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Friday, April 5 - Thursday, April 11, 2002
Côte d'Ivoire, West Africa

"Together Let's Fight Against AIDS"

For many of the team members, our first stop was the most exciting even before we left the U.S. Côte d'Ivoire, also known as the Ivory Coast, was a place none of us had ever been. We joked about how eager we were to pull out rusty high school French skills as we made our way through the international airports in New York, London, Paris, and finally, Abidjan. Of course, we were also nervous because our experiences in this country would set the tone for the rest of our 6-week journey.

After what seemed like an eternity spent in airport lounges and at baggage claims, The Balm In Gilead team arrived safely in Abidjan, the commercial capital of Cote D'Ivoire. Our partners there met us quite eagerly at the airport, which was a good indication of the energy for the week to come. We joked around, passing along a few "Bienvenues" and "Bonjours" and we shared a good meal of local fish and chicken, alloco (fried sweet plantains) and rice. But soon we got to the root of why we had come.

HIV/AIDS is the greatest death threat of our time and blacks in the Diaspora are facing a major catastrophe. The highest HIV/AIDS infections rates in the world are in sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean, and the black community in the U.S. It's the leading cause of death in all those communities and young people are the worst hit, representing 50% of the new infections globally. According to UNAIDS, Côte d'Ivoire has a population of 15.6 million people and is reported to have the highest rate of HIV infection in West Africa. The number of AIDS orphans in Cote D'Ivoire is reported to be nearly half a million and growing.

The response of the faith-based community here has been slow and without their help in prevention and outreach efforts, the numbers could rival countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Faith-based communities have the potential to make the most impact in the fight against HIV/AIDS in communities of color and the time to start this work is now. Based on the success The Balm In Gilead has had in the black faith community in the U.S., partnerships are now being forged in Africa to support the work churches and mosques there are already doing and to provide them with additional resources.

The Balm In Gilead has gained the respect and partnership endorsements of the Catholic Conference and the Council of Churches in Côte d'Ivoire. Pastor Gabriel Kpokame Kouagia Kaya, Secretary of the Apostles, Église de Pentecoste du Côte d'Ivoire, is excited about this partnership with Côte d'Ivoire's Christian community. "We used to think that we should not speak of AIDS in the church. Working with The Balm In Gilead over these several weeks has changed my mind. We are now gathering our leaders in Côte d'Ivoire, spreading the information, and taking action" Says Kaya.

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