WCC > Programmes > Justice, diakonia and responsibility for creation > HIV/AIDS Initiative in Africa (EHAIA)

 

Churches in Africa, rooted in communities, are influential institutions which can be a force for transformation - bringing healing, hope and accompaniment to all people affected by HIV.

EHAIA was launched in 2002 to enable churches in Africa to access information, training, resources and make contact with other churches and bodies working in the same field to help them deal with AIDS in their communities.

Initially an "ecumenical initiative", EHAIA reached about 9000 participants during its first four years. Reports from its meetings tell moving stories of insights gained and how churches and individuals changed in their attitude to sero-positive persons.

The project now brings an ecumenical dimension to the churches’ care, education and counselling programmes. It strives to assist churches and related organizations to achieve professional levels of efficiency, coordination, capacity-building and communication in all HIV-related activities.

A project leader and assistant based at the WCC in Geneva, five regional offices and regional consultants, and two theological consultants staff the project, with guidance from an international and regional reference groups and in collaboration with the All Africa Conference of Churches, sub-regional church fellowships, national councils of churches and associations of people living with HIV.

EHAIA conducts workshops and training programmes; responds to individual requests for advice from churches on HIV church policy development, pastoral training or project planning support; and distributes information and resource materials in the regions and via a website and electronic newsletter.

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This workplace policy is in keeping with the on-going work of the WCC and with the statement adopted by the WCC Central Committee which outlined a series of actions which churches could undertake in responding to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. It is informed by the ILO and UNAIDS workplace policies.
To promote the greater participation of people living with HIV, churches and communities need to go beyond dealing with individuals. These guidelines are to help churches to reach out to others skilfully and in a planned way by highlighting the reasons for forming partnerships and some of the challenges, and by suggesting some ways forward.
This document has been written to accompany the above document. Whereas the partnership document explores WHY churches should work with People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) organizations and networks, this document focuses on HOW churches may work with PLWHA organizations and networks.

 
Related publications

Keep the promise

Keep the promise is a teaching resource on advocacy and HIV/AIDS produced by the Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance (EAA). Designed to help teachers run classes on HIV and AIDS and get students motivated to take action to fight the pandemic, the booklet provides background information, of HIV and AIDS in our world.