2007 G8 Summit Magazine - (Page 54) became a highway for the disease, spreading it into the hinterlands. People were dying. Because it made its victims skinny and wasted, the disease was given the name “Slim”. For over 5 years our people suffered with the disease without a proper scientific and medical explanation as to why we were dying. Hence, the disease spread like wildfire with no remedy in sight. When I finished University, I chose to go back home to be part of the fight against poverty and the AIDS epidemic. Since then, this is what I have seen. The challenge of HIV and poverty cannot be met by simply sending resources into Africa. Sporadic and bureaucratic giving has not only failed to help, but has lead to increased cases of corruption leaving those in need still wanting. No, the solution is not simply resources. The point to address is how to develop a sustainable response within these communities by empowering the cherished, established, and trusted institutions. In Rakai, I have seen many relief projects begin with power and very soon, I’ve seen them fade away. But, the churches I saw serving the needs of Rakai in 1986, are still there and serving today. I have seen resources channeled through the local church that reach the grassroots level of society where other projects have failed. When other projects come to an end, the church remains. For years the church has been viewed as a stigmatizing institution with regard to AIDS, but in Africa, it is considered a vital part of the affected communities. The church, by nature, is community based. The leaders are part of the community and live with the people. They dig, plant, harvest, and eat with one another. They provide comfort and care with or without resources. I have found that they are a strong ally in the struggle against AIDS and poverty. Throughout my years of concentrated effort and involvement, I am convinced that the more we use the local church to reach the needs of the poor and dying, the more resources get to the recipients who need it most. Projects, both international and local, phase out, but the church remains in the community. Projects run out of money but the church does not run out of comforting words and caring behaviors. The church will continue to be the main source of human care and volunteers long after international aid programs cease. away with HIV/AIDS. When I picked up a child and felt his malnourished form in my arms, my heart cried out over his suffering. I mourned that this child should not be dying. He should be running, jumping, and playing – innocent of the cares of tomorrow. While I still may be able to maintain some level of immunity from being infected with HIV/AIDS, I am no longer immune to being affected by it. As an international organization focused on serving the needs of children (Children’s Hunger Fund), we have been affected deeply by the problems of AIDS and poverty. Infected & Affected (Part 2: Bryan McKinney) I grew up culturally and geographically removed from HIV/ AIDS. I had learned the prejudices of my community and was satisfied that I didn’t have any responsibility to help. I had not comprehended the central and collateral destruction of this disease. I thank God that I was finally introduced to the true impact of HIV/ AIDS through the needs of a suffering child. There are few things in this world as sobering as the sight of a child wasting Here are three things we do to make a difference: We see both the Infected and the Affected. Thanks to our Ugandan brothers, we have learned to differentiate between the “infected” and the “affected”. While the growth of the “infected” with AIDS was occurring, the more alarming growth was among the “affected”. Reaching well beyond a specific population with well defined behaviors, HIV/AIDS became an equal-opportunity killer | -54-
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