMCS has been engaged in the fight against HIV/Aids since 2001: it organized training in 2003 a pair of educators on the door to door campaign:

The periodic campaign two times a year especially during JMS, two days of sensitization; organized immersions in certain centers (a visit conducted by a religious community);

Project writing (knowing one’s serological status supported by the European union)

Among twenty or so students, 15 took the screening test; the IMCS Ghanaian chapter also did organize different activities known to the sensitizing campaign on the fight against HIV/Aids, a project on rural development and education, and also community visits in the rural areas.

In Senegal , the catholic students were involved in the donation of blood. They encouraged the other students to undertake voluntary screening and helped them in the sensitization through films.

In Ivory Coast , the catholic students were regrouped into cells which comprised one cell for the fight against HIV/AIDS. They preached voluntary screening: (knowing one’s serological status is choosing life) in collaborating with the NGO’s, they organized sensitization campaigns by using the door to door strategy.

4. Southern Africa Sub Region

Prisca Tente, the southern Africa sub region coordinator, talked about the activities which were conducted on the sub regional level. She talked of how in Zambia they organized debates, and had weeks consecrated to the reflection on HIV/AIDS and sexuality, visits and works in hospices of persons living with HIV/AIDS.

The IMCS Zambian chapter equally organised in 2005, a training for trainers on the campaign of proximity in this sub region.

In 2007, they introduced a campaign against poverty called (STAND UP AGAINST POVERTY CAMPAIGN) which also included the fight against AIDS.

In Zimbabwe , IMCS was introduced to different known activities:

-clean up of the city streets

-use of banners and t-shirts containing the message on the fight against HIV/AIDS. This allows them to propagate this message easily.

-organizing workshops and seminars on HIV/AIDS.

-acts of charity in orphanages for victims of HIV/AIDS.

-organization of national conferences.

IMCS in Malawi is inclined to the following activities on the fight against HIV/AIDS:

-organization of conferences on HIV/AIDS

-Apostolate in secondary schools.

-Apostolate in hospitals.

Even though IMCS in this sub region had organized these activities; it faces different challenges in knowing or understanding the academic calendars which differ from one institution to another. Another challenge is lack of funds. The sub region has a program to reinforce the national movements for their proper self financing.

Different facilitators and panelists have shown how to overcome the challenges presented by the representatives of the different sub regions.

Among the panelist’s, we had the government representatives, Dr. KAMEND Josephine, the NGO’s, Mr. Max NDONG NJOKE (consultant), and from the church, Father Gustave MOHOMYE (Diocesan chaplain, Archdiocese of Douala), while the principle facilitator was Madam Dr. Pulcherie

The testimonies of persons living with HIV/AIDS, Clementine and SOPON Saleimane, reminded the participants of the gravity of the pandemic of HIV/AIDS. Note that these witnesses were accompanied with the visit to the persons living with HIV/AIDS in the city of Douala .

Apart from the activities of the sessions, the participants of the Douala session took advantage of the occasion to visit His Eminence the Archbishop of Douala. The latter was overjoyed from this visit and he gave the participants an opportunity to share their experiences of IMCS and of their origin with other Christians from Cameroon , by means of the interview accorded to them by RADIO VERITAS.

Before the session ended, the participants made a declaration which contained recommendations addressed to the church and the governments.

The session ended on 9^th November with a closing mass celebrated by Father Fratern Masawe, S.J, the Pan African Chaplain of the IMCS, who also did participate in this session.

FINAL DECLARATION OF DOUALA

The International Movement of  Catholic Students IMCS Pax Romana Africa, gathered in the University center at the John Paul II PK 21 Center in Douala from the 4^th to the 6^th of November 2007 for an evaluative session of its actions against HIV/AIDS; after the lectures and hearing of reports from different sub regional delegates as well as from some partners involved in the fight in particular the church, the government and the NGO’s: it should also be noted that the youth, especially the students, constitute the level in the society that is most affected; this in particular is:

Ø      The belief in some certain traditions explains the existence of HIV/AIDS

Ø      The culture of laissez-faire and above all, the reality about HIV/AIDS simply being put to be a disease associated with Christians

Ø      The Stigmatization of students who are HIV positive

A strong point proceeded from the IMCS when it reiterated its commitment in the fight against HIV/Aids in the University centers, in favour of its approach for the door to door campaign initiated since 2002, it made the following recommendations:

To The Church

Ø      To strive in its prophetic mission in the promotion of values which take into account the respect for human life which has dignity and is sacred?

Ø      To sustain and be part of the actions of the young Christians who are involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

To The Government and the Local NGO’s Involved in the Fight

Ø      Make the fight against HIV/AIDS the number one priority if we really want to achieve the fight against poverty.

Ø      To enable the students to implement their projects in the fight against HIV/AIDS, and also make a follow up and take charge of their activities according to their needs.

                                                                               Done in Doula, 9th November 2007