Engaging Communities against HIV/AIDS

By Agha Ibiam, 10.26.2006

The recent visit by the United State Embassy in Nigeria and the Families Alive, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), based in Lagos to Olurunda Development Centre and Oko Afo/Magbon communities, all in Badagry Local Government Area (LGA), was a follow up to an earlier understanding both organisations had with the people of the areas.
Basically, the aim of both visits was to create awareness on HIV/AIDS. The campaign programme was at the instance of the President Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which was designed by President George Bush of United States (US) in 2003 to support 15 African countries fight HIV/AIDS, of which Nigeria is inclusive.
As it is now, the fight against HIV/AIDS is no longer a burden that should be borne by governments and non-governmental organisations (NGO) alone. Communities, especially in the rural areas are now inquisitive to know more about the disease, which will enable them devise, a better approach and change of lifestyle.
Since the rural areas were the worst hit with this deadly disease as a result of ignorance, some NGOs considered it expedient to channel its human capital and material resources to those areas, all in the need to educate, counsel and perhaps treat those that might have been affected by the pandemic disease.
During the first visit to Olurunda Development Center, the US Mission’s Information Officer, Dr. Rudolp Stewart, who was impressed by the lake and empty fishponds beside the secretariat. He thought how the place could be revitalised to help boost economic buoyancy of the people. A convincing explanation by the Head of Department, Agriculture in the council, Mrs. Mariam Attah, however, prompted Stewart to source for funds that would help the council go into full-scale fish farming.
Jocularly, Stewart promised the council officials that the next time he visits the place; he would like to start a fish farming with them. “I am impressed by the HOD’s persistent determination at ensuring that I keep to my promise. Though we are talking about HIV/AIDS, but it behooves on me to make a start. I told my boss about the place and he promised that if we give a grant, it would be a commensurate help for the community. That is why today, we have a grant written in the name of the council to help impact on the community.
“So, we have a grant of N570,000, which will help clear the ponds and stock it with fish. The product could be supplied to the community and the proceeds used for other ventures. The grant is towards poverty eradication in Olurunda which will also have a positive effect on those that are affected with HIV/AIDS”, Stewart said. His counterpart, Mr. Dalhatu Hamza, a programme specialist accompanied him on the visit.
Another assignment that was executed that same day was a visit to Oko Afo/Magbo community, for an event that marked the end of a peer education training to support the people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). It was also designed to equip the leaders and give them the knowledge to dispel the myths surrounding the disease.
The event was held at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Oke Morosun in Magbon community. The community was divided into five support groups, which cut across the area. The groups include landlords, Muslim leaders and Christian leaders representatives as well as traditional healers and youth leaders representatives.
During the certificate award ceremony, the groups one after the other took time to share their experiences, contributions to PLWHA and challenges facing them. Two people that were HIV/AIDS positive, Mrs. Oluwakemi and Mr. Samson Adegbite explained to the visitors how they contacted the disease.
The former said she got it through the husband, who eventually sent her packing from the matrimonial home on noticing that she was positive. Adegbite, said using “Mallam” scissors to trim his fingernails infected him. Both Oluwakemi and Adegbite, were giving some money by the Families Alive to support their visit to hospitals for treatment.
At Families Alive International, the Project Coordinator, Mr. Funsho Olamigoke said the organisation engage in the activities in an attempt to utilise resources already available to them in order to promote HIV/AIDS awareness on positive living.  Positive living according to him, means that individuals living with the virus learn to embrace and accept their situations through a change of mindset.
By accepting their status, he said, they can proceed to live full and normal lives by following the correct regime ranging from sharing information about their status through group counseling, consultation with healthcare professionals on the most effective medications for them, to maintaining a positive attitude which takes away guilt and blame, eating a balanced diet to improve their immunity, and avoiding risky behavior which could lead to further infection.
People living with HIV/AIDS however contend with several factors that constitute obstacles to positive living including of social, cultural and economy. Olamigoke said, “As a consequence of this, a great number of these folks living with the virus at varying stages of the infection remain in their cocoons unable to speak out and get support, usually until it is too late and sometimes never.
“As you know, there are strong stigmatisations associated with HIV/AIDS, and our primary objective is to assist in dispelling some of the commonly noted myths and misconceptions relating to the disease, which can leave some people hiding in shame. We have found that those who are able to embrace their situations are often hindered by other people’s perception of them.
“At times many lose their families due to lack of knowledge about the virus and its causes and the stereotyping associated with the promiscuity aspects, which are very often misleading,” he stressed.
In collaboration with PEPFAR and the US Mission in Nigeria, he said the approach for the rural poor border communities, starting with Oko Afo and Magbon in the Badagry LGA has been to educate core community influencers with multiplier effects on issues militating against positive living and jointly find solutions to them. A good level of success he said, have been recorded in those places.
Stewart said the US commitment is to eradicate HIV/AIDS. With Nigeria having the largest PLWHA because of its population, about $15 billion has been mapped out to help affected states. The US official said there has been a dramatic reduction since the project started.
He noted that since human beings are prone to failure, especially when total abstinence and faithfulness is preached, then the need to use condom becomes more beneficial. “We are subject to weakness and therefore the use of condom is the only way people can be protected. Please be very careful. I commend the effort and manner the PLWHA has stood before every one of us here to say that they are affected.
“The government of US has insisted that those who are affected have access to anti-retroviral drugs. Before the drugs came out, people thought that it was the end of the world, but that was not so. Today, there are drugs that help those affected to live. What the traditional healers are doing in this community is very helpful. They ensure that people go for test and stay on a healthy diet and remain with their drugs”, Stewart stated.
A film, titled ‘Voices of Hope’, which was not made public at the event due to some technical faults, Stewart said, was produced in most of the 15 PEPFAR countries to shed more light on ARV, eradication, stigmatisation and discrimination of HIV/AIDS.
According to Mrs. Olamigoke and Alice Kinyomi-Williams who read the welcome address and introduction respectively, the training programme involving Magbon and Oko Afo communities was informed by the need to get people to positively support PLWHA without stigmatization and discrimination.
“The issue of stigmatization and Discrimination is not peculiar to Nigeria, it is a global problem that must be seriously tackled in order to curb the spread of this disease. It is very pathetic that the prevalence rate of HIV is higher in the age group 15- 25 years with the prevalence rate in the female standing taller than the males.

Going by this, according to the developmental impact of HIV/AIDS it is estimated that 15 years down the line, the people of sub-Saharan Africa would have lost it’s able bodied work force”, Mrs. Olamigoke said.
She however insisted that this HIV/AIDS pandemic one way or the other affects everyone, either directly or indirectly through family members, colleagues and friends or as a nation. Everybody she said must join hands to support PLWHA and fight HIV stigmatisation and discrimination in order to curb the spread of this disease among us.