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| Group Photo of the Participants |
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 on Wednesday 9th March 2016 in Salima during a one-day advocacy meeting with national lay movements leaders drawn from various movements groups under ECM.
“Our main objective is to mobilize Church organizations to mainstream HIV and AIDS in their activities through advocacy meetings, 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 her, many Church movements especially youth movements are mainly focusing on Spiritual aspects during the meetings, while they should as well consider discussing social issues such as HIV and AIDS affecting the majority of people.
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,” said Kondwani who is the national secretary for Young Christian Students (YCS).
Her sentiments were echoed by the National President for Young Christian Workers, Mike Chibwana who said that youths in the country are facing numerous challenges ranging from unemployment which leads to idleness hence the temptation to indulge in ill behaviors which contributes to increase in cases of HIV/AIDS amongst the youth.
National Director for Pontifical Missionaries Society of the ECM, Fr. Vincent Mwakhwawa in whose docket falls all Catholic Lay Movements in the country 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), Worldwide Marriage Encounter and Christian Family Movement.
Catholic Health Commission is implementing the “Mainstreaming of HIV and AIDS in the Catholic Church” project funded by the National Aids Commission (NAC).
By Prince Henderson, ECM Communications Officer