Channels of Hope for HIV Facilitator Training

Who would have thought that when we wrote our last report, just three months ago, that we would still be in the midst of “lockdown” and unable to conduct face to face training? 

We are still planning on conducting the next Channels of Hope Facilitator training in the Philippines, but realistically it will be early 2021 before this happens. The same for our next training in Russian.

In the meantime we are not idle, we are working hard to put together an online Channels of Hope workshop. This will be the equivalent of a two-day workshop.

Our main outcomes are the same, to increase knowledge (and clear up wrong understandings) to address issues of the heart, weeding out stigma and discrimination, and help people know how to respond well to HIV and AIDS. 

In the meantime, our trained facilitators, who are running HIV ministries, are working hard to help clients access medication and where needed food supplies.

Thank you for standing with us in these uncertain times.

We are thrilled that we have completed the new, updated translation of the Russian training material. This project has been ongoing for well over a year. This means that we can resume training in Russian speaking countries with the latest material.

It was a huge thrill to read the comments of the translators, who all have a medical background.

• This is incredible material and just a fantastic concept!
• The situation with HIV in our region is totally terrible. It is not publicly discussed.
• Your therms about stigma and discrimination are key to what is going on here.
• This book completely changed our understanding of advocacy. These ideas are just amazing!
• Thank you for such a great and fantastic work that you do for the world!

Of course, the situation with the Coronavirus is making it hard to plan upcoming trainings. We have one scheduled for S. E. Asia in July and hope it can go ahead, but realise that we cannot take any risks and it may have to be postponed.

At this stage we are making contingency plans and holding our plans and desires with an open hand.

We are tentatively hoping to hold a Russian language training sometime after October, by then all the proofreading and type-setting of the manual should be completed.

We appreciate your continued support in these uncertain times. 

December 1st was World AIDS Day and Channels of Hope facilitators around the world took to the streets, homes and airwaves to bring a message of hope. Here are just a few examples from around the world of what they did:

In India we conducted a day of HIV awareness and teaching. Forty-five children and their parents attended. Afterwards we played games and distributed some gifts and prizes. It was a good opportunity to look back and reflect, but also to look to the future with hope.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, Annemarie has been busy running Channels of Hope workshops for faith leaders and Bible school students leading up to World AIDS Day. On World AIDS Day itself those who had attended the workshops took to pulpits around the region with HIV awareness and de-stigmatising messages. One of the students who went through the workshop is a good singer and leads a choir. He and the choir sang a special song about AIDS to commemorate World AIDS Day. Annemarie has a lot more Channels of Hope workshops and other events already planned for 2020.

In Trinidad and Tobago the front page of a newspaper featured our Channels of Hope trainer Merle, recognising her decade of selfless service to people living with HIV. Merle was also part of an initiative to flood social media with messages about HIV and AIDS.

In Zambia the team attended a Candle Night vigil. Whilst there they had the unexpected opportunity to share about the work that they are doing in Zambia. The leader of the vigil encouraged everyone in the audience to emulate the example of AIDSLink and be part of raising HIV and AIDS awareness in their communities.

"I work with a group that fights human trafficking in S.E. Asia. I was able to attend parts of an AIDSLink workshop, and later I was able to attend the full Channels of Hope facilitator's training. 

"In the country in which I am based, there is a great need for being taught on HIV. Many HIV positive people are ostracised, even by the people who are supposed to help them, because they do not understand about HIV. 

"Knowing more and better about HIV has liberated both the helpers and the people we are called to assist. The workshop helped many people to better understand the HIV positive community, and to assist in a more compassionate and helpful way. 

"But above all, the training has given many of us hope. Hope about the fate of every HIV positive person we are privileged to come across. These trainings have opened my eyes to a need I had not before suspected.

"After the workshop an AIDSLink team member graciously shared his story about living with HIV with the girls in our shelter. A few of them are HIV positive, and I am sure that this testimony blessed them. 

"There can be such a sense of hopelessness that can be seen among HIV positive people, and I am sure that this first hand story helped them to have faith for the future."