AAIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT

TO THE AAIM BOARD on the 9th of April 2017 at the General Conference Office

Silver Spring, Maryland

I. UPDATES ON HIV

This is the latest UNAIDS statistical data for 2015 since 2016 is not yet available.

The new HIV cases per year has been steadily declining from 3.4 million in 2001 to 2.3 million in 2012.

The following shows the countries with the highest number of HIV cases. Most of them are in Sub-Sahara Africa with the exception of India and Brazil. Russia, China and the USA were included in the 2013 top 10 countries but for 2015, no data are available. South Africa and Nigeria remain to be first and second respectively.

II. Health and HIV Advisories The Health and HIV Advisories continue at the Union level. AAIM would like to attend all of these meetings but has been limited to the invitations extended and the time of availability. Some the meetings were missed due to schedule conflicts. These advisories serve the following purposes: • Hear union reports of HIV activities including the challenges of implementation • Disseminate updated and latest information • Give direction for the next 5 years so we can all be united in service • Come up with recommendations and strategic goals • Cross pollination of programs and ideas exchanges • Fellowship and team building • Pray together and re-commit ourselves to God and His service. 1. Mozambique Union Mission Health and HIV Advisory was done in Beira due to its central location. Participants had to travel by air due to the current political instability resulting in armed conflicts and even deaths. Nearly all the associations, fields and missions were represented. Mrs Shunila Rana is the current Health and HIV Union Director which she assumed about 6 months ago. HIV AIDS activities were mostly awareness seminars. A garden and nutrition HIV project is going on in the north under some Brazilian volunteers. AAIM and the SID are looking for avenues on how HIV programs can be improved. 2. Botswana Union Conference Health and HIV Advisory was done in Kanye SDA Hospital. Only South Botswana Conference was represented. Prior to this scheduled event, Mrs Milo Ramolele the Union HIV Coordinator had a serious vehicular accident which nearly cost her life. Praise God, her life was spared. Many of the HIV programs in BUC are under the Women’s Ministries with Susan Williams at the helm. Her prolific leadership resulted in 5 day care- HIV orphan care centers in the country. One was even inaugurated by the president of the Republic of Botswana at that time His Excellency Festus Mogae.

She also came up with programs on behavior change very relevant to the control of HIV. Other programs under the HIV Director are awareness-sensitization conferences/seminars and HIV counselling and testing. 3. Northeast Congo Union Mission (NECUM) in Goma. This was done at the Union office overlooking the placid Lake Kivu under Safi Bakano the HIV Coordinator and Dr Guillaume Kabiona the Health Director. Most of the field and missions of the Union were represented. There were testimonies on PLWH on how they were stigmatized and discriminated. Also two ladies Kahindu Biaku and Sidonia Kakuzi gave poignant testimonies on how the church provided income generating projects for them. One of the invited speaker was Dr Agustin Mbula from the AIDS HIV program of the government. He committed HIV medications for the Goma SDA clinic to be one of the treatment centers. HIV Programs in NECUM are: awareness-sensitization seminars, orphan care, food distribution, at least 4 income generating projects, HIV counseling and testing, treatment, People Living with HIV support groups and others. This Union has a very successful HIV program due to the involvement of the Union leaders. Dr Ezekiel Mwangachuchu Rudatinya takes time to visit some of the projects. The NECUM HIV Coordinator is full time on the job without any other responsibilities. Majority of the AAIM programs/projects are Union based. The missions and fields need to be involved. 4. Southern Africa Union Conference comprises 4 different countries: South Africa, Namibia, Swaziland and Lesotho with the meeting held at Maluti Hospital. Dr Urban Negre is the Health and HIV Union Director. All the Conferences were represented. Programs include: awareness-sensitization seminars, income generating activities and the ADRA HIV Training of Trainers. Although South Africa has the highest number of HIV cases in the world, AAIM does not have any projects in this country. 5. East Congo Union Mission with Dr Jean Badinanyi as Health and HIV Director. Out of the 8 fields and missions in the Union, only 3 were present due to the current political unrest. Two ladies gave their testimonies. One was Kerene Mwenze Mukoma who is an orphan and contracted HIV during the birth process. She is currently taken cared on by her grandmother. The other lady was Patricia Odia who testified how she was helped by the doctors to know her status when everybody was hiding the truth from her. Now she is an HIV counselor helping others to grapple with the disease. Programs are mostly in the awareness and sensitization areas. There is a need to expand the HIV programs here. 6. East Kenya Union Conference with John Okello as Health and HIV Director. This was held at the Literature Ministry Seminary just a stone throw away from the Union office. EKUC has one of the multiple and extensive HIV programs ranging from income generating activities, awareness-sensitization-prevention seminars, support for orphans, support groups for PLWH, micro-finance, HIV counseling/testing and others. All of the conferences and missions of the Union were present. Dr Bathsheba Osoro- Kenya Government Coordinator for the National AIDS Coordinating Council invited the church to collaborate with the government programs. Jane Ng’ang’a National Coordinator for KENERLA+ (Kenya Network of Religious Leaders Livingn with AIDS HIV), brought 2 high profile HIV infected pastors who testified how their congregation ostracized them due to the infection. Ng’anga' also mentioned that the organization has 4 SDA pastors who are afraid to come out in the open for fear of losing their jobs and other ripples due to stigma and discrimination. Thanks to Dr Fesaha Tsegaye (ECD) and Mrs Rhoda Nthani for making all the necessary preparations for these advisories to take place both in the division and unions.

III. AAIM A HYBRID MINISTRY AAIM has two main functions. One is to do programs like any other ministry or department of the church. The other function is to be involved in projects similar to that of ADRA . Many of these projects require some financial outlay or donor sponsorship although both these activities require some monetary assistance. It is difficult to come up with clear cut parameters to differentiate between

programs and projects. These two are closely intertwined with each other. For the sake of reporting, these two areas will be presented. Programs are those activities like pastors-elder training, awareness, sensitization, prevention, seminars, conferences, evangelism and others. Those that fall under the project category are income generating activities, HIV counseling-testing, orphan care, support groups for PLWH, food distribution, home base care, scholarships, literacy upliftment and others. IV. AAIM PROGRAMS 1. SID WORLD AIDS DAY CELEBRATION- December 1 is World AIDS DAY. Celebration was done together with the SID Staff at the Route 21 Corporate Park where the SID is located organized by Mrs Rhoda Nthani. Before 7:00 AM, banners were placed in strategic position at the two main gate entrances announcing the celebration of World AIDS Day theme: IT IS IN YOUR HAND TO END HIV AND TB. SID staff members distributed flyers and leaflets inviting people to come to the SID office for HIV symposium including free HIV testing. Guest speaker for the event was Dr Busi Radebe from the World Health Organization office in South Africa. The event was well attended. There were more than 50 persons who underwent testing. 2. AIDS SABBATH- December 3. This was celebrated at the Broadhurst church in Gaborone with a sermon on the Biblical basis of sexual relationship and the call to come out of any Babylonian sexual perverted activity. During that Sabbath, a survey was done during Sabbath school class session on how many of the church members had undergone HIV testing and if positive, how many were on treatment. The Sabbath afternoon was spent in a village church about 45 kms south of Gaborone distributing gift parcels to orphans and people living with HIV as well as those who were destitute. More than children and adults benefited from the valuable gifts prepared by Mrs Susan Williams and her husband Kenny from goods coming from Australia. 3. NORTHERN CONFERENCE OF SAU WOMEN’S MINISTRIES ADVISORY- This was an opportunity have Women’s Ministries involved with HIV AIDS programs. In South Africa, there is a disproportionately higher rate of infection in women ages 15-24 of 13.1% with only 4.0 % for boys of the same age. It is imperative that measures be in place to address this lopsided prevalence in women. 4. NORTHERN CONFERENCE OF SAU MINISTERIAL ADVISORY- This is the first break through with the white-colored pastors in the Northern Conference. There has been a long standing denial that HIV is a disease found only with the black community and non-existent with the whites. For this event, a brochure was produced outlining the prevalence of HIV in South Africa. With a prevalence rate of 1 person in 5 infected in South Africa, a minister is bound to encounter a person with HIV. In order for his ministry to be relevant, a pastor must know how to deal with HIV information and facts. 5. KENYA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, LIVESTOCK AND FISHERIES CONFERENCE- AAIM had the opportunity to sensitize, make aware and give prevention strategies to the employees of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries. This was possible through the efforts of Mrs Ochando, a very staunch SDA working in the same ministries. She is also the spouse of Dr Ochando, the ICPA Kenya chapter president. 6. AWASSA, ETHIOPIA MULTIPLE EVANGELISM EVENT- Prior to the actual event, pre-campaign house visits, bible studies and invitations, flyers were given out for this evangelism campaign to be held at the Millennium square in the very center of Awassa city. In the afternoon of the opening night, there were five different Pathfinder clubs coming from various churches who marched into the city with

announcement-invitation banners. While marching, the Pathfinders also gave out flyers outlining the program with its theme: Revelation of Hope. The opening night had more than 3,000 attendees with many not physically present but hearing the gospel preached through the very powerful sound system. By the end of the evangelism series there were more than 6,000 in attendance with all seats fully occupied in the two large make shift sheds. Many had to sit on the grass or bare ground just to hear the messages from God. In the mornings, there were health and HIV training sessions for medical missionaries, church elders, health-HIV church directors and other interested members. In the afternoon, there was health expo leading to the evening evangelism campaign. Another extra activity was donation of blood by church members. The government official who gave a speech during the opening night gave his appreciation to the SDA church for their support for blood donations. Prior to the involvement of the church in this blood letting program, the blood bank received only 4,000 units in one year. The blood donations from the churched increase this amount to 14,000 units. During the nightly evangelism series, there were wild sandstorms with dust filling the air that fine dust could be tasted in the mouth. One night there was a massive wind accompanied with heavy sand. It blew the roof tarpaulin of the make shift shade and toppled down the expensive sound box from the stand. In another night there was heavy dust followed by rain fall. Through all of these, people stayed needing their hunger of the word of God to be filled. At the end, 75 souls were baptized in the Awassa lake with more than 400 in the Bible study class in preparation for another round of baptism. Behind all these activities is Mamo Petros Health, HIV and Youth Director of the South Ethiopia Mission. Praise the Lord for the harvest of souls.

7. University of East Africa in Baraton- AAIM was invited to do a week of Health and HIV emphasis to the students and also do the morning devotions for faculty members. This was made possible through Dr Professor Philip Maiyo Vice Chancellor and through the UEAB Chaplain Dr Rei Kesis. The issues of drugs, alcohol, tobacco, good nutrition, sexually transmitted diseases and HIV were seriously appreciated as these are common problems in UEAB. It is hope that this health week by AAIM will be repeated next year. The university also has HIV programs such as HIV counseling-testing, orphan care and support group for PLWH.

8. AMEN CONFERENCE (Advent Message to Every Nation)- AAIM supported this program as this is one of the activities that would prevent young people from getting HIV. What better way of prevention by getting the young people involved in evangelism programs. The conference also was an occasion to emphasize the abstinence program of the church. This was done in Helderberg Coolege in Cape town with more than 300 attendees most of them young people. V. AAIM PROJECTS This is the ADRA part of AAIM 1. Manyana Orphan Care in Gaborone, Botswana- Support of this project started in December 2016. This facility was opened as a day care for the support of orphans and other vulnerable children by providing food, clothing and educational expenses under Susan Williams-Botswana Union Conference Women’s Ministries Director. 2. Botswana Youth Mentorship Project- Started by Kenny Williams the spouse of Susan Williams due to his keen interest in preserving negative risk behaviors in the youth of the church. He involves them with positive activities like wholesome social gatherings, imparting of skills, involvement in church activities, distribution of food-clothing to underprivileged, assisting in church building projects, nature field trips, Bible studies, preaching, puppet ministries and others. Kenny has about 36 youth under his wings. 3. Goma Clinic in DRC as HIV Treatment Facility- Through negotiations with Dr Agustin Mbula of the Regional Government Health Office, this clinic will start to test and treat HIV. This was facilitated by AAIM. 4. Mabanga Church in Goma, DRC- For the past two years, this church is involved with a support group for PLWH. Also it is supporting about 12 HIV orphans. 5. Kujitegemea in Goma, DRC- Income generating activities through sewing of clothes. It is also a training program imparting skills to PLWH. There are about 30 HIV positive ladies who have learned to sew clothes. Three of these ladies have now sewing machines of their own and are commercially successful. During the last visit in August 2016, most of the woman complained of their impaired vision needing eyeglasses for reading and threading the sewing needle. AAIM was able to source out 25 pairs for them. With their eyeglasses, they now can read the Bible and do their sewing much better. The main donor for this project is the Triadelphia church in Washington DC through the efforts of Dr and Mrs Fred Hardinge Associate Health Director of the GC. 6. Goma Income Generating Projects with the example of Kahindu Biako and Sidonia Kakuzi. The poultry project of Kahindu (PLWH) has given her support for her needs and also some funds to send her children to school. Kakuzi (PLWH) supports herself and five other orphans with her small scale retail business. She is such an inspiration as a hard and persevering woman in the face of the loss of one arm in an accident. She is pictured standing in front of a newly built room which is renting out to give her added income.

7. Alternative Right of Passage (ARP) in Kenya under Pastor John Macharia of East Kenya Union Conference- AAIM sponsorship of this program started way back in 2012. The right of adult passage is a very significant part of culture and introduction to manhood or womanhood. The male traditional way involves circumcision practices that are not medically safe and could be a source of HIV infection. For the ladies, this could mean female genital mutilation. At the end of these traditional rites, the inductee is granted the rights of adulthood some of which are positive like life skills but there are also some negative aspects like the the use of alcohol and introduction to sex. For the males, the program involves circumcision by a medical doctor. For the females, they are told about the negative aspects of female genital mutilation. In ARP, both sexes undergo HIV testing as they enter the program. They are taught life skills, leadership training, the Biblical perspective of sex and family matters. There is a graduation or culmination exercises at the end where the parents and relatives are invited to participate. This program is done during the school break for the youth to be able to participate and to utilize classrooms which are free during this time. For this year total of 104 boys and 50 girls finished the program in five different locations: Kiambu, Kericho, Nyeri, Kilgoris and Kijiado. 8. ADRA HIV Training of Trainers Program- Started way back in 2004 with the program concept developed by Dr Mike Negere of ADRA AFRO and submitted to ADRA Sweden for funding by Swedish Mission Council. The program was initially for three years but has extended up to this time due to the significant impact to the community. It started with activities in ECD and SID but due to funding issues and donor selection, it is now only in the SID in the countries of Malawi, Lesotho, Swaziland and Namibia. The program uses the organization and members of the church to effectively pursue the 4 objectives: a. Target group has access to pycho-social services through counseling facilities b. Youth and children are resilient to HIV shocks in their environment for them to implement positive decisions c. Reduction and elimination of stigma and discrimination d. Provide livelihood to mitigate socio-economic impact of HIV. ADRA and AAIM are working closely for the implementation of these 4 program objectives which are seen in the projects both agencies are involved in: a. Resilience in young people is attained through the Youth Alive program scheduled in July 2017 in Lesotho. Youth Alive trainings were already done in Namibia and Swaziland.

b. Stigma and discrimination reduction/elimination- AAIM provided the document on the church guidelines on stigma and discrimination. ADRA also is working on a scientific based benchmarking of stigma and discrimination which could be used in churches to evaluate the degree in terms of a person’s attitude as well as the church as a whole. c. Provide livelihood to mitigate socio-economic impact of HIV. This is seen by the collaboration of ADRA and AAIM in the income generating projects. 9. Kingeero Church, Nairobi, Kenya- This is a church highly involved with multiple HIV programs under Gabriel Maina Gathungu. Activities include: bread making, yoghurt production, plastic baskets, soap-detergent manufacturing , grandmothers support group, home based care, concrete blocks production and AIDS orphan scholarships. The successes of this church can be attributed to a full time HIV AIDS coordinator, partnering with Nairobi Central Church and utilization of other donor agencies like ADRA Sweden, Christian Children Fund, Elizabeth Galicia Pediatric Fund, Government agencies and others. The most recent addition to the project is the production of concrete blocks made possible through the donation from the International Commission for Prevention of Alcoholism and Other Dependencies. The intention is to target men who are brewing local alcohol for their own consumption and for selling, to shift to a positive was through brick manufacturing income activities. 10. Masai Project Oluunkurman- The two Masai projects are coordinated by Godfrey Korio a Masai teacher. They have requested to be involved in goat raising as this is in line with their culture. A committee was formed to manage the 10-12 goats to be originally purchased for the community. Once the goats reach more than 20, the kid is given to a family who is the most destitute and most affected by HIV. This is done until all the families will get one goat. There will be individual family project and a community project. This project will take place once the rainy season will start in April 2017. 11. Masai Kisaju Sheep Project- It is the same concept as that of Oloonkurman except that instead of goats, Kisaju will have sheeps as the terrain is suitable for sheep raising. 12. Malawi IGA- Donation of the second electric sewing machine to income generating project in Malawi. This is in support to the IGA program of ADRA HIV TOT under Stanley Mpasa. The machine will be used for training in sewing classes. 13. Genet Zekele Sewing Classes in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia- In some countries, PLWH are given food and income assistance by the government. This is a good initiative but somehow dampens the interest of PLWH to provide income for themselves. The sewing training in Addis has been impacted by this but may come in handy when government PLWH subsidies are going to be eliminated. Ongoing Projects Needing Scheduled for Visit- The ongoing project in Cameroon has not yet been visited since its inception last year. The other two have been visited last year and will be reviewed later part this year. 1. Cameroon under Mevack Landry. This group received about USD 2,500 last year for the implementation of income generating projects (farming and gardening), PLWH support groups and care of 72 orphans in Kpwokolota, Cameroon. 2. Swaziland income generating activities and support for PLWH in Ngicina, Mancubenie, Kaphunga and Luhlokhola. All these four are in collaboration with ADRA under the TOT program.

3. Dufatanya project in Gasanze, Rwanda- The group initially benefited from the ADRA HIV TOT program. But when the program ended, AAIM continued its support in the area of income generating projects, support group for PLWH and HIV orphan care. There are more than 70 persons involved. Projects Temporarily on Hold- The following projects are on hold primarily due to the political instability of the country where the project is located except for Namibia where re-alignment is taking place for this country to have its own Union.

1. South Sudan- income generating activities 2. Eritrea- literacy and HIV prevention/awareness programs 3. Somalia- literacy and HIV prevention/awareness programs 4. Namibia- income generating activities

Collaboration with ADRA- The following is a summary of the projects in collaboration with ADRA: 1. ADRA HIV TOT- Namibia, Lesotho, Swaziland and Malawi. This program involves training of pastors and church members to be HIV counsellors. Stigma and discrimination reduction is an area where both are working together as well as youth resiliency. 2. Rwanda- When the ADRA HIV TOT program ended, AAIM took over some of the Dufatanya project Much to the rejoicing of those involved. This program is sponsored by the Swedish Mission Council with the long run intention of the local church taking over and continuing the program. 3. Malawi- Training of people living with HIV to give them skills in sewing and tailoring. 4. Swaziland- Four income generating activities targeting people living with HIV. 5. Kingeero, Kenya- The building used for income generating projects of baking, yoghurt production and detergent/soap production was donated through ADRA Sweden. 6. Goma, DRC- Food and clothes distribution has been made possible through the efforts of ADRA VI. FUTURE ACTIVITIES 1. WAD Health & HIV Advisory- April 17-19, 2017 to be followed by the various Unions HIV Advisory. This way AAIM can get in touch with the grassroots and deal directly with those responsible for operations. Successful project implementations are at the ground level. 2. Continue with AAIM NPO Registration- Information on how this is to be done has been gathered. 3. Revise Training Manual- This manual developed by the Giordano was released way back in 2004. The latest revision was in 2014. In September 2015, the WHO released the new guidelines for treatment which need to be incorporated in this manual. Also there is the introduction of Pre-Exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)which can be used by discordant couples wanting to get pregnant with the negative partner having access to prevention from contracting the disease. Truvada is the drug popularly used for (PrEP). 4. Fourth Tri-Division Conference- Kigali in Rwanda is a tempting site for this event, but Nairobi in Kenya could still be the venue as did the three previous ones. After careful considerations, Nairobi has many features which the other alternative sites do not have in terms of generous subsidy offered by ECD for the use of their facilities, the presence of many Adventist HIV resource speakers, the refreshing ECD

campus and the multiple HIV projects which could be visited by the participants. There is a need to source out the funding for this venture. 5. Target South Africa & Nigeria for Projects- South Africa has the highest number of HIV cases followed by Nigeria. Yet in these two countries AAIM does not have one single project going on. 6. ADRA HIV TOT Programs- With the funding from ADRA Sweden, AAIM is providing its services for the accomplishment of the following programs targeted within the next two years.

a. Youth Alive b. Pastoral Training c. Benchmark Stigma & Discrimination in individuals, communities and churches.

VII. GRATITUDE TO OUR SPONSORS Without corporate and individual sponsors, AAIM would not be able to accomplish many of its gigantic endeavors. Our sponsors have made it possible for AAIM to continue with its ministry of love and compassion. Our deep gratitude and appreciation go to all of you for supporting AAIM’s many programs and projects.