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Empowering People
On our final day in Abidjan, The Balm held a press conference with the Methodist, Catholic, and Pentecostal Churches. "Together, with the help of God, we will conquer AIDS," said Reverend Benjamin Boni, the president of the Methodist Church. "HIV/AIDS is the challenge of Côte d'Ivoire, of Africa, of the whole world, and the various religious congregations must be mobilized together to effectively fight against this disease" Boni concluded.

These denominations committed themselves to mobilizing people in their congregations and in their communities, stressing the need to be at the forefront of the fight against HIV/AIDS. They came together and signed a statement solidifying their agreement to work closely and diligently in this fight, and we left with a deeper appreciation for the work they are already doing and the work we will do together in the future.

It speaks to the spiritual understanding of our people and it speaks to the bonds black people the world over need to build in this fight. What makes this partnership different is that AIDS has become the black plague of our time and we must wage this battle to save our lives, to save our people. And we must do it together.

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Click here to read the Declaration signed by the religious denominations in Côte d'Ivoire.

Click here for a map and Cote D'Ivoire Facts

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1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Declaration | Cote D'Ivoire Map