Fight against AIDS in the Great Lakes region,
in Africa
(1999)

The epidemic situation involving AIDS and the difficult political context in the Great Lakes region since 1994 led CCISD to support the Joint United Nations Programme for AIDS (UNAIDS) in undertaking a situation analysis and formulation of an intervention project dealing with STIs and AIDS in the Great Lakes region. The study made it possible to describe the current situation along the two main migratory routes in East Africa between the Indian Ocean and countries in the Great Lakes region. The method used involved daily direct contact with migrants. Mission members spent several days in the company of truckers, in their vehicles, experiencing daily routines in routing stations, major rest and staging areas at borders and other similar areas. More than 300 individuals were surveyed for this study including drivers, truck owners, service providers and prostitutes.

The mission proposed support for four intervention microprojects (one per country) affecting mainly organizations involved in various sectors (NGOs, community associations, unions and private enterprises). It was observed that sexual relations were a normal routine for many along the migratory routes. Moreover, understanding of how the virus is transmitted is still very limited due to the traditional cultural values prevalent in Africa.

A positive response to action undertaken to combat the HIV epidemic is unsatisfactory to date. It is difficult to monitor the treatment of those infected since the reaction in the community, even when the extent of the problem is understood, is reserved. A preventive effort along migratory routes should not be limited to truckers but should also target women who are disadvantaged in several ways, in order to increase their power to negotiate and attempt to develop solidarity while seeking means to increase their economic power.

Due to the numerous conflicts which have led to widespread population displacement and mixing during the last 50 years, it is likely that there is deep insecurity in the collective unconscious, which favours traditional cultural behavior. The next step in the fight against the epidemic should be learning more about the underlying motivations of individuals and the intrinsic reasons for their behaviour. It is important to work on intimate communication and concrete support for efforts to change behaviour.

After several years of intervention in the Great Lakes region, the lessons learned from this experience should give stakeholders the credibility needed to play a role as leaders and facilitators in implementing similar initiatives with a larger outreach throughout the region.