Sisonke: Thinking faster than the epidemic

The main goal of the project was to strengthen the response of the Catholic Church to HIV / AIDS at the parish and/or diocesan level. It had the following objectives:

• The training a cadre of trainers and care givers in HIV/AIDS-related issues such as the impact of the epidemic on SA, the church, sexuality training, and care support,
• The development of supported teams of young people as field workers who would be able to implement education, care and support programmes and who would be effective community and peer educators and counsellors,
• The development of a strong lobbing and advocacy component in the church for addressing political partners and the local, communities to develop new and sustainable responses to HIV and AIDS and its wider impacts.
• The establishment of PLHA structures in each parish.
• The development of an extensive network of peer educators, counselling and support groups.
• Working towards building awareness of gender inequalities within society and its impact on the spread of HIV/AIDS epidemic.
• The development of programmes and polices through the church structures on news ways of caring for orphans, vulnerable children and families, as well as the development of programmes for developing a strong intervention in terms of nutrition and food security.