Religious Leaders Join to Fight HIV/AIDS

Seminar at NyakahangaFrom 24/09-07/10/2008 an inter-religious seminar was conducted at ELCT Nyakahanga Designated District Hospital. The seminar was organized by Karagwe Network of Religious Leaders Living with or Personally Affected by HIV/AIDS (KANERELA). Even though it is supervised by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania Karagwe Diocese through its Hospital Nyakahanga, KANERELA is formed by different religious leaders from different faiths.

The founder and coordinator of the KANERELA is Rev. Oscar Samwel, chaplain for Nyakahanga Hospital. During the closing ceremony which was held in Hospital chapel on October 8, 2008 in his speech Rev. Samwel said, “This seminar was conducted in order to fulfill the intention of the Network which is to equip religious leaders with spiritual counseling skills to enable them help the society fight all fears that are brought by HIV/AIDS”. Among challenges they face is that they have no office, but they are now using chaplain’s office which is very narrow. Also Rev. Samwel said that their future plan is to establish KANERELA Counseling Centre.

The Doctor In Charge, Dr. Andrew Charles congratulated the network leadership for its vision to help the society fight HIV/AIDS and counseling those living or affected by HIV/AIDS. In his speech, Dr. Charles promised to collaborate with KANERELA leadership in order to get an office for their usual activities. The guest of honour Mr. Erasto Kamihanda, General Secretary of the ELCT Karagwe Diocese congratulated the religious strategies to fight against HIV/AIDS. As far as counseling is concerned, Mr. Kamihanda said, “Counseling is a medicine, therefore should be offered to anybody regardless of his/her faith”.

Participants were as follows:
1. Juliana Novath – Apostolic Church (Kayanga)
2. Petrida Rufulani – Lutheran Church (Omurushaka)
3. Libent Twijuke – Roman Catholic (Bugomora)
4. Thomson Thomas – Lutheran Church (Omurushaka)
5. Edither Kyakatuka – Lutheran Church (Kayanga)
6. Consolatah Fabian – Roman Catholic (Nyakaiga)
7. Pudensiana Celestine – Full Gospel Bible Fellowship (Isingiro)
8. Merab Masenge – Anglican Church (Kayanga)
9. Leonia Paulo – Roman Catholic ( Ihanda)
10. Erasto Bigemano - Full Gospel Bible Fellowship (Ihanda)

Even though Muslims did not participate in the seminar were invited and asked for an excuse because they were in Ramadan.

Facilitators were:
1. Shubira Bikombo – Nutrition
2. Anatoria Sylivester – Counseling, and Law and Rights
3. Dr. John Kasenene – The use of ARVs
4. Ev. Sarapion Ishengoma – Home Based Care

Participants who got a chance to practice their skills in different hospital wards asked for more seminars in order to make them competent and confident in their task of counseling others. After speeches and many greetings from different people certificates were given to all participants. KANERELA activities have been supported by DAN AID.