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World AIDS Day Announcement
EXCITE.COM (CA) (WWW)
WebExcite.com (CA) via World Wide Web
12/01/2001
Source Website: http://news.excite.com
The Balm In Gilead Launches International Program to Engage Churches in Six
African Countries in Addressing AIDS Nation's Only AIDS Organization Targeting
Black Churches Now Expands Its Work To Churches in Sub-Saharan Africa.
NEW YORK, Nov. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- For World AIDS Day 2001, The Balm In Gilead,
the nation's only organization dedicated exclusively to empowering churches to
address HIV/AIDS in the Black community, announces the launch of its new international
faith-based initiative. With funding from the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), The Balm In Gilead's African Faith Initiative is designed to
engage churches in addressing HIV/AIDS in six African countries: Cote d'Ivoire,
Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe.
"With privilege and honor, The Balm In Gilead accepts the call to expand
its commitment to work with faith communities to address the impact of the AIDS
epidemic on the African continent," says Pernessa Seele, CEO and Founder,
The Balm In Gilead. "This historical initiative will motivate the leadership
of faith communities to seek effective and culturally appropriate ways to address
the destructive force of AIDS throughout the African Diaspora."
The participation of religious institutions and leaders in addressing HIV/AIDS
throughout Africa is essential. The Balm In Gilead's Africa initiative will work
closely with the faith communities within each country to seek ways that faith-based
organizations can use their influence, resources and public forums for a number
of vital efforts including: disseminating HIV prevention education; supporting
interventions that help decrease mother-to- child HIV transmission; encouraging
and assisting with voluntary HIV testing and counseling programs; and addressing
the horrendous challenge of children orphaned by AIDS.
In 1998, 67 percent of the world's AIDS cases were in Sub-Saharan Africa --
an estimate of 22.5 million cases. The World Health Organization reveals that
the disease is the leading cause of death in Africa. In the United States, AIDS
is the number one cause of death for African American men and women aged 25 to
44, before heart disease, cancer and homicide.
The Balm In Gilead is the only organization in the United States dedicated
exclusively to empowering churches to address HIV/AIDS in the Black community.
Over the past 13 years, The Balm In Gilead's pioneering achievements have enabled
thousands of churches to become leaders in preventing HIV by providing comprehensive
educational programs and offering compassionate support to encourage those infected
to seek and maintain treatment.
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