USING THE MODEL OF THE EAST AFRICAN REVIVAL IN CLUBS COMMITTED TO LIFE TO BEING HIV NEGATIVE (CCOLIHINEF)

By William Kituuka

P. O. Box 2678,

Kampala.

Email: wkituuka@gmail.com

Section I. What is your idea?

• Indicate in one or two sentences the essence of your idea.

The idea which falls under Creating New Ways to Protect Against Infectious Diseases – wants to use the model of the East African Revival (Saved ones) in Clubs Committed for Life to Being HIV Negative Through Fellowship (CCOLIHINEF), in that if school going children/students are encouraged to join these clubs with do’s and don’ts well stipulated as well as constant regular fellowshipping as it is with the East African Revival, chances are that they can live a life without HIV till death.

•  Why is your idea an unconventional or creative approach to the problem outlined in the topic?

The idea of using the model of the East African Revival in Clubs Committed for Life to Being HIV Negative Through Fellowship, is a creative approach to keep the children through youthful life to old age free of HIV contracted sexually as it has been very successful with people who have kept to the norms of the East African Revival.  We have seen couples married life to one faithful partner up to death of either partner without contracting HIV. 

It is simply a code of conduct that can be observed by any one of any faith.  The Do’s and Don’ts plus regular fellowship with group-mates keeps those who believe in this approach in constant view of attaining the set objectives, which in this case would be to have one faithful partner who is from the group with a commitment to see to stable relationship of husband and wife re-knewed through fellowship hence keep HIV at bay.  Among the Don’ts for example: Going for social interactions like dancing with those of opposite sex; Avoid making friends with non-members of the club given the peer influence from such; Avoid walking alone mostly on the part of girls; Avoid watching videos that are meant for grown ups as many usually have sex related content; Avoid writing letters to those of the opposite sex or receiving letters from them; Watch the dressing code as it at times induces people’s attention; and not missing fellowshipping without a serious reason to do so.      

• Describe the scientific basis for your idea and why you expect it to succeed.

The idea is using the model of the East African Revival which has been tested since it was started in 1930 in Rwanda and other areas of East Africa.  Those who religiously observe the Do’s and Don’ts as stipulated in the code of conduct plus regular fellowshipping where they exchange ideas and seek solutions to problems have lived fruitful lives, with stable families and HIV which is sexually contracted has not had chance to have them as its victims.  The scientific basis is that the norms of the fellowship keep at bay the channels that are known to be positive in facilitating the spread of the virus hence one cannot get it sexually.  The children in school are living testimonies of those who have been and continue to be victims of HIV and are worried as to whether they can live fruitful lives as couples without the virus infection. 

So, when they are brought together in a club arrangement; plus fellowshipping and the associated prescribed activities, it is certain that many will emerge victorious in life as free from HIV which is a headache to many scientists.

Section II.  How will you test it?      

Describe your experimental plan, including any new technologies or tools to be developed.

The project is to start with organizing a meeting with Head teachers of secondary schools targeted to participate from Wakiso district and brief them about the project design and intended objectives.  Then students from the sampled schools shall be briefed so as to introduce the idea to them and interest them to join the clubs.  The recruited members will get a copy of the Code of conduct; that is, the Do’s and Don’ts; a constitution for each school club to be discussed and days of fellowshipping to be agreed on at each school.  Club members of each school to be visited once a week by a member of the organization staff to assess the progress and discuss any outstanding issues.  Members of each school club will be expected to give reports of their activities in writing.  Members shall also be party to organized joint activities meant to promote the set objectives.  A monthly Magazine contributed to by all participating schools to be published and circulated.  Organization staff to make weekly reports of visits made at participating schools. 

 

• What essential data will you generate during your Phase I?

Number of members; performed fellowship meetings in each school; Challenges as stipulated by club members; Information regarding new member recruited by students at school and out of school; Reports on the inducements/temptations the members have avoided that could lead them to potential HIV sources; Conformity to the Don’ts which is a challenge to the youths; Community activities that members may have participated in including helping the sick; Periodical check of HIV status of the club members at least every 6 months to ensure that they remain HIV negative.  

• If your experiments in Phase I are successful, what are the next steps?
1. Start a national campaign by meeting officials from the Ministry of Education in Uganda; Uganda AIDS Commission and the Ministry of Local Government as well as the Social Services Select Committee of Uganda’s National Parliament to get them learn about the idea and discuss the strategies for scaling out nationwide;
2. Use the media both print and electronic to publicize the innovation and get to the recruitment drive for club members countrywide when prospect members are not green about the idea;
3. Print club constitution copies in English and some 4 regionally spoken languages. 
4. Use Workshops targeting counselors in HIV/AIDS so as they add club information on their current agenda in fighting HIV. 
5. Get club information as a national drive among all strata of the population. 
6. Get focal schools throughout the country where clubs will be directly supervised by our staff. 

Have increased staff numbers to manage regional offices and hence make supervision efforts up the ground recipients.