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Rwandan FBOs Helping PSI to Fight HIV/AIDS KIGALI, Rwanda, September 2, 2005 — Working with faith-based organizations (FBOs) in HIV/AIDS prevention was an obvious and necessary collaboration for PSI/Rwanda given that 98% of the population identified themselves as being "religious" in the 2003 census. PSI/Rwanda began creating partnerships with religious leaders and FBOs in 2004 and continues to expand those activities. Here are a few examples: PSI/Rwanda and the Kabuye Catholic Parish in Kigali-Ngali organized a youth campaign called "Patronage des Jeunes en vacances" in preparation for World AIDS Day 2004. Educational materials promoted the message "Anybody can contract HIV, anybody can transmit HIV, but everyone can prevent it. Go get tested for HIV." The campaign involved more than 400 parents and 300 young people who were tested for HIV. PSI/Rwanda partnered with the Commission Nationale pour la Lutte contre le SIDA (CNLS) and various Catholic priests to organize a Valentine's Day campaign warning couples of the risks of irresponsible sexual behaviour via radio and banners hung around the capital. Catholic priests, married couples and young couples participated in a two-hour radio show to discuss Valentine's Day in relation to the spread of HIV/AIDS. Call volume was so high that some callers could not get through. More recently, PSI/Rwanda partnered with various FBOs to train religious leaders on the basics of HIV/AIDS and the organization of care and support services for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). The trainings encourage FBOs to expand their educational and health care activities not only within their church assemblies but also in diocese hospitals and schools. Under this initiative, PSI/Rwanda trained 70 pastors from the Episcopal Church of Rwanda, Shyira diocese with headquarters in Ruhengeri Province and 60 pastors from the "Communauté des Eglises Evangéliques au Rwanda" in Kibungo province. The trained pastors in Ruhengeri have already reached out to their communities by holding talks with their followers about HIV/AIDS and by establishing 12 care and support associations for PLWHA. The trained pastors from Kibungo have already reached out to 47 teachers in primary and secondary schools, 134 parents, 25 representatives of youth institutions and 12 representatives of women's associations. Their aim is to break the silence surrounding sexual issues and HIV/AIDS, and to fight the stigmatisation and discrimination of PLWHA in their churches and communities. A lasting partnership has been established between the influential Bishop John Rucyahana of the Shyira diocese and PSI/Rwanda's youth VCT program. PSI/Rwanda worked with the Bishop to sign a memorandum of understanding for the establishment of a Centre Dushishoze youth VCT center in Ruhengeri that promotes abstinence, delayed sexual debut and VCT. The new center, opened officially in August, is based on the successful Centre Dushishoze in Butare that has existed for four years. These centers are youth-friendly environments that promote healthy behaviour, attitudes, and activities and strive to include livelihood and employment activities that provide youth the option and means to follow a healthy lifestyle. — Innocent Hitayezu and Julia White, PSI/Rwanda and Marie-Laure
Curie, PSI/Washington
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