参加レポート：ワークショップ「HIV/AIDSとともに生きる社会」（於　キタレ）

更新日:2012/05/22

脱中央主権化がすすむアフリカ諸国でも、地方・地域社会のになう役割の重要性が注目されてひさしい。それは地方行政だけではなく、学術・科学知識をベースにした啓発についても同じことが言える。西部ケニアの農産物流通の要衝である人口20万人の地方都市キタレで開催された、HIV/AIDSともにいきる社会についての啓発ワークショップにJSPS Nairobi秘書のGabriel Ekalale氏が参加した報告。Gabriel氏はみずからもケニア北部ロドワなど周辺地域社会でのHIV/AIDSに関して啓発活動に携わっている。かれによれば、こうした活動はまだ端緒についたばかりだが、多くの地域で最近多く行われるようになっていると言う。またかれは地方大学の雄、モイ大学キタレキャンパスも訪問した。

Theme: Living with HIV/AIDS in the Societies
Host: National Aids Control Council and National Empowerment of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Kenya (NEPHAK)


Date: 29th March 2012
Venue: Vision Hotel (in Kitale)

On 29th March 2012, I attended a seminar jointly organized by National Aids Control Council and National Empowerment of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Kenya (NEPHAK) at Vision Hotel in Kitale.  There were about thirty participants comprising people living with HIV/AIDS and other stakeholders from West Pokot and Turkana County respectively.  I attended this seminar as a Board member of NEPHAK-Turkana County Representative. 

The theme of the seminar was “GIPA”.  GIPA stands for the Greater Involvement of People Living with HIV/AIDS coming directly from the text of the Declaration.  The text suggests an initiative to strengthen the capacity of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA), networks of PLHA and community based organizations to participate fully at all — national, regional and global — levels, in particular stimulating the creation of supportive political, legal and social environments. 

UNAIDS has broadened GIPA to include those most directly affected by the epidemic.  This is done with the understanding that no one can speak for a person living with HIV except a person living with HIV.  Nor can anyone speak for the bereaved widow or orphan of someone lost to AIDS, except someone with that experience.

This seminar was meant to explore ways in which GIPA can be achieved through direct involvement of PLHA in public and private sector activities both at local and national.

（Photo）Mrs. Kauthar Bitok explaining GIPA to participants.

On 30th March 2012, JSPS made a courtesy call to Moi University Kitale Campus which is situated 5 km from Kitale town along Kitale-Kapenguria road.  According to Oliver Sindabi (PhD) who is the Dean of students and Bob Odhiambo the lecturer, the institution is registering a good number of students though the facilities are inadequate .They hope the institution will be able to acquire agricultural research equipment in the coming years through collaboration with other  institutions. The campus has three major departments i.e. Education, Agriculture and Resource Management. Plans are on the way for expansion to meet the market demand.

Mr. Oliver Sindabi is a PhD candidate his area of specialization “The Role of University Education and in Fostering National Values amongst the Youth: Comparative Study of Public and Private Universities in Kenya”. He looks forward for collaborations in future.  We issued  9 fellowships for Research in Japan 2011-pamplets, 6 JSPS brochures, 1quartely and 1 EA JSPS Alumni annual report.
 

Gabriel Ekalale
Administrative Assistant, JSPS Nairobi