Faith Leaders Responding to HIV and AIDS
The INERELA+ Experience
PRESENTATION BY: CAROLYNE A. OPINDE
C E L E B R A T E L I F E C O N F E R E N C E 8 TH M A Y 2 0 1 0
FONTAINEBLEAU COMMUNITY CHURCH
Brief History
 Prior to 2000 individual HIV+ Religious Leaders
working independently of each other


Ds. Christo Greyling SA
Canon Gideon Byamugisha Uganda
 August 2001 All Africa Anglican consultation on HIV
and AIDS



Canon Gideon Byamugisha (Uganda)
Rev. Japé Heath (South Africa)
Rev. Francis Kalemera (Rwanda)
 October 2003 – ANERELA+ Launch during GNP+
Meeting in Kampala, Uganda – eight members
 Today we have over 4,000 members across the globe
majority of who are living with or personally affected by
HIV in Africa.
Faith Leaders Responding to HIV and AIDS-The INERELA+ Experience , By Carolyne A. Opinde 8th May 2010
Who are we?
 INERELA+ is an International network of religious
leaders –lay or ordained, living with or personally
affected by HIV and AIDS.
 Personally Affected , means that a spouse,
sibling, parent or child is living with HIV and AIDS.
Faith Leaders Responding to HIV and AIDS-The INERELA+ Experience , By Carolyne A. Opinde 8th May 2010
The INERELA+ Face
INERELA+ members and staff representing Africa, European and Central
Asia, the Americas and Asia/Pacific Regions at the 5th AGM held on 1st
October 2009 Nairobi, Kenya. Photo: Carolyne A. Opinde
Faith Leaders Responding to HIV and AIDS-The INERELA+ Experience , By Carolyne A. Opinde 8th May 2010
Our Vision and Mission
Vision:
A world where HIV and AIDS related stigma, infections and
deaths are eliminated.
Mission Statement:
INERELA+ exists to equip, empower and engage its members to
live positively and openly as agents of hope and change in
their faith communities and countries
Faith Leaders Responding to HIV and AIDS-The INERELA+ Experience , By Carolyne A. Opinde 8th May 2010
Our Objectives
Objective 1: To Establish and maintain highly effective networks across the
globe that equip, empower and engage members to overcome shame,
stigma, discrimination, denial, inaction and misaction (SSDDIM).
Objective 2: To enable members to develop, implement, monitor and
evaluate anti-SSDDIM and Pro-SAVE programmes at congregational and
community level for enhanced prevention, treatment, care and support.
Objective 3: To build the capacity of the network in effective
communication, publicity and information sharing
Objective 4: To advocate for policies and programmes at global, regional,
national and local community level that reduce vulnerability to HIV
especially among marginalised and excluded groups.
Faith Leaders Responding to HIV and AIDS-The INERELA+ Experience , By Carolyne A. Opinde 8th May 2010
Where We work
We work in 4 regions in Africa (below) , Asia/Pacific , The Americas and
Europe and Central Asia Region
Southern
Eastern
Francophone
Western
1.Swaziland
10.Uganda
15.Sierra Leone
17.Madagascar
2.South Africa
11.Kenya
16.Nigeria
18.DRC
3.Mozambique
12.Rwanda
4.Zambia
13.Tanzania
5.Zimbabwe
14.Ethiopia
6.Namibia
7.Botswana
8.Malawi
9.Lesotho
Faith Leaders Responding to HIV and AIDS-The INERELA+ Experience , By Carolyne A. Opinde 8th May 2010
Our Strategy
Religious Across the globe
during the 5th INERELA+ AGM
Interfaith
Stigma
and
discrimination training in
Kenya
Faith Leaders Responding to HIV and AIDS-The INERELA+ Experience , By Carolyne A. Opinde 8th May 2010
S
A
V
Safer Practices
Available Medical
Interventions
Voluntary Counselling and Empowerment
Testing
PMTCT
PEP
PrEP
Safe Blood
Sterile medical
instruments
Oral substitution
therapy
Abstinence
Delay of Sexual Debut
Mutual Fidelity
Microbicides
Condoms
Partner Reduction
Male Circumcision
Opportunistic
infections
Nutritional support
ART
All necessary
pathological
support/tests
(Universal Access/
universal standards)
STI treatment
Moving from
“AIDS friendly
Congregations”
to
“Congregations that
know their HIV status”
Teaching need for
knowing HIV status at all
levels
E
Education
Gender imbalances
Homophobia
Criminalization
Travel Restrictions
Migrant Labour
Racism
Economic
imbalances
Literacy
Overcoming Stigma
and discrimination
Faith Leaders Responding to HIV and AIDS-The INERELA+ Experience , By Carolyne A. Opinde 8th May 2010
Country Network: INERELA+ Kenya
 Gained representation in national policy- and decision
making bodies, such as National AIDS Control Council (NACC)
committees
 Sparked a new HIV response in faith communities, including
increased uptake of VCT and more support for OVC
 Changed attitudes, leading to greater openness about HIV and
HIV status among religious leaders
 Expanded from 44 to 1,000 members and formed 25 support
groups
 Reached underserved populations on Lamu Island and
in Laikipia District
 Mobilized new resources and forged new partnerships
Faith Leaders Responding to HIV and AIDS-The INERELA+ Experience , By Carolyne A. Opinde 8th May 2010
Summit of High level Religious Leaders 2010
INERELA+ members at the Summit of High Level Religious Leaders in Den Dolder
The Netherlands 22-23 March 2010
L-R: Bishop J. Okombo, Rev. Fr. JP Mokgethi-Heath, Ms. P. Mabele, Pst. P. Sawo,
Sheikh A. Banda, Rev. C. Greyling and Canon G. Byamugisha Photo: Leo
Huizinga/Cordaid
Faith Leaders Responding to HIV and AIDS-The INERELA+ Experience , By Carolyne A. Opinde 8th May 2010
Advocacy: Reduce HIV vulnerability 2010
Canon Gideon Byamugisha, a
co-founder of INERELA+,
takes
a lead in submitting a
petition to the parliament,
signed by over
450,000 people, against the
Homosexuality Bill in
Uganda.
Photo: Stephen Wandera,
Story Source: http://www.avaaz.org/dailymonitor
Faith Leaders Responding to HIV and AIDS-The INERELA+ Experience , By Carolyne A. Opinde 8th May 2010
Dissemination of Network Evaluation 2009
INERELA+ European and Central Asia
and Southern Africa regions and the
network's M&E consultant
INERELA+ Francophone Region –
Madagascar and DRC
Faith Leaders Responding to HIV and AIDS-The INERELA+ Experience , By Carolyne A. Opinde 8th May 2010
INERELA+ Asia/Pacific members Stigma and Discrimination
Reduction workshop in Nagpur India, 2008
Faith Leaders Responding to HIV and AIDS-The INERELA+ Experience , By Carolyne A. Opinde 8th May 2010
Contact
19 Girton Road,
3rd Floor Parktown
Johannesburg, SA
Tel: 011 484 0088
Fax: 011 484 4422
info.inerela.org
www.inerela.org
Network members from
Kenya, South Africa and
Asia/Pacific during the
launch of “Beyond
Stigma” a publication of
INERELA+ Kenya
Photo : Carolyne A
Opinde
Network members and
representatives from
partner organizations
during
INERELA+ Americas
Regional Reference
Group meeting,
December
2009. Photo: Rev. Fr. JP
Mokgethi-Heath
Faith Leaders Responding to HIV and AIDS-The INERELA+ Experience , By Carolyne A. Opinde 8th May 2010