Siyakha 'we are building'

Siyakha – which is funded by by the British Government’s Department for International Development (DfID)– is the second phase of the Anglican Church's initial campaign in response to the HIV and AIDS pandemic sweeping our region.

Building on the skills and capacity developed during the first phase (Isiseko Sokomeleza - Building a Foundation), Siyakha supports and expands the projects initiated in each diocese, in particular:

• strengthening understanding among church and community leaders of HIV and AIDS, including the reduction of stigma and marginalisation;
• strengthening management and implementation systems within the church;
• effective collaboration between Anglican Church of Southern Africa and other churches, faith-based organisations and community groups;
• strengthening capacity for advocacy within the Anglican Church
• the development of models of care for orphaned and vulnerable children;
• the development of counselling skills amongst church members;
• the piloting of VCT (voluntary counselling and testing) services being offered by churches in areas where government services are inadequate or inaccessible; and
• the development of HIV and AIDS workplace policies, programmes and materials for church employees, clergy and lay leaders.

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Siyafundisa 'teaching our youth'

It is good to care for the sick, to comfort the dying, to look after the orphans. But above all, we have to break the transmission cycle of the virus. We must stop it.

Knowledge about the disease and the way it is spread is very important, but it is only the first step! There is a need to go deeper and to address the root causes ... the behaviours, cultures and attitudes that are contributing to the spread of HIV and AIDS, especially among our youth.

We believe that behaviour change is the most essential strategy in overcoming the HIV pandemic. We need to talk about and promote abstinence and fidelity amongst youth, and to enforce the protective influence of parents and elders in our families and communities.

The Siyafundisa programme – funded by PEPFAR (the United States' President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief) with support from USAID – focuses on children, youth, families and communities throughout South Africa, Mozambique and Namibia. It aims to reach 860 000 young people between the ages of 10 and 24 through peer education, community and social mobilisation, with the overriding message of abstinence until marriage, and faithfulness within marriage and monogamous partnerships.

Siyafundisa aims to:

• help young people make responsible decisions;
• empower influential adults to become positive change agents and role models to young people;
• promote discussion in the wider community around the factors fuelling the HIV pandemic;
• promote and provide voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) to encourage people to know their HIV-status.

Vana Vetu 'caring
for our children'
Programme Director: Rozette Jeptha

Children and youth are worst hit by the AIDS pandemic. Not only might they be living with HIV or AIDS themselves, many are orphaned at a tender age, and left without protection or nursing care. With HIV infection rates still rising in many areas, the crisis for children will persist for decades.

The Vana Vetu programme – funded by both PEPFAR and DfID – provides counselling, education, care and support for orphaned and other vulnerable children, by training people within the community to respond to their needs, and mobilising communities to become involved in addressing the challenges of HIV and AIDS, in particular their effect on children.

Successes
Since 2005, when the pilot programme began in partnership with the Mothers' Union in the Eastern Cape, over 200 childcare workers have been trained and over 2 000 children reached. Interventions range from registering children for birth certificates and accessing child support grants, to ensuring orphaned learners are exempt from paying school fees.

Activities
Community members are being trained and motivated to start vegetable gardens in their backyards, which provide food for homes and community soup kitchens.

Activities have been expanded to include household visits and training in children's rights. Community forums have been established to facilitate more effective problem-solving and collaboration between government, other organisations and the communities – which are encouraged to take responsibility for the care and protection of their children.

Expansion
The success of the pilot programme has enabled us to expand the model into the Western Cape, North West Province, Pretoria, Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal. Other dioceses will be added as additional funding becomes available.

Public and Ecumenical Relations and Training
Director: Canon Desmond Lambrechts

The Department of Public and Ecumenical relations exists to:

• collaborate and coordinate with organisations of other faiths, NGOs, government and traditional leaders to respond effectively to HIV & AIDS
• strengthen the voice of faith-based organisations (FBOs) in advocating for the rights of people who are infected with or affected by HIV and AIDS.

Our specialised training division – Jonah Training – provides training for leaders across all denominations, helping to create a network of trainers. The objectives are to:

• coordinate training activities
• develop culturally sensitive training material
• conduct research and theological reflection to inform the strategies of our programmes
• develop a workplace policy on HIV and AIDS
• provide support and guidance for those living with HIV & AIDS and their caregivers
• have training accredited with the Services SETA (Sector Education and Training Authority).

The following programmes fall under Jonah Training:

Churches, Channels of Hope
This programme is designed to equip church leaders and laity with accurate knowledge of HIV and AIDS. Particular focus is given to stigma eradication, in order to ensure that people living with HIV or AIDS are welcomed into the church.

Anti-stigma Workshops
These look at attitudes towards people living with HIV or AIDS and consider how we called to treat people in the light of scripture. They offer an opportunity for participants to share their own experiences, both within and outside the church.

Clergy schools
Clergy of all denominations are equipped to cope with the pastoral demands of the HIV pandemic. Training is tailored to the group’s requirements and typically includes counselling and stigma. These workshops also provide a safe space for clergy to share experiences, concerns and challenges and to support one another.

Retreats
We offer occasional retreats for people living with AIDS. These give people an opportunity to withdraw with others in similar circumstances and find a safe space to reflect and deal with issues and specific challenges. Friendships made during the retreat often continue to support participants long afterwards.