CREATING NEW WAYS TO PROTECT AGAINST INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Topic/Name:
Create New Ways to Protect Against Infectious Diseases

Project Description:
To encourage school children to commitment through fellowship to NO TO HIV/AIDS FOR LIFE through being practical examples.

Section I. What is your idea?
•       The idea is to encourage school children in club fellowship borrowing from the successful model of The East Africa Revival within the Anglican Church where members through fellowship and commitment to the set code of conduct are able to live successful lives and developing; with one achievement being that if the couple had no HIV within their midst prior to getting to the revival (or being saved); the chances of dying without it are no news among the other practices which make them a model worth learning from.  A Code of Conduct for the Club is to be implemented by the children members with appropriate guidance;  the members of the club will successfully be able to live free of HIV by avoiding practices that are potential means through which the virus is contracted and being commitment to their religions as they benefit from continued fellowship.

•       The idea borrows from the observations of what the members of the East African Revival in the Anglican Church have been able to achieve.
 I am fortunate to be a child of parents committed to the ideals of the Revival and there is no better story I can tell a part from the possibility of the model being a positive vehicle that can help the effort to fight contracting HIV.  The revival started which was started as far back as 1929 in Rwanda and Uganda was to counter the corruption that had entered the Church of Uganda.  This was spearheaded by one Simeoni Nsibambi the father of the then Prime Minister of Uganda (Rt. Hon. Prof. Apolo Nsibambi) and today has living examples of happy families that are near to morally upright.  This example if borrowed and used in schools by having children interested in having NO HIV FOR LIFE; chances that the model shall be a big success cannot be doubted.  Many children are orphaned while others
see daily deaths of the HIV/AIDS patients.  This experience many children would love to avoid it as they live on.  These clubs will grow by incorporating the code of conduct as shall be set including the Don’ts so that HIV can be avoided; Regular group fellowships at
school with club members as well as at home; The incorporation of living according to the norms of Members’ Religious Teachings and regular recruitment to get as many members to the clubs to ensure expansion and growth.  In essence therefore, this is borrowing from a
practical experience and is being applied to the HIV problem.

•       The scientific basis is such that given that HIV is contracted mostly through sexual intercourse; if clubs are formed that are to encourage as well as ensure that members live as per the code of conduct set as well as observe the teachings of their religious groups
mostly the Christians, chances are that those who subscribe to the group and eventually become married couples will be able to live lives free of the virus on practicing sex with one partner for life.
Secondly, many people would love to live on as they see many orphaned children and any practical workable solution is most welcome mostly by the young members of society as much pre – mature deaths are seen as well as the suffering of the victims.

Section II. How will you test it?
The experimental plan will start off with 100 secondary schools in Wakiso district of Uganda which will be visited by our organization to introduce the idea to students.  Initially, the organization will write to head teachers about the idea and request them to brief the students about it; the talk to be followed by registration of students interested in joining the club. Thereafter, the head teacher will be expected to give our organization an appointment when we shall talk to interested students to brief them further.  Once the club is formed, we shall request the school to give the club a patron who will be responsible for the students’ activities including fellowships  among others.  Prior to becoming a club member, each prospect member shall have his/her HIV status confirmed and it is only those who are free of HIV that shall join.

The students shall be given the rules of the club, that is; what is expected of them and how continued subscription to the club will only be possible if a member lives to the expectation of the club.  The club fellowships are to be guided by guidelines as provided by the organization and the clubs shall elect their executives.  Clubs shall also encourage most of the socialization out side school activities to be with club members.  And the club shall only recruit those students found not to have HIV and periodic testing to be done every 6 months.
One other aspect of the club is that members shall be expected to get marriage partners from within the group; and shall be given opportunity to form groups outside the school say during school holidays for continued expansion of club membership and spreading the
idea further as a workable solution to the HIV pandemic.

•       How will the work you describe be performed within the budget
(USD$100,000) and time period (one year) allocated for the initial

The work shall involve purchase of a vehicle (Van) to help the movements to the schools as well as its fuel and repairs and maintenance; it will also be used to publish materials for guiding the clubs; shall be used in publishing club magazines; shall be used in following up logistics to schools; shall be used to meet payments to staff; shall be used in Communication and information dissemination; shall be used for logistical support for the operations of the organization.

•       What essential data will you generate during?
The numbers of members in the clubs; the experiences as is the case with the Revival we are borrowing from where children will tell of the experiences in form of testimonies of what they have to overcome which could have been positive vehicle to contracting HIV; the number of drop outs as rules shall be clear on how to do away with defaulters; the progress with recruitments by children when they are at home and the challenges; the results from tests every 6 months as any child found HIV positive will be disqualified from the group; the perceptions by other communities about the innovation; how the
innovation will impact on behaviours generally in the schools.
It is true that the experiments are to do with conforming to stipulated rules, and when these children stick to the rules, with time we expect that society will gradually change with more upright morals.  It is default in morals that is the problem yet the challenges are that there is a bit of time lag which is better measured in years to see the impact, however, if the students who subscribe to the club record no sound level of infection or being involved in acts as reported that are deviant to the code to be practiced by club members; then it is right to predict that the experiment will with time generate positive results.

•       How will the work you describe be performed within the budget (USD$100,000) and time period (one year) allocated for the initial Phase I award?
The work shall involve purchase of a vehicle (Van) to help the movements to the schools as well as its fuel and repairs and maintenance; it will also be used to publish materials for guiding the clubs; shall be used in publishing club magazines; shall be used in following up logistics to schools; shall be used to meet payments to staff; shall be used in communication and information dissemination; shall be used for logistical support for the operations of the organization.

original idea as it is by: William Kituuka Kiwanuka