Keep hope alive

Our Story of the Month

THE HOPE CLINIC, LIKULI REGION

Our “story of the month” features The Hope Clinic Lukuli, Lukuli region, Makindye division in Kampala district, Uganda. In partnership with Reach the Children Uganda, Hope Clinic Lukuli demonstrated how organization, planning and dedicated work can bring hope and life to young children and their parents as they battle the ongoing HIV/AIDS epidemic. In a great spirit of cooperation, the Hope Clinic Lukuli volunteer team, head-teachers, teachers and local- leaders reached 3,000 children and 6,000 parents in seven schools with the Stay Alive program and brought much needed awareness that they can “live a long loving life.”

Hope Clinic Lukuli was greatly concerned when they learned that the infection rate for the HIV/AIDS cases had increased in Uganda during 2006. Registered infections were at 130,000, up from 70,000 in 1996. There are an estimated 110,000 children living with AIDS in Uganda with 2.5 million children who have been affected and infected by the virus. Studies predicted that in 5 years, 1 million new cases will be reported in Uganda alone. It was obvious to Hope Clinic Lukuli that just giving information to the people was not enough. There desire was to eliminate the risk not just reduce the risk of contracting the virus. They felt it was necessary to give the students in the Lukuli region clear information, skills and activities that would turn the educational information into action and help them to make life-long commitments to abstain from sex until marriage and to practice total fidelity within marriage. Their best efforts were needed to give the rising generation the support and strength in their journey to adulthood with a hope to stay alive.

Phillips Mitchell, secretary for Hope Clinic Lukuli, researched the internet for a free program that would reach out to children with HIV/AIDS messages. He came across United Families International's Stay Alive program. Inspired by the good in the program, Phillips approached Reach the Children Uganda to work together to bring the Stay Alive program into the schools in Lukuli district.

Stay Alive's purpose is to make a difference in the lives of children by helping them make good choices, realize their worth, live responsibly with integrity and have the power to develop healthy relationships. The principles and concepts in this program will not only save an entire generation from HIV/AIDS but give them hope and the ability to uplift their morals and family values. “One child at a time.” was their goal as they endeavored to spread the Stay Alive program to the children and local communities around Hope Clinic Lukuli.

RTC and Hope Clinic Lukuli established a simple process of how to apply these concepts: know, show, go and grow.

The first step is to know these principles before you can show or teach them. In the pilot phase they endeavored to train stakeholders, head-teachers, teachers and parents to know and understand the program. Support and approval from the community leaders, Kampala City Council, and division and zone leaders was essential to the sustainability of the program and to map out the actual schools and zones they would be working in before they introduced the project. Work-shops were organized to teach the head-teachers and teachers from the seven targeted schools how to implement the program in their schools. Parent meetings introduced them to the program and their essential role in communicating with their children and helping them develop the skills taught.

It is critically important that those training the children model or show the children how to live these same principles. This is more important than hearing the principles. It is paramount that individuals involved in this program live the values and principles that they teach others.

The go is the actual teaching of Stay Alive lessons to the children. These lessons and principles were taught by the newly trained teachers at the schools. A critical part of the success of the Stay Alive program was the parent/guardian discussions aimed at helping parents discuss the lessons at home, giving greater value to newly learned knowledge. They also gave birth to a supplemental program called “Stay Alive Treats." These activities helped the children put the theoretical skills they have learned into practical experiences. The activities - drama, songs, poems, games and video shows -- were held every Saturday at Hope Clinic Lukuli to supplement the lessons learned in the classroom. They proved to be an enticement for the children and an effective tool in the mobilization drive as well, helping to enhance the value of the Stay Alive activities to the community.

The last process is to grow. You have to let the program grow with us and the children. Part of this growth comes in the form of Stay Alive clubs. Eight school Stay Alive clubs were organized as well as some Parent Clubs where parents meet to strengthen each other in living and teaching these new concepts. They ask themselves these questions:

• Are these principles really taking hold in the lives of the children?

• Is it becoming a natural part of their lives?

The Stay Alive Music and Picture gala in the schools marked the climax of their project. The Gala helped the children to interplay between the skills and concepts taught and how they translated these concepts into real life situations. In almost every drama presented, the children climaxed in tears and disparity, driving the messages even deeper into the hearts of the parents, teachers and members of the audience. The importance of the role of parents appeared predominantly in many of the songs and creative dances. Following is a poem written by a student for the Music gala.

 

HIV/AIDS is increasingly a problem for the young. Yet young people are the greatest hope for stopping the epidemic because they are more likely than adults to adopt and maintain safe behaviors. We must take personal responsibility for the war on AIDS. We will save ourselves, one person, one family, one community at a time. We must have hope and a way forward!

In-order to take action we must believe that we can win. A key element in fighting the AIDS battle in Uganda is convincing people that they can beat the virus, and helping them understand specifically what they can do. This Hope Clinic Stay Alive project joined the world in the struggle against HIV/AIDS. They are determined not only to STAY ALIVE but to convince others, especially the children, that they can Stay Alive! The Stay Alive motto rings strong in their hearts: “I WILL LIVE A LONG, LOVING LIFE.”