… to do with a blog on HIV and AIDS? This is one of the question I was asked yesterday reflecting on the internet presence of HOPE Cape Town. Should such a blog be linked to a NGO website? I am not sure what you think, but I guess, my answer is a clear yes:
First of all, all work is done in a certain environment, and even HOPE Cape Town is no purely Catholic entity, we are founded in the Catholic and Christian spirit and the German-speaking Catholic Community Cape Town takes pride in this fact and supports the project in many ways. I am as the co-founder and chair for the first 6 years – I am a Catholic priest and of course my environment contributes to my way of working with HOPE Cape Town.
And there is more to it – when I have groups from overseas, they are all shocked by the high number of rapes happening here in South Africa – especially with under aged and within families. If you look into the child abuse case scenario of Germany, you will find that 95% of child abuse takes place within a family and closed friends environment. What does this tell us?
I think, the complexity of life and living it deserves a view beyond the tea-cup I am having in front of me – we have to see major trends, we have to look into the working environment and we have to consider factors which may put to rest a lot of prejudices. Only if we look at the full picture we can judge a situation.
That is the reason why I once in a while strain into other territories – commenting on development besides HIV and AIDS.
A last example: I commented on the economic crisis. Why? Because the economic crises, as also the war in Afghanistan in Iraq by the way, contributes to the fact, that money especially from the USA for research and development of new drugs combatting the pandemic is fading. Once again, we have to look onto the greater picture, otherwise we are losing it. Nobody is living on an island anymore, and what happens in USA or Thailand or Israel or Iraq has an impact on our work here in South Africa. Like it or not – it is a matter of fact.
Filed under: General, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, Networking, Reflection, Society and living environment, Uncategorized, Catholic, child abuse, christian spirit, Church Matters, economic crisis, Germany, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust
God, AIDS, Africa & HOPE 