The following is a summary of the contributions made by members to the Take the Lead Forum in the different languages.
If you wish to participate, please enter the Forum.
By, xyahka, not affiliated with The Global Fund, Ecuador
After 8 months of having being diagnosed with HIV+ I have seen many types of leadership and how they get mixed under the so called fight against HIV. There are leaders that are just an image and those that are truly leaders, those who say a lot and those who do a lot....and those that do not say or do anything. There's also a type of leadership that's very rare: those who fight for this cause with their hearts. I think that one of the main problems in the fight against HIV is the lack of REAL leadership, constructed using PLWH as a base or people that feel truly identified by this fight and not with a salary or certain responsibility in a project. There is still a lack of empowering that any PVVS should have in order to generate a change in their environment...because many of you talk or know a lot about HIV. But I am the one living with it every day....and it's clear to me that not all of us are in the same ship with the same intentions.
In World Aids Day, I don't want to tell a story on how many testimonies I have given on my state of health, or how many people I have helped when they find out about their diagnosis, or how many people have read what I write on the internet.....on this day I want to take a moment to thank those people that without having a position, or a good salary, or that handle projects, or being doctors, or researchers on this subject...and they're still leaders....they have made a great impact in my life and in the life of those living with the disease. At the end of the day I have come to understand that the real leaders of change of attitude many times do not administrate any projects, they simply REACT AND MAKE A CHANGE.
Leadership in the fight against VIH is not a job. It's a way of life. And it can not be identified on how many projects you handle....but on how many people you helped yesterday IN PERSON, not how many you managed, but how many you took their hand in person....as a human being. We can not ask the World to become more human and aware regarding this disease when many of us do not give the example.
The fight against AIDS is not measured only by the decrease in the quantity of infected people....but also by the quantity of us that remain alive. Every time a PLWH dies a star goes off in the sky....and a voice is being silenced on Earth. While this factor continues to be dismissed by governments and different organizations in our countries...there will still be a lack of leadership. However, this is not such bad news, since with faith (and some luck) these spaces will be occupied at some point with new people that fill that lack of action and complement our fight for a change. Read the complete text in Spanish.
By Silvia Bustamante, CCM of Peru
The implementation of the Project "HIV/AIDS Policies and Programs in the workplace" that we have been implementing from the ILO in Peru since last 1 May, has generated a fast response from our leaders: the Ministry of Labor and Promotion of Employment, the different leaders of labor unions, and the employers organizations. At the moment we count with approximately 200 leaders of workers, trained on the HIV/AIDS topic and how to respond to the disease from the workplace. The Ministry is taking a leader role on this matter and has organized two events on "HIV/AIDS in the workplace" to which 300 people from the labor sector are expected. Two of the most important labor unions are also organizing activities and there is also a network being created for the topic of HIV/AIDS in the workplace. Read the complete text in Spanish.
By Enrique, consultant, USA
I can not start talking about leadership without remembering the times and the many people that I have met and that thanks to them the AIDS today is very different from AIDS ten years ago. I still remember when in the ‘90s and beginning of 2000 when it was taboo to talk about this topic. But even more, I still remember how many friends and colleagues died in a hospital bed or at home without knowing that years later, thanks to their fight and leadership, we can now talk about access to treatments in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Maybe some people will say that what they did was not enough. And yes, that is true. But if it is leadership what we are talking about we must thank those leaders for their initial work, those people that fought knowing that they wouldn't see better days but that they were convinced that the fight and leadership would help so that we are able to be here and now writing, saying that we are leaders and activists of the region.
Leadership today is a leadership of preparation. We need to get ready and be proactive. 1 December is not a day of celebration, it's a day to remember those who are not here anymore but that left us with a great lesson. This day is also to reflect on what is my commitment and what I have done to help mitigate the impact of the disease in my community.
This is not a exclusive message for PLWH, it's also a message for those people who do not leave with the disease. This is EVERYONE'S FIGHT without exclusions.
Friends, remember that leaders do not look to be served, true leaders look to serve others.
Enrique Chavez - Observatorio Latino AID FOR AIDS International
By Franck Geneus, Principal Recipient, Haiti
This is a major step in the fight against HIV/AIDS that this forum honors the unknown heroes.
The year 2004 looked very hard for the Republic of Haiti. A popular uprising demands the radical changes in the governance of the state. An armed resistance had conquered a number of important positions in late 2003. It is in that context that the 1st of December 2003 should be commemorated.
At the same time it is a fairly good years for the fight against AIDS in Haiti. In March 2003 the first disbursement from the Global Fund (over $ 60 million) arrive.
A group of young people met in the context of a youth Club called "Vive la vie!" Club members are mobilizing and go to school in schools, churches to churches to convince young people to win the streets to shout "Vive la Vie! Down with AIDS!" Their efforts have been amply rewarded since the 1st of December 2003 they have mobilized more than 1,000 young people. Several testified that the march has brought a breath of fresh air to the citizens of the city.
Today, the "Club Vive la Vie!" is a happy memory. But that does just that by the force of their will and their sense of responsibility these kids have sensibilized one hundred thousand people, organized a serial of cultural and artistic activities and fostered the emergence of a new association of PLWH. See complete text in French
By vanessa, not affiated with the Global Fund, France
Let me recount an experience to which I contributed, which I initiated and which is ongoing. It takes place in Ethiopia in Addis Ababa. In 2004 a group of disabled people came to see Handicap International (French NGO) which I was the national representative at the time. This group of people told to us about the devastation that AIDS caused among the members of their community and about the fact that they are forgotten in the fight.
The Handicap International and the National Association of deaf and hard of hearing studied the knowledge, skills and practices of this group in terms of HIV/AIDS in 2002.
The results of this study were interesting. Several vulnerabilities were identified.
The project (funded from the EU) is now working at two levels: at the level of the judiciary/police and health; at the level of counseling people with disabilities and their families.
I am proud to have initiated this community study and the project, which helps to combat the pandemic and to protect the rights of people with disabilities. See complete text in French