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HIV/AIDS candlelight memorial to focus on unity
Staff Reporter. 30 May 2003. The Star. Republished courtesy of Independent Newspapers (Pty) Ltd.
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The Salvation Army, a pioneer in caring for those affected by HIV/AIDS, will hold its annual candlelight Celebration of Hope in Soweto on Sunday.
It will aim to unite the government, non-governmental organisations and communities in a bid to address the problems of access to HIV/AIDS assistance resources.
The day's events will begin at 10am in the Great Hall of Vista University, when officials from the departments of Health and Social Services, loveLife, SoulCity, the Township AIDS Project, the Tsabotsogo Community Project and the Salvation Army will provide information about their services.
Activities for children will be provided by churches and the Department of Sport and Recreation.
Exhibits will remain open throughout the day as two marches proceed through Soweto. Both begin at 1pm, the first from Koos Beukes Clinic (formerly St John's Clinic), and the second from the Mayibuye garage.
The marches will join up at the gate of Vista University before proceeding to the Great Hall for the candlelight service at 2pm.
"During the service, people often disclose their HIV status for the first time," said Major Lenah Jwili, who heads the HIV/AIDS office of the Salvation Army for Southern Africa.
"In the past we have opened the wound and left it," she said. But this year counsellors, would be present after the service to provide additional support to those who need it.
Jwili added that coping with disclosure was often initially more difficult for HIV-positive people than contracting the virus itself.
She said a major aim of Sunday's event was to encourage a better atmosphere for disclosure.
"The environment is not safe or healthy (for disclosure)," Jwili said. "We've got a problem and we can't run away from it."
Jwili started the HIV/AIDS office of the Salvation Army in 1993, driven by her personal desire to give HIV-positive children abandoned in hospitals a place to live and thrive. - Staff Reporter
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