HIV and AIDS - International Memory Project (IMP)
How to do Memory Work - a guide
The National Association of Women Living with HIV and AIDS (NACWOLA), Uganda and other partners in the International Memory Project (IMP), have brought their experiences together in this guide to memory work, useful to anyone wishing to start up their own memory work projects.
It includes three main stages for the successful implementation of memory work. It is based on a three year project cycle, but it can be applied to shorter or longer time-frames. The three main stages include:
Stage 1. Setting the ground work
This section examines the choices of where memory work should take place
and on what scale. Pilot projects are useful to work through the different
issues involved. For example Family AIDS Caring Trust, Zimbabwe, selected
four pilot projects to start their memory work, three in a rural setting
and one in an urban setting. The aim was to compare experiences in rural
and urban contexts.
Memory work involves some extremely sensitive HIV issues and communities need to be empowered to be able to work through them. Sensitisation work is vital to ensure successful programme implementation, and often takes place before memory work can start. IMP partner, Hiwot HIV/AIDS Prevention, Care and Support Organisation (HAPSCO), Ethiopia, works with community leaders (idirs) in their home based care programme. The idirs are a key group for the introduction of memory work into the community, and a programme was developed whereby the idirs contribute money to care for the orphans in the community. This has raised the profile of the issue of caring for orphans in the community.
Stage 2. Management and implementation
IMP staff work at both a national and community level, often at the national
level staff are paid. Issues around sustainability of the programme are
important and should be considered in the planning stages.
The nature of memory work means it is important that there is support for
parents, guardians and carers to go through memory work at their own pace.
There may be an initial training to introduce the different concepts of
memory work but this needs to be followed up with regular group meetings
where the issues are discussed in a supportive environment and individuals
can discuss their own challenges and needs.
National Community of Women Living with HIV/AIDS (NACWOLA), Uganda is in a unique position as they are a member organisation of women living with HIV and AIDS and train their members in the districts to work with the families. The members are often parents, guardians or carers themselves and can apply memory work to their own family contexts before sharing with others in the community.
Stage 3. Review and reflection
Monitoring and evaluating the project benefits everyone involved. There
are a number ways to do this including; learning forums, where practitioners
can share knowledge, skills and experiences; partner’s meetings;
and community activities such as memory book clubs for parents and for
children.
Download the ful guide. NB This is a draft version. (PDF 9 pages, 76 KB)