The 14th International Conference on AIDS organised by the United Nations Organisation was held 7-12 July 2002, in Barcelona, Spain. Among the participants Mr. Harry Walsh, Caritas Internationalis delegate who coordinated the work of Catholic organizations for the occasion. Fides Service asked Mr. Walsh about the work of Catholic organizations in the struggle to eliminate AIDS.

Fides: What is the role at the Barcelona Conference of Catholic faith-based Organisation Working in HIV/AIDS?

Harry Walsh: Catholic faith-based organisations are present at the conference despite enormous financial constraints and limits on personnel especially for those from the South. Catholic faith-based organisations are involved and excel in provision of care and treatment of people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS, in their acceptance within the community, in educating the Catholic and wider community about this infection and about ways to avoid the spread of the epidemic, and in advocating for the respect of human dignity and sacredness of life of all people (most especially those affected by HIV/AIDS) and against stigma and discrimination toward those affected by HIV.

2. Please tell us about Caritas Internationalis' priorities in the struggle
against HIV/AIDS.

Caritas Internationalis is the world-wide confederation of national Catholic social development and assistance organizations present in 198 countries of the world. Since 1987, Caritas Internationalis has made a compassionate, non-judgemental response to HIV/AIDS to one of its priority areas of concern and action.

It has educated Church leaders and socio-pastoral personnel about the epidemic and prepared them to educate others, serve others, and advocate with others about this situation. It has advocated at the level of theUnited Nations and other inter-governmental fora, it has developed solidarity programmes in which Caritas organisations of the North assist those in the South to sponsor AIDS programmes, it has promoted theological consultations about HIV/AIDS, and it has promoted South-South experience exchange.

3. Can you illustrate briefly some concrete projects?

Caritas Internationalis has supported the Diocesan home-based and orphan care programmes in Ndola, Zambia and Masaka, Uganda.In these programmes trained volunteers from the infected rural communities, often far from clinics and hospitals, visit people in their homes and provide much needed care and assistance: from basics of home maintenance ,cooking, water-fetching, laundry and bathing....... to basic human company and contact where otherwise the ill or house bound may not see or experience human contact for weeks.Volunteers are also trained in first-aid skills and food hygiene to assist them in their work. The offices of the South African Bishops Conference is supported in it's response to the huge and growing problem presented by children left orphaned and vulnerable due to HIV. Local families and relatives ....most often only the elderly have survived....are supported to open their homes to these children despite their own low or non existent incomes. The Church is present throughout Africa and is in a unique position to offer a "community-witness" of love and acceptance in the absence of medicine and societal infrastructure and providing much needed care.
Caritas Internationalis also operates in the training of church workers in East Timor and Cuba and other places that invite our skill and expertise at helping the local and National Church reflect and respond to the enormity of the problem that HIV pandemic presents to humankind. Projecto per la Vida in Guetamala and Equipo Contra el SIDA in San Salvedor are projects run by Maryknoll Sisters in cooperation and co-involvement of the local community affected by the virus. Both work in HIV education, prevention, training and by recruiting HIV+ve persons lead in support and acceptance of HIV+ve persons. The San Salvador project also offers a much valued free skilled and expert medical consultation and treatment to HIV+ve persons. On my own visit there in Sept 2001 I met with HIV+ persons from all walks of life some of whom had travelled great distances to see the doctor. One woman I spoke with at great length explained that she had made an 8 hour bus journey with her 10 year old daughter to spend 4hours at the San Salvador centre to see the doctor and other HIV+ people...only to face the tiring 8 hour journey back to her village where out of fear no-one knew of her infection. She had been infected by her husband who had since left her with no economic support. She can only make the visit to the project infrequently because of expense and health but it is the only support she has.