Courage and Hope : Stories fromTeachers Living with HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa

Bundy, Donald ; Aduda, David ; Woolnough, Alice ; Drake, Lesley ; Manda, Stella

World Bank

关键词: ABSTINENCE;    ACCESS TO EDUCATION;    ACCESS TO QUALITY EDUCATION;    ACQUIRED IMMUNE DEFICIENCY SYNDROME;    ADOLESCENTS;   

DOI  :  10.1596/978-0-8213-7933-2
RP-ID  :  49961

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: World Bank Open Knowledge Repository

【 摘 要 】

It is estimated that there are currentlyapproximately 122,000 teachers in Sub-Saharan Africa who areliving with HIV, the vast majority of whom have not soughttesting and do not know their HIV status. Stigma remains thegreatest challenge and the major barrier to accessing andproviding assistance to these teachers. The idea to collectstories from teachers living with HIV was inspired duringthe Association for the Development of Education in Africa(ADEA) biennial meeting in Libreville, Gabon, in March 2006.At the conclusion of the meeting, Margaret Wambete shared amoving account of her life as a teacher living with HIV inKenya. Margaret's presentation alluded to the fact thatteachers living positively, in part due to their leadershiprole and in part due to their visibility in society,experience a unique set of challenges related to theirHIV-positive status. To emphasize the human dimension ofthese stories, the technical team worked with journalistsrather than researchers. A seasoned journalist responsiblefor the education section of a major Kenyan newspaper ledeight local journalists in documenting these stories.Working with teacher unions and networks of HIV-positiveteachers in various countries, a number of HIV-positiveteachers were identified as willing participants for thisproject. The journalists each interviewed teachers livingwith HIV from their home country and recorded their stories.Once collected, the stories were vetted for accuracy ofinterpretation and then reviewed more widely at the meetingof the African networks of ministry of educationHIV&AIDS focal points in Nairobi in November 2007. Fromthe interactions, the journalists learned that newsconferences, reports, or press statements they rely on forinformation about HIV are not enough. Understanding the HIVchallenge requires close association with those living withthe HIV virus. These individuals have moving personaltestimonies that cannot be captured through hard facts andfigures. Only through close interaction can people livingwith HIV express their fears, needs, and aspirations.Personal testimonies from the teachers are a powerful toolfor spreading the message on HIV. Facts and figures areimportant, but listening to those who have lived through theexperiences telling their stories makes the message morepotent. The lessons journalists learned from the exercisewill surely help them and readers of this book in redefiningtheir perception about HIV, especially in relation toprofessionals such as teachers.