AFAES ry

It is a well known fact that Africa is the region worst affected by HIV/AIDS, with 70 percent of the world’s 42 million infected people. The pandemic has killed 25 million Africans so far and orphaned more than 12 million others.

Nelson Mandela said: We have to rise above our differences and combine our efforts to save our people. History will judge us harshly if we fail.
We have to protect our women and young girls. We have to change our behavior, attitude and the way we treat our women, mothers, wives, sisters and girlfriends.
We need to break the silence, banish stigma and discrimination, and ensure total inclusiveness within the struggle against AIDS.

And Nigeria’s former President Olusegun Obasanjo said the stigma of the disease was a big problem that kept people from seeking medical aid, and Nigeria was contemplating a law that would make discrimination against HIV/AIDS patients in social services and jobs a crime.

AFAES aims are to keep Africans living in Finland and its collaborators informed and to build awareness and support for greater participation in national and international efforts to combat HIV/AIDS.

AFAES research shows that there is overwhelming demand from Africans living in Finland for HIV/AIDS information.

AFAES has been combining efforts and devising ways of combating the lack of information with regards to HIV/AIDS among Africans living in Finland. In fact, there is a need to target parents, the extended family, community and religious leaders, in order to reach all Africans in Finland.

AFAES has started circulating health information in the form of educational campaign in Finland. First, we looked at the obstacles to delivering successful HIV/AIDS information and how this could be addressed. Then, we developed information, education and communication materials: 6000 pamphlets containing advices about health were distributed. In the pamphlet, AFAES described ways of abstaining oneself if one is infected with the HIV virus and explained the use of condoms for own protection against infection.

AFAES members who are doctors and nurses looked at the language obstacles and have always been talking to the infected people in their own languages, since talking to patients in the language they understand and with a social approach they recognize helps to get the message right to their hearts.

(1) AFAES is planning to standardize its methods and manners in registering and keeping logistic of its activities in order to make access to information easier.

(2) AFAES single sex groups, with women talking to women/girls, men to men/boys are planning more training for the involved members.

(3) AFAES is planning a HELP LINE in African languages to which Africans can call and talk in their mother tongues. That because many Africans don’t speak the Finnish language.