Initial impressions of Africa are dominated by colours: the brightness of jacaranda and acacia trees; the rich brown hues of skin; the vividly coloured fruits, vegetables and other wares displayed by vendors; the multi-coloured traditional clothing and of the fabrics we all purchased at the market; a sunset that fills the sky. But over all this hangs the dark cloud of AIDS. I can’t stop thinking about the tragedy of AIDS and the enormity of the challenges it presents here, in this country already struggling with so many other hardships.
We all know something about AIDS, and we knew we were coming to build houses for children orphaned or made vulnerable by their parents’ infection with AIDS. But we’ve learned much more.
Mozambique has one of the highest rates of AIDS infection in Africa and Xai Xai the highest prevalence in Mozambique. This is because Xai Xai served for years as a recruiting centre for companies seeking men to work in South Africa’s mines – many, if they returned at all, came back infected with AIDS.
A chapter on AIDS several of us have read states that the AIDS statistics in Africa “look like a tsunami, a vast wave inexorably sweeping towards us and drowning millions and millions of people”. Given the advances that have been made in AIDS education and treatment, why is this so?
We learn many things that help us to understand. Because AIDS weakens the body’s immune system, infected individuals often die of familiar health challenges such as malaria or tuberculosis so the impact of AIDS is not always recognized. Further, there are those who think that the AIDS pandemic in Africa has been exaggerated by the West (some even believe that AIDS was introduced to Africa by the West as part of an effort to re-colonize).
We learn that relying on condom use for prevention is problematic when some believe that condoms in fact spread the disease, and when some men view condoms ad “un-African” and refuse to use them. Men still very much dominate this society, so women’s capacity to insist on condom use is limited. Most AIDS victims are women and their children. Further, education programs designed in the West are destined to be relatively ineffective in Africa, and the pride attached to having a large family remains.
Finally we learn that there are barriers to treatment. There is still a stigma attached to AIDS so some seek treatment without telling their partners. Treatment is available only in larger centers, challenging when very few have vehicles.
So how do our efforts to build houses respond to this inexorable tsunami? We know that our two homeowners are single mothers, both in treatment. Both have a young child whose infection status has not yet been determined, as well as other children. Neither family had housing (it is not uncommon for AIDS widows to be blamed for their husbands’ death and banished from their home and village) so their need is apparent. Beyond this, however, we have to hope that pride of home ownership enables these women to overcome powerlessness in the face of AIDS. We have seen around the world that Habitat homes change lives through building hope and a sense of self-determination. We have to trust that this will occur here in Mozambique, giving these families the determination to avoid infection and stem the tsunami, one family at a time. As Dennis’ book on Mother Teresa, which we’ve been reading as a group, notes, “The little is never little for the one or two who are helped and blessed”.
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| Olinda (our beneficiary) and one of her children |
Today we had the opportunity to share in a church service at the Evangelical Church and to see how so many more are helped and blessed by their faith. The warehouse where the service was held was packed with people of all ages, and definitely full of beautiful harmonies, life, and joy. Our small efforts feel more promising in this context.
- Jean
