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Rev. Pauline Wanjiru Njiru, eastern Africa regional coordinator for the World Council of Churches Ecumenical HIV and AIDS Initiatives and Advocacy (EHAIA), has worked with young people, church leaders and parents for several years now.
Her goal is to improve AIDS response and create safe spaces for intergenerational conversations.
EHAIA helps local communities learn how to create intergenerational “safe spaces” in which children, adolescents, young people, families, faith communities and school personnel can have honest conversations about age-appropriate sex education, as well as HIV and sexual gender-based violence, one of the major drivers of HIV new infections across different age groups.
According to UNAIDS, since 2014, new infections are on the rise among adolescents and young people ages 9 to 24 years.
In a sermon at St Paul’s University on 7 June, Njiru reflected that science shows HIV is a human immunodeficiency virus that is highly preventable through proven methods.
She then shared what young people are saying: “We are under enormous pressure from our peers to engage in sex, drinking and drugs. Give us skills to deal with peer pressure.”
Young people also cite social media as a source of pressure. In addition, they explained the difficulty of finding a safe space when so many adults are sexually abusing children in a variety of settings.
Njiru also shared the point of view of parents, pastors and others in the community, comparing their words to different languages during Pentecost. “What are we hearing this Pentecost?” Njiru asked. “I am inviting you as a community to rethink Pentecost in a new way. In the first Pentecost, believers spoke in different languages and the Spirit made each to hear what was said in their own language. Let us see Pentecost as an invitation to enter into the hearts of each other and hear each other. As an institution and a community, let us hear and understand and endeavor to make a positive change.”
We must be able to hear each other and interpret the languages, Njiru continued: “Create safe spaces for you as a family to hear each other rather just crying that families are under attack.”
She prayed for wisdom to discern the times, “ears to listen to those around us,” the gift of the Holy Spirit to interpret the many languages, and courage to create safe spaces.
Information on Ecumenical HIV and AIDS Initiatives and Advocacy
