By Prince Henderson, ECM Communications Officer
The Catholic Health Commission (CHC) of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) has challenged Lay Movements in the Catholic Church to take a deliberate effort in mainstreaming HIV/AIDs related issues in their day to day activities as one way of overcoming the pandemic within the Church and nation at large.
National Secretary for Catholic Health Commission, Bertha Magomero was speaking, Wednesday in Salima during a one day advocacy meeting with national lay movements leaders drawn from various movements’ under ECM.
“The objectives for project are to mobilise church organisations to mainstream HIV and AIDS in their activities through advocacy meetings by the end of the project, to coordinate and provide leadership on HIV and AIDS program implementation by the Catholic Church and to improve quality of HIV and AIDS program delivery by the Catholic Church,” said Magomero.
According to Magomero, many Church movements especially youth movements are mainly focusing on Spiritual aspects in their meetings instead they should as well as consider discussing social issues that includes HIV and AIDS.
Alinafe Kondwani, a second year journalism student at Polytechnic, a constituent college of the University of Malawi challenged elderly movements within the Church to take an initiative in counseling the youth on various issues that affect them including that of HIV/AIDS.
“As youths in the Church we need moral and spiritual support from all stakeholders within including the elderly so that we grow holistically. The problem is that there is information gap between us the youths and the elders including our parents so that we are able to make informed decisions. We need more apart from homily only,” said Kondwani who is the national secretary for Young Christian Students (YCS).
Concurring with Kondwani, National President for Young Christian Workers, Mike Chibwana said youths in the country are facing numerous challenges ranging from unemployment which contributes to their ill-economic status hence contribute to an increase of HIV/AIDS prevalence rate amongst the youth.
National Director for Pontifical Missionaries Society of the ECM, Fr. Vincent Mwakhwawa where all Catholic Lay Movements fall under said the workshop was crucial as it gives an opportunity to all stakeholders within the Church to ensure that there is proper response to HIV/AIDS.
“Our Christians especially the youths are facing many challenges because of the social change today. So, there is need for the Church leaders and parents to listen and be available hence accompany with humble and compassionate heart to the youth and children in a family,” said Fr. Mwakhwawa.
Among the participants to the workshop included; Catholic Women Organisation (CWO),Young Christian Workers (YCW),Young Christian Students (YCS),National Movement for Catholic Students (NMCS),LEGIO,Worldwide Marriage Encounter and Christian Family Movement.
Catholic Health Commission is implementing the “Mainstreaming of HIV and AIDS in the Catholic Church” project with funding from National Aids Commission (NAC).
Pix by: Prince Henderson