On the Donations Trail in Southern Africa
Alan Fernandes, Assistant Director of Jesuit Missions, recently travelled to Zambia and South Africa to see how the projects that are supported by your donations to Jesuit Missions are faring
In January I travelled to Zambia and South Africa to visit some of the works supported by you, our readers. My first stop was to see the progress of Chikuni Radio in Southern Zambia. Since Jesuits and Friends readers helped establish the radio station in 2000, there has been a steady stream of radio equipment being freighted or, in my situation, carried in my suitcase, to help the Jesuits in Chikuni enhance their communication with the local Batonga people.
Chikuni Radio 91.8 FM is already a household name way outside its 50km radius, with everyone encouraged to participate in the broadcasts covering news, health, education, agriculture and local issues. As a neutral forum it has helped to expose previous taboo or controversial topics and allowed the community to develop. Chikuni Radio aimed to change the hearts and minds of the people and that it has certainly done, by enabling the people to find answers to their own problems.
Before I even arrived in Chikuni, it was clear that things had changed since my last visit. Driving out of Lusaka with Fr Andrew Lesniara SJ there was a constant stream of billboards warning of the dangers of HIV/AIDS. It is estimated that 30% of the population, between the ages of 15 and 49, is HIV+.
HIV/AIDS is one of the greatest challenges to development in Zambia, and after meeting with Fr Tadeusz Swiderski SJ, it was good to hear that I would be spending some time with the Home Based Care (HBC) project for people with HIV/AIDS in Chikuni. I spent time with the project co-ordinator and nurse Mrs Nsofu and her team, who travel to the outstations in a battered old 4x4 over a 50km radius, carrying out health checks and providing food supplements. The team of just three are totally dedicated to their work, carrying out the health checks, testing for HIV/AIDS, counselling and providing AIDS awareness education.
Whilst in Chikuni I was fortunate to meet with Fr Michael Czerny SJ, the African Jesuit AIDS Network (AJAN) co-ordinator, who was visiting Zambia. He explained how 16.5% of the entire adult population was infected and that AJAN was implementing a programme to support Jesuits in the multitude of initiatives in Africa.
You will read on page 14 about my colleague, Ben Ramsden’s observations on HIV/AIDS in Zimbabwe (24.6% of the adult population), and after my next stop in South Africa, with an infection rate of 21.5% of the adult population, it is easy to see what a huge problem HIV/AIDS has delivered to Southern Africa. Aside from the huge death toll, HIV/AIDS brings much bigger challenges. With the majority of those dying having had an education and being in the prime of life, they are rapidly hindering the prospect of development in Africa. Almost every indicator separating the developed world from that of the developing, shows a widening gap and with shorter life expectancy, increased child mortality, and a frightening downturn in gross national production and education, due to a loss of labour.
Although difficult to get away from the problems of AIDS in South Africa, it was good to hear about all the work being done to support those who are infected, plus the educational work for those who are not. This included the Nazareth House for AIDS orphans (Fr Jack Gillick SJ), Catholic Welfare Development and the Caring Network in Cape Town, the seminary’s AIDS Awareness Programme in Pietersmaritsburg (Fr Chris Chatteris SJ) and finally, that of Fr Alan Peter SJ, whom I was fortunate to be staying with in South Africa.
Although not scheduled as part of my visit, he suggested that I shadow him through a typical morning. Fr Alan is both a priest and a medical doctor, looking after two wards for new admissions at the Baragwanath hospital - the largest hospital in the world. Fr Alan’s day starts well before 6am and we went from hospital to St Francis Church, Soweto (where he was standing in for the parish priest, Kevin McElhatton SJ, who was on holiday) back to the hospital. About 50% of the patients he sees are HIV+ and he campaigns on local radio and television to help educate the young and prevent them dying prematurely.
When I speak to schools I often give examples of Jesuits at work. The key to St Ignatius’ spirituality is, ‘finding God in all things’. Through this visit I experienced this in all its fullness: it is repeated in Jesuit works throughout the world. They need our support and prayers to continue.
In January I travelled to Zambia and South Africa to visit some of the works supported by you, our readers. My first stop was to see the progress of Chikuni Radio in Southern Zambia. Since Jesuits and Friends readers helped establish the radio station in 2000, there has been a steady stream of radio equipment being freighted or, in my situation, carried in my suitcase, to help the Jesuits in Chikuni enhance their communication with the local Batonga people.
Chikuni Radio 91.8 FM is already a household name way outside its 50km radius, with everyone encouraged to participate in the broadcasts covering news, health, education, agriculture and local issues. As a neutral forum it has helped to expose previous taboo or controversial topics and allowed the community to develop. Chikuni Radio aimed to change the hearts and minds of the people and that it has certainly done, by enabling the people to find answers to their own problems.
Before I even arrived in Chikuni, it was clear that things had changed since my last visit. Driving out of Lusaka with Fr Andrew Lesniara SJ there was a constant stream of billboards warning of the dangers of HIV/AIDS. It is estimated that 30% of the population, between the ages of 15 and 49, is HIV+.
HIV/AIDS is one of the greatest challenges to development in Zambia, and after meeting with Fr Tadeusz Swiderski SJ, it was good to hear that I would be spending some time with the Home Based Care (HBC) project for people with HIV/AIDS in Chikuni. I spent time with the project co-ordinator and nurse Mrs Nsofu and her team, who travel to the outstations in a battered old 4x4 over a 50km radius, carrying out health checks and providing food supplements. The team of just three are totally dedicated to their work, carrying out the health checks, testing for HIV/AIDS, counselling and providing AIDS awareness education.
Whilst in Chikuni I was fortunate to meet with Fr Michael Czerny SJ, the African Jesuit AIDS Network (AJAN) co-ordinator, who was visiting Zambia. He explained how 16.5% of the entire adult population was infected and that AJAN was implementing a programme to support Jesuits in the multitude of initiatives in Africa.
You will read on page 14 about my colleague, Ben Ramsden’s observations on HIV/AIDS in Zimbabwe (24.6% of the adult population), and after my next stop in South Africa, with an infection rate of 21.5% of the adult population, it is easy to see what a huge problem HIV/AIDS has delivered to Southern Africa. Aside from the huge death toll, HIV/AIDS brings much bigger challenges. With the majority of those dying having had an education and being in the prime of life, they are rapidly hindering the prospect of development in Africa. Almost every indicator separating the developed world from that of the developing, shows a widening gap and with shorter life expectancy, increased child mortality, and a frightening downturn in gross national production and education, due to a loss of labour.
Although difficult to get away from the problems of AIDS in South Africa, it was good to hear about all the work being done to support those who are infected, plus the educational work for those who are not. This included the Nazareth House for AIDS orphans (Fr Jack Gillick SJ), Catholic Welfare Development and the Caring Network in Cape Town, the seminary’s AIDS Awareness Programme in Pietersmaritsburg (Fr Chris Chatteris SJ) and finally, that of Fr Alan Peter SJ, whom I was fortunate to be staying with in South Africa.
Although not scheduled as part of my visit, he suggested that I shadow him through a typical morning. Fr Alan is both a priest and a medical doctor, looking after two wards for new admissions at the Baragwanath hospital - the largest hospital in the world. Fr Alan’s day starts well before 6am and we went from hospital to St Francis Church, Soweto (where he was standing in for the parish priest, Kevin McElhatton SJ, who was on holiday) back to the hospital. About 50% of the patients he sees are HIV+ and he campaigns on local radio and television to help educate the young and prevent them dying prematurely.
When I speak to schools I often give examples of Jesuits at work. The key to St Ignatius’ spirituality is, ‘finding God in all things’. Through this visit I experienced this in all its fullness: it is repeated in Jesuit works throughout the world. They need our support and prayers to continue.