News in May
Learning events
"We are working full speed after the orientation session"
3-6 May, DR-Congo
That is what Eddy Panzu, facilitator from Matadi, said after the orientation session in Kinshasa. From 3-6 May 2010, facilitators of RDCCompétence from 15 cities and members of the provincial coordinations of the Multisectoral National Program against AIDS (PNMLS) met to prepare for implementation of the project "Support to community initiatives." A person from PNMLS said: If indeed the PNMLS had been able to introduce this approach earlier, we would already have had great results!
More information about the orientation session of the project "Support to community initiatives"
Community visits
Introducing SALT by introducing yourself
16-20 May, the Netherlands
From 16 to 20 May 2010, the representatives from INHAT (Interfaith Network on HIV/AIDS in Thailand) traveled to the Netherlands to respond to the invitation from the Togetherness Foundation with the support from OXFAM Novib. They shared their experience with SALT with people and different networks in the Netherlands. Lawan Vejapikul explained that, I have learned that SALT can best be introduced by applying it to yourself and people will be able to see and feel it when they interact with you. You can practice SALT everywhere!
More about the visit of INHAT in the Netherlands
Share our inspiration
First step towards Russian Constellations
25-27 May, Moscow
Jean-Louis Lamboray, co-founder and coach of the Constellation, went to Moscow for three days to meet with the UNAIDS Regional Support Team for Europe and Central Asia, Russia’s Joint UN Team on HIV/AIDS and civil society from 7 Russian cities. Regional UNAIDS Team has conducted a self-assessment of their AIDS competence. The meeting with the Joint UN Team on HIV was build on the presentation of the Constellation experiences around the world and sharing of UN experiences in mobilization of Russia’s local communities. On the third day, Jean-Louis met with the representatives of civil society organizations from Barnaul, Chelyabinsk, Kemerovo, Moscow, Novosibirsk, Samara and Irkutsk to discuss the opportunities for the implementation of the AIDS Competence Process in Russian cities.
More about the meeting with UNAIDS Regional support team and civil society in Russia
The Constellation
Constellation Membership Meeting chooses new Voting Member
10-15 May
Eric Ngabala, daily manager of RDCCompetence, will be part of the Constellations voting member body. Eric is replacing Luc Barriere Constantin who recently resigned from his task as a voting member.
Eric’s nomination is one of the results of the Virtual Membership Meeting that took place in the week of 10-15 May 2010. The Membership meeting also voted for an updated Coaches Nomination Process, the annual report 2009 and Constellation travel policy. More about the virtual Membership Meeting from 10-15 May
More about the Virtual Membership meeting
Member of the month
Roy Mwilu, at the heart of local responses in Zambia since 1988
"I would like to go back to the year 1988, when my experience with communities started. I was working at the Salvation Army Hospital as a community counselor. I was involved in the team of Ian Campbell at that time. One of the issues that came up when talking about vulnerabilities to HIV was ritual cleansing through sexual act. When people discovered this was a factor of vulnerability, the chiefs of the village asked not to abolish the tradition but the modify it. This shows the power of local responses and people’s capacity to change their situation." Roy Mwilu from CHEP, Zambia
More about Roy Mwilu from Zambia
Blog of the month
SALT Visits and After-action-Review in CARE International India
“Dear Friends,
We have in the last three weeks begun introducing Community Life Competence and AIDS Competence in the EMPHASIS project of CARE India. SALT visits in CARE show how SALT can be used to achieve CARE's + Community's objectives, dreams and so on...”
E. Mohamed Rafique explained about a SALT visit with Nepali population in Indra Vikas Colony in New Delhi. Many friends reacted and encourage the team within Care International.