AIDS materials and campaigns presented in languages of wider communication are often difficult to understand for rural people who communicate primarily in local languages. Kande's Story, a biblically-based study program addressing AIDS, is one answer to the overwhelming need.
In most communities in sub-Saharan Africa, local churches are respected and active in community life. Using Kande's Story in the local language, they can present facts about HIV and AIDS in a culturally acceptable way and help people prevent the disease and reduce the stigma and rejection that come with it. Following up that teaching with what local language Scriptures say on HIV/AIDS-related issues motivates people to change their behaviour.
SIL, Wycliffe's key partner organization, has held training workshops in central and eastern Africa involving dozens of language communities from several countries.
Kande, a 12-year-old African girl, grieves over her father and mother who died of AIDS. She and her five siblings, now orphans, must fend for themselves, facing many problems and dangers just to survive. Various people in their community, especially local church members, minister to their needs.
The plot of Kande’s Story seems simple and straightforward, but the problem it addresses is enormous and complex. Of the 40 million people living with HIV/AIDS worldwide, 26 million live in sub-Saharan Africa where this disease is the leading cause of death.
Kande’s Story materials include an illustrated student booklet, a facilitator’s manual, and an audio version accompanied by local language songs for the benefit of non-readers. The program involves three workshops, which include translation of the story and manual, testing with church and community leaders for comprehension, revision, printing, and recording. Finally, facilitators are trained.
- Wilfred Wisanyuy, a Lamnso speaker in Cameroon, reported that once people understood from the story how AIDS was passed from person to person, they overcame their reluctance to get tested for HIV. They did not want to pass the disease on to others or get it themselves.
- In Kenya, a group of 33 men and women from 10 different churches meets twice a month on Sunday afternoons for several hours. Since most of them cannot read, they listen to the cassette tape and then a facilitator goes over activities suggested in the manual. In addition, the group meets on Wednesdays to pray for the program and for needy families, and then goes out to visit them. They also formed a self-help group called Jirani Mwema (The Good Neighbour).
- In Tanzania, One Nyakyusa woman declared, “We have heard about AIDS from lots of people. Now at last we are hearing what God says about it!”
- Illustration above by Ernest Bawe, from the book Kande’s Story. |
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