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One more step in Aids fight
by Simon Kivamwo
1.17.04
Sunday Observer
: http://www.ipp.co.tz/ipp/observer/2004/01/17/4032.html
A meeting for launching an international Advisory Board on inter-religious
initiatives on the fight against HIV/AIDS starts in Dar es Salaam tomorrow, Pernessa
Seele, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Balm In Gilead told the Sunday Observer
yesterday.
The board members will pioneer all the anti-HIV/AIDS initiatives in their respective
countries.
This, according to Pernessa, is a landmark achievement of the efforts started
in January 2002 when, Balm In Gilead, US-based NGO launched what it termed as:
Africa HIV/AIDS Faith Initiative in six African countries.
The efforts which took Balm In Gilead to Tanzania, Cote d’Ivoire, Kenya,
South Africa, Nigeria and Zimbabwe aimed at encouraging religious leaders to help
meet the needs of faith institutions that respond to the HIV/AIDS crisis amongst
Africans.
The initiatives targeted top religious leaders from both Christians and Muslim
denominations.
Speaking to the Observer yesterday, Pernessa who was in the company of Rev.
E. Mugarura, a Ugandan, remarked: “We are finally here to launch the board...this
was our long time dream...it has finally been fulfilled.”
She said the board to be launched tommorrow at the Tanzania Episcopal Conference
Centre (TEC) will include high ranking religious leaders from the participating
countries.
“They have demonstrated a high level of seriousness in the fight against
the AIDS pandemic...to us, this is a very big achievement,” she said.
From Tanzania, according to Pernessa, the board will include Bishop Severine
Niwemugizi, President of Catholic Secretariat of TEC, Rev.Fr.Dr. Pius Rutechura,
Secretary General of Catholic secretariat of TEC and Rt.Rev.Dr. Samson Mushemba,
the President of Christian Council of Tanzania (CCT).
Others are Rev.Dr. Leornard Mtaita, General secretary of CCT, Rt.Rev.Aloysius
Balina,Bishop of Catholic Diocese of Shunyanga, Sheikh Issa Shaban Simba, the
Mufti of National Muslims Council of Tanzania (BAKWATA) and Al Haj Othman Ntaro,
Secretary General of BAKWATA.
From Kenya are Archbishop Benjamin Mwanzia Nzimbi, Bishop Williams Waqo, Bishop
Jefferson Nyatuka, Sheikh Hamad Muhammad Kassim and Professor Abdul Ghafur El
Busaidy.
Members from Cote d’Ivoire are, The Most Rev. Aggrey Yollande, Bishop
Benjamin Boni and Apostle Traore Sidiki, while Nigeria is represented by Dr.AbdullLateef
Adegbite, Hajia Khairat O.O.Sodiqua, Dr. Mike Okonkwo and Rt.Rev.Dr.Alfred Adewale
Martins.
Zimbabwe will be represented by Rev. Morembedzi Kuchera and Rev.Fr.Walter Nyatsanza.
Also in the list are USA’s Imam Talib Abdul-Rashi and Rev.Dr.Alton B.Pollard
III, who is the Director and Associate Professor of Religious and Culture at Emory
University, Candler School of Theology.
Over the past 15 years, the Balm In Gilead’s pioneering achievements have
enabled thousands of African American churches to become leaders in preventing
HIV by providing comprehensive educational programmes and offering compassionate
support to encourage those infected to seek and maintain treatment.
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