Buddhists in Africa respond to the HIV/AIDS challenge

ROKPA is an international charity organisation based on the Buddhist faith, with its headquarters in Switzerland. It has active membership in Zimbabwe and South Africa, and is among the growing number of faith communities in the southern African region taking on the challenge of HIV/AIDS. "Help where help is needed" is the organisation's motto.

Women take the initiative in AIDS ministries

What is the church doing about the AIDS crisis? We put that question to a broad cross-section of church people around the country. It seems that while there is still much more that could be done, many new and imaginative ministries are being developed. That many women were involved in a caring ministry like this did not surprise us, but that almost everywhere the initiative was being taken, and the work done, by women alone, was an eye-opener. Very few men have been involved.

African Forum of Faith-Based Organisations in Reproductive Health and HIV/AIDS

?“If we are sensible and work together with the very many people who are concerned, we can make a difference ?– for so many people rely on us, and God relies on us.?” - Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu

The KZN Interfaith AIDS Forum (An initiative of World Conference on Religion and Peace.)

BIRTH OF THE KZN INTERFAITH AIDS FORUM: On the 16th August 2001, at a special meeting of multifaith religious leaders, the idea of the Interfaith Forum was born and finally came to fruition when Fabio Saini and Balwant Singh visited Durban in October 2001.

South African National Interfaith AIDS Conference: 22-23 May 2002

On 22 - 23 May, Faith-Based organisations met to consider a way forward with respect to issues of HIV/AIDS and Reproductive Health. This was the first conference of the Southern African region of the African Forum and was held in partnership with the World Conference on Religion and Peace.

African religious leaders discuss action against HIV/AIDS

Religious organisations are "better placed" to change the prevailing negative attitudes towards HIV/AIDS which have undermined efforts to contain the pandemic in many African societies, Carol Bellamy, head of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), has said.

HIV/AIDS and the role of religious leaders

Our region i.e. the Sub-Saharan Africa is the site of the fastest growing HIV epidemics in the world. Our people are dying in numbers everyday. As put in the U.N. declaration of Commitment:

HACI / WCRP Nairobi Declaration of African Religious Leaders

1. African religious Leaders call for and will establish an African Religious Leaders structure that will carry out advocacy functions on the African regional level and on the global level with government, international financial institutions, and industry to protect children and families affected by HIV/AIDS;

Two useful booklets for caregivers

Two new publications are available for those engaged or interested in caregiving, particularly those who have children in their care:

Church not given prominence in Barcelona

No main session was devoted to the role of the church or faith-based organisations at Barcelona 2002, says Dr Lucy Steinitz of the Catholic AIDS Association in Namibia. She was speaking during a press conference and launch of the 10-chapter book, "Journeys of Faith", co-authored by her and three others, Glen Williams, Canon Gideon Byamugisha and Phumzile Zondi.