TRAINING SESSION ON THE DOOR TO DOOR STRATEGY AGAINST HIV/AIDS IN THE LUBUMBASHI UNIVERSITY CENTER , D.R.C, FROM THE 7^TH TO THE 10^TH OF OCTOBER 2007.  

In response to the objectives that IMCS Pax Romana Africa had been assigned, a training session on the door to door campaign against HIV/AIDS, a grand inter diocesan seminar was organized at the Saint Paul Centre in Lubumbashi, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, in the University center from the 7^th to the 10^th of October 2007.

This training session saw the participation of 35 students respectively from the University of Lubumbashi (UNILU) from the superior institute of statistics (ISS) and from the ISP, institute an extension of UNILU from Kasumbalessa city, on the Zambian border. All the activities of this training session took place under the aegis of Reverend Father Xavier BUGEME SJ, Vicar and University chaplain, representative of his Grace,  the Archbishop of Lubumbashi.

The activities on Monday began by meditating on the parable of the Good Samaritan. Led by the overall chairman, this meditation invited us to be this Good Samaritan who does not abandon....on the way the sick maybe they have AIDS when he finds them on the road. In our lives, we ought to always go to or approach those who suffer. This meditation was followed by a conference which was animated by Dr. Lucien KALENGA of PNMLS, on the factors which have contributed to the expansion of HIV/AIDS. Afterwards, there were testimonies from three persons living with the virus on the manner in which they have suffered from HIV/AIDS. These two women and a man were overgenerous in advising the youth on their way of life.

The following day, Dr. Joe Kabongo, the coordinator of Center for Excellence at the HGR/Sendewe, gave his lecture on partnership in the fight against HIV/AIDS. The speaker/orator started by introducing the center of excellence which is an organ of the University of Lubumbashi which deals with, and takes care of persons living with the virus. He then showed the difficulties encountered vis-à-vis the partners, notably in supplying of ARV.

 In regard to the fight against HIV/AIDS, the center for excellence proposes:

-          empowering of capacities for persons living with HIV/AIDS

-          the university of Lubumbashi , is convinced that AIDS is a problem for the health officials, on the explanations given by experts of this work.

This conference was followed by a presentation on the responsibility of IMCS- Pax Romana in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

In regard to the talks of all the three days, three institutions were asked to make planning of their activities in relation to the door to door strategy.

All these activities were closed by a mass celebrated by the university chaplain, under a note of hope (We Are Also Concerned). This message which could be well read on the T-shirts donned by the participants, was not only a simple slogan, but rather a commitment to set a reason for everyone to be able to fight against this pandemic in their lives and also in their midst.

We are therefore indebted to all those from far or near, who put their efforts to the success of this training organized against all odds and brought it back to Lubumbashi .

Alain KIPA, President IMCS DRC