Guest guest Posted October 26, 2004 Report Share Posted October 26, 2004 Hi to readers, Well there is nothing like a little adversity to create some additional interest to the tasks at hand. A customer of the hotel who was there when the dramas were unfolding got involved and he has links with a young Kenyan fellow who is working with street children and the families living with HIV/AIDS who visited yesterday, and who has great contacts because of the voluntary community development work that he does in Kaleura West. He is Edgar. Then there is our good friend an orphan carer and one of my colleagues from Uganda presently in Nairobi who has links with a Kenyan into theatre production. has been acting as my body guard as well as auditioning for a film crew trying to make topical short movie titles for TV. Not to be forgotten is our good friend Fredrick from Kibera who took me on a tour of the slum and enabled me to speak to many young people about the mission of risk management and prevention. Some were without effective cell phone connectivity and this has been corrected. Over some long lunches and the exchange of cell numbers some very clear direction is emerging about forward strategies using a wealth of connections mutually held. An invitation has been extended from the formal Kenyan Disability Group to extend support to Fredrick as part of their existing portfolio which may well improve access to office space and encompass the disabled youth as of right rather than the need to seperately incorporate. I am sure that the networking that has been set in place with at least three previously good workers unknown to each other till now will create a pool of focussed energy and strategic directions. The dramas have paled into insignificance as the bruising heals and I think it is fair to conclude that some quite effective future directions and mutual support will follow. It is an ill wind that doesn't blow some good as the saying goes. Thanks for the good wishes and I am looking forward to moving to Kisumu in the Nyanza Province where it is estimated that 15% of the population is already infected with HIV. If Rev is reading this from Nyanza I have also lost your cell contacts in the stolen phone which I need to get either by email or SMS to +254 0721362901 which is my temporary cell contact number. I am also seeking contacts that might work with a 15 yr old school dropout with a very high level of intelligence but no money for the fees to stay at school. He is from Kitui. One day the Kenyan government or its educational units will realise that waiving of fees to retain kids at school will be enormously cheaper that the present rescue and relocation attempts. These kids are referred to as idlers and if they don't get the support they need they help themselves. It is amazing how circumstances of risk and threats lead to opportunities and strength. Now we need to prepare for the remedial massage sessions for the carers so that they are valued as they serve their communities. Over and out Geoffrey --- Janet Feldman <kaippg@...> wrote: >Dear Geoff and All, >Hello and so glad to know you have weathered some >very scary and difficult days, and we pray that will >continue to be the case! Thanks so much for this >report, albeit very sobering and in some ways >disheartening. Amazing, though, the courage and >tenacity of people who are faced with so much of >life's difficulties and yet the manage both to keep >going and to find some joy and spark of creativity >and activism. Perhaps even because of the struggles, >as well as in spite of them. > >Please keep the reports coming, and maybe we can >write up some kind of tally and possible action >scenarios from all of the material you have >presented, ie who is doing what, what the contacts >of the people/groups are, what is needed. Some >things--like adequate treatment for all--will not be >addressed by our efforts alone, but for that there >is coalition-building and networking, joining forces >with others to affect national and international >policies. > >Again, thanks so much and take the best of care! >With love to you and all there, Janet (special hugs >for my " lieutenant " !) > Geoff Heaviside Convenor - Brimbank Community Initiatives Inc Secretary - International Centre for Health Equity Inc Member - Australasian Society for HIV Medicine Inc P.O. Box 606 Sunshine 3020 . Australia. Ph: 0418 328 278 Ph/Fax : (61 3) 9449 1856 or in India Mr Geoff Heaviside Mobile : (91) 9840 097 178 (Only when in India) " Concern for what is right causes us to do our best - Knowledge of what is best inspires us to do what is right. " Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 27, 2004 Report Share Posted October 27, 2004 Dear Evatt, You say that the root cause of AIDS is unemployment. Others say that it is gender inequity. Others say it is poverty. Others bame other root causes. How can anything in AIDS be a root cause if it is not related to sex? Parlamentarians are not poor, some of them too are HIV postive, Magic is not poor but HIV postive. The root cause of AIDS is what we do to each other when having sex. It does not matter if we are in or out of jobs. I have never understood why poor people or unemployed people would have more sex than others. I can understand that some sell sex, but that can not be the majority. In any case, I am happy, Evatt, for your postings. I find it very, very encouraging that you are so bold about sexual health education. I wish you would do some peer education on that! Cheers Calle African Opinion > > >Date: Mon, 25 Oct 2004 19:08:40 +1000 > > > > > > > > >Hello from Nairobi where Outlaw and disorder reigns supreme. > > > > > >Together with my body guard I have been mingling with those who > > >serve >the > > >infected and affected communities in this national capital. > > > > > >Apart from the verbal evidence I have collected supporting a change > > >in > >the > > >paradigm for care support and prevention I just wanted to quote a >Kenyan > >- > > > " .......Unemployment among the youth has resulted in high risk > > >sexual behaviour due to idleness and frustrations. Without access > > >to any other form of entertainment, many young women and men > > >indulge in casual sex > >resulting > > >in unwanted pregnancies. Doctors are also leaving the government > >employment > > >and setting up backstreet clinics where they procure abortions. > > >Lack of sex education is also to blame. Most of the young people > > >who indulge in casual sex are ignorant of the attendant risks. > > >The Government should introduce sex education in school, right from the > > >elementary level. There's nothing ethical about adults failing in their > > >sacred duty of responsible parenthood by hiding behind religion and > > >morality. " > > >This letter scored the rating of the Debate of the Day in the local > >media. > > > > > >I also had a meeting with 10 representatives from a potential self > > >help group comprising a number of infected members who are trying > > >to make a difference in their community. To be able to speak as a > > >group they need > >to > > >be registered. The daily income of the members is 30/-ksh working > > >as > >coffee > > >plantation workers. Two of these ladies were grandmothers over 80 >caring > > >for > > >orphans. > > >Some of them obviously need medicine yet they can't even afford the >cost > >of > > >an Xray at the local hospital where they receive treatment. Each > > >lady or working age works in the coffee plantations and they work > >from > > >6.00am till 3.00pm but because of their frailty they can only pick > > >one container per day for which they receive 30/-ksh. They live in > > >a slum but at least 10/-ksh goes in rent. The rest is >spend > >on > > >food and clothing 20/-ksh per day and for that they only get one > > >meal. Some of the group have been trying to get assistance for them > > >and they > >are > > >seeking registration. The fee to be registered is 700/-ksh. There > > >is considerable amount of social capital in the work they are > > >proposing if they can get some support. > > >Just for the record I asked about availability of ARV's for those who > >will > > >not live without the assistance of medicine. I was told the cost is > > >4000/-ksh per month. They only know one person who has access and > > >he is having difficulty because he can't afford the food that makes > > >the > >medicine > > >work properly. > > >Well they now have the 700/-ksh for the registration which has made >them > > >all > > >very joyous but there is nothing joyful about the prognosis. There > > >was little point of talking about managing toxicity when no one > >will > > >effectively be able to have access to it. They are also mostly > > >spouses >of > > >partners who are also infected. > > > > > >Another activity was to assist disabled young kenyans to form their > > >own national association. They were telling me that there are > > >formal associations for disabled and paraplegics but no one who is > > >disabled >and > > >just the occasional paraplegic actually works in these agencies. > > >They provide no direct access and most disabled still beg or sell > > >sweets >from > > >their tricycles. > > > > > >Just a report from the trenches. > > > > > >Geoffrey > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >Geoff Heaviside > > >Convenor - Brimbank Community Initiatives Inc > > >Secretary - International Centre for Health Equity Inc Member - > > >Australasian Society for HIV Medicine Inc P.O. Box 606 Sunshine > > >3020 . Australia. > > >Ph: 0418 328 278 > > >Ph/Fax : (61 3) 9449 1856 > > > > > >or in India > > >Mr Geoff Heaviside > > > > > >Mobile : (91) 9840 097 178 (Only when in India) > > > > > > " Concern for what is right causes us to do our best - Knowledge of > > >what > >is > > >best inspires us to do what is right. " > > > > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ Get ready for school! Find articles, homework help and more in the Back to School Guide! http://special.msn.com/network/04backtoschool.armx http://www./group/ http://www./group/aids-africa (a group made up of Africans worldwide) Join Digital Africa- an information technology group that discusses IT in Africa at http://www./group/digafrica Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 28, 2004 Report Share Posted October 28, 2004 Calle: Let's all be honest about this. To day that unemployment or gender inequality or poverty is the root cause of the HIV/AIDS pandemic is simplistic. It is also simplistic to just point to sex. If we are ever to make a difference in this tragedy, we must recognize the fact that this is a very complex issue that cannot addressed by focusing on any one issue. All of the things listed contribute to the spread of HIV. Unemployment, gender inequality, poverty, and many cultural traditions in every culture play a role in leading people into contacts with the infected that can result in transmission. Each one must be addressed for us to be successful. I am new to this group and very much appreciate the insights being shared that are helping me understand the situation in Kenya so much better. Thanks to all. Duane Crumb > > Dear Evatt, > You say that the root cause of AIDS is unemployment. > Others say that it is gender inequity. Others say it is poverty. > Others bame other root causes. > How can anything in AIDS be a root cause if it is not related to sex? > Parlamentarians are not poor, some of them too are HIV postive, Magic > is not poor but HIV postive. > The root cause of AIDS is what we do to each other when having sex. It > does not matter if we are in or out of jobs. > I have never understood why poor people or unemployed people would have > more sex than others. > I can understand that some sell sex, but that can not be the majority. > In any case, I am happy, Evatt, for your postings. I find it very, very > encouraging that you are so bold about sexual health education. I wish > you would do some peer education on that! > Cheers > Calle > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 28, 2004 Report Share Posted October 28, 2004 Dear Calle, Thank you for nyour compliments on my postings. I would like you to understand where I based my self to point out that umemployment is a root cause of HIv infection and AIDS disease. Of course we have so many factors we could consider to be the root cause of HIV/AIDS but it all depends on a given community and the context in which AIDS displays it self in that particular population. This one was a case where young people indulge in sex because they have nothing to do. Someone rushes to suggest the implementation of sex education in all education institutions,which is a good idea but out of context for this particular problem. That is the basis of my argument. I am closing myparticipation around this topic so that I can have time to discuss other issues. Thank you. Evatt >From: " Almedal, Calle " <almedalc@...> >Reply-AIDS treatments ><AIDS treatments > >Subject: RE: African Opinion >Date: Wed, 27 Oct 2004 09:13:53 +0200 > > >Dear Evatt, >You say that the root cause of AIDS is unemployment. >Others say that it is gender inequity. Others say it is poverty. >Others bame other root causes. >How can anything in AIDS be a root cause if it is not related to sex? >Parlamentarians are not poor, some of them too are HIV postive, Magic > is not poor but HIV postive. >The root cause of AIDS is what we do to each other when having sex. It >does not matter if we are in or out of jobs. >I have never understood why poor people or unemployed people would have >more sex than others. >I can understand that some sell sex, but that can not be the majority. >In any case, I am happy, Evatt, for your postings. I find it very, very >encouraging that you are so bold about sexual health education. I wish >you would do some peer education on that! >Cheers >Calle > > > African Opinion > > > >Date: Mon, 25 Oct 2004 19:08:40 +1000 > > > > > > > > > > > >Hello from Nairobi where Outlaw and disorder reigns supreme. > > > > > > > >Together with my body guard I have been mingling with those who > > > >serve > >the > > > >infected and affected communities in this national capital. > > > > > > > >Apart from the verbal evidence I have collected supporting a change > > > > >in > > >the > > > >paradigm for care support and prevention I just wanted to quote a > >Kenyan > > >- > > > > " .......Unemployment among the youth has resulted in high risk > > > >sexual behaviour due to idleness and frustrations. Without access > > > >to any other form of entertainment, many young women and men > > > >indulge in casual sex > > >resulting > > > >in unwanted pregnancies. Doctors are also leaving the government > > >employment > > > >and setting up backstreet clinics where they procure abortions. > > > >Lack of sex education is also to blame. Most of the young people > > > >who indulge in casual sex are ignorant of the attendant risks. > > > >The Government should introduce sex education in school, right from >the > > > >elementary level. There's nothing ethical about adults failing in >their > > > >sacred duty of responsible parenthood by hiding behind religion and > > > >morality. " > > > >This letter scored the rating of the Debate of the Day in the local > > >media. > > > > > > > >I also had a meeting with 10 representatives from a potential self > > > >help group comprising a number of infected members who are trying > > > >to make a difference in their community. To be able to speak as a > > > >group they need > > >to > > > >be registered. The daily income of the members is 30/-ksh working > > > >as > > >coffee > > > >plantation workers. Two of these ladies were grandmothers over 80 > >caring > > > >for > > > >orphans. > > > >Some of them obviously need medicine yet they can't even afford the > >cost > > >of > > > >an Xray at the local hospital where they receive treatment. Each > > > >lady or working age works in the coffee plantations and they work > > >from > > > >6.00am till 3.00pm but because of their frailty they can only pick > > > >one container per day for which they receive 30/-ksh. They live in > > > >a slum but at least 10/-ksh goes in rent. The rest is > >spend > > >on > > > >food and clothing 20/-ksh per day and for that they only get one > > > >meal. Some of the group have been trying to get assistance for them > > > > >and they > > >are > > > >seeking registration. The fee to be registered is 700/-ksh. There > > > >is considerable amount of social capital in the work they are > > > >proposing if they can get some support. > > > >Just for the record I asked about availability of ARV's for those >who > > >will > > > >not live without the assistance of medicine. I was told the cost is > > > > >4000/-ksh per month. They only know one person who has access and > > > >he is having difficulty because he can't afford the food that makes > > > > >the > > >medicine > > > >work properly. > > > >Well they now have the 700/-ksh for the registration which has made > >them > > > >all > > > >very joyous but there is nothing joyful about the prognosis. There > > > >was little point of talking about managing toxicity when no one > > >will > > > >effectively be able to have access to it. They are also mostly > > > >spouses > >of > > > >partners who are also infected. > > > > > > > >Another activity was to assist disabled young kenyans to form their > > > > >own national association. They were telling me that there are > > > >formal associations for disabled and paraplegics but no one who is > > > >disabled > >and > > > >just the occasional paraplegic actually works in these agencies. > > > >They provide no direct access and most disabled still beg or sell > > > >sweets > >from > > > >their tricycles. > > > > > > > >Just a report from the trenches. > > > > > > > >Geoffrey > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >Geoff Heaviside > > > >Convenor - Brimbank Community Initiatives Inc > > > >Secretary - International Centre for Health Equity Inc Member - > > > >Australasian Society for HIV Medicine Inc P.O. Box 606 Sunshine > > > >3020 . Australia. > > > >Ph: 0418 328 278 > > > >Ph/Fax : (61 3) 9449 1856 > > > > > > > >or in India > > > >Mr Geoff Heaviside > > > > > > > >Mobile : (91) 9840 097 178 (Only when in India) > > > > > > > > " Concern for what is right causes us to do our best - Knowledge of > > > >what > > >is > > > >best inspires us to do what is right. " > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >_________________________________________________________________ >Get ready for school! Find articles, homework help and more in the Back >to >School Guide! http://special.msn.com/network/04backtoschool.armx > > > > > > > >http://www./group/ >http://www./group/aids-africa (a group made up of >Africans worldwide) Join Digital Africa- an information technology group >that discusses IT in Africa at >http://www./group/digafrica > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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