Call to churches to respond to HIV and Aids challenge

ACET UK (Aids Care Education and Training) has called on churches to get involved in stemming the increase in HIV infection in the UK and worldwide ahead of World Aids Day on December 1.

ACET, which works with partners in 23 countries, including the UK, aims to mobilise churches and community organisations in the countries where it works to respond to the rising numbers of people living with HIV, as well as those dying of Aids.

ACET is encouraging church members to pray, give and get involved in volunteering and advocacy in their local community and has made a free resource pack ‘Facts for Life’ available to UK churches to give congregations an idea of what local churches can achieve.

Despite the commonly held views that HIV and AIDS is mostly an African problem, rates of infection are rising in many countries including the UK. New infections are particularly rapid in some Eastern European countries. UNAIDS figures for this year, due out this week, are expected to confirm this growth.

ACET programmes has responded by expanding its operations in Eastern Europe, where it has educated 320,000 young people on HIV prevention in the last year. ACET Ukraine runs one of the largest programmes, with church-based volunteer educators and leaders active across the country.

Meeting in a theatre, which doubles as a church on Sundays, the Toyka club is one of six the ACET team run each week in Odessa, Ukraine. The clubs draw in 2,500 young people each year from local schools for HIV prevention and outreach work.

Bashan, one youngster coming to the club for two months, said he enjoyed the fun and teaching.

“The club gives me advice on how to live and it has helped me to see this world in a more positive way, so I can be more content in life," he said. "The training lectures make me think again about this world and the problems in life and helps me consider a very different side to the problems of life."

Peter Fabian, ACET Chief Executive said, "Bashan’s story has been repeated across many programmes and countries where we work. It is so easy, faced with the millions infected with HIV around the world, to feel we can do nothing, but our experience is that local congregations in many communities are making a difference and we are asking more churches to pray and get involved as they mark World AIDS Day this year.’


On the web: Order the Facts for Life church pack at www.acet-international.org