HIV and AIDS - Changing children's lives
Project learning
Memory work is a tool for individual, family and community transformation. It helps strengthen the ability of poor and vulnerable individuals and communities to reduce the spread of HIV, cope with its impact and access a range of human rights.
Implementing memory work
Building firm foundations is key, if the full range of range of impacts
at an individual, family and community level are to be achieved. The experience
of the IMP partners in implementing
memory work in five countries, is demonstrating that memory work is a flexible
and adaptable HIV response. The partner organisations, all operate within
different organisational structures and in a wide variety of contexts. Each
memory work project starts with research and reflection on the following:
- the local and national HIV context:
- prevalance rates
-levels of stigma and discrimination
-ability to access treatment
- the organisational context:
- where to situate memory work in relation to current work
-staff capacity and
-desired programme site(s) and scale.
Working with the community
Memory work focuses on individuals and their contexts in the community.
Communities are not homogenous - different strategies are required in different
places to produce a successful HIV response. Memory work aims to sensitise
local communities to the impact of HIV, to identify the challenges they
are facing, and to suggest ways to address some of these issues. An intregal
part of memory work, is to consider local power dynamics, levels and types
of stigma, local traditions and culture, and local ways of working.
Mekonen Shiferaw, a participant in HAPCSO's memory work programme describes how memory work helped him to disclose his HIV-positive status.
"In
the training I learned everything about HIV and AIDS. I know others in the
community are positive because I see them when they go for ARVs, but they
won't disclose...What needs to happen to change the stigmatisation is to
work with the community leaders and religious leaders. The religious leaders
teach the people about HIV and AIDS, but it doesn't change the attitudes
of the people. With memory work training, the religious leaders could do
more and make a difference I think. If they could get the positive people
to organise and witness, it would help."
HIV impacts every level of African society - individual, family and community. Memory work focuses on building an individual's confidence through communication skills and participation in decision-making within the family and beyond. Memory work builds personal and family transformation by:
- Providing a supportive space for individuals to openly share their feelings and experience on a range of personal and sensitive issues. Individuals realise they are not alone and learn to support and advise each other
- Enabling individuals to discuss HIV with family and members of the wider community. A culture of openness allows people to access information on HIV, discover their HIV status and receive treatment, care and support.
- Build individuals's skills and confidence, so that they can interact with a range of different service providers to get the care and support that they need.