04/04/2015 • 8:02 am Comments Off on A blessed time
Filed under: HOPE Cape Town Association, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, HOPE Cape Town Trust, Uncategorized, Africa, Aids, blog, cape town, children, Easter, hiv, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, kids, south africa, stefan hippler
04/01/2015 • 7:52 am Comments Off on From Transgender to PrEP – good to know…
It’s time again to suggest some reading for the interested parties to get more insight in HIV and AIDS related matters:
Violence against women is not only in the USA but also in South Africa a very hot topic. The “Well-Project” has written about it and I am sure we all can learn from the extensive knowledge of these articles:
Violence against women and HIV
The CROI conferences are always a good source of new information. Here are the most important HIV research news from the 2015 conference:
6 important HIV research findings
The Body.Com is providing news and information about HIV on different levels. To download the app go here:
TheBody.com in the palm of your hand
The question of transmission between sero-different partners are often of great concern, read about the results of studies regarding gay sero-different couples:
No HIV transmission between serodifferent couples if undetectable load – preliminary results
PrEP – Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) works very well at preventing HIV transmission. Even if that is from a costing point still utopia for South African it is worth to read about it and its obstacles of perception:
How to overcome the challenges of accessing PrEP
Transgender people are having a difficult time – read about how transgender people fighting stigma and injustice:
How Transgender People fighting Stigma…
Starting early treatment gives you advantages – so get tested in times:
Starting HIV treatment early leads to better health..
Enjoy reading!
Filed under: General, HIV and AIDS, HIV Prevention, HIV Treatment, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, Medical and Research, Politics and Society, Reflection, Society and living environment, Africa, Aids, antiretroviral treatment, cape town, CROI, gender, hiv, HIV research, hiv transmission, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, PreP, research, serodifferent, south africa, stigma, TheBody.com, transgender, treatment, undetactable load, violence, Violence against women
03/21/2015 • 9:16 am Comments Off on No crime ever deserves the death penalty
It is amazing for me that I had to wait that long in my life to hear the clear words of a Pope condemning without reservation not only the death penalty but also “life without parole”. Even the Catholic Catechism was still a bit ambivalent about those matters. The Pope wrote that capital punishment is “inadmissible, no matter how serious the crime committed by the convict”. For him it represents a “failure” in nations governed by “rule of law” “because it forces you to kill in the name of justice”. Human justice is “imperfect” and “fallible”. Quoting Dostoyevsky the Pope said: “To kill for murder is a punishment incomparably worse than the crime itself. Murder by legal sentence is immeasurably more terrible than murder by brigands…. …No matter how serious the crime committed by the convict,” Francis stated, the death penalty “is an affront to the sanctity of life and human dignity. It goes against God’s plan for man, society and his merciful justice and prevents any just end to the punishment from being reached.” According to the Pope, the death penalty “does not bring justice to victims but encourages revenge.” Francis emphasized that “there is no human way to kill”, even there are debates around the world about “the way to kill, as if it were about trying to ‘do it well’. Throughout history people have defended mechanisms to kill by reducing the agony and suffering of the convict” but “there is no human way to kill another person”. Similar the Pope rejected also the punishment of life without the possibility of parole: “As with all sentences that make it impossible for an individual to plan their future because of the length of the sentence, life imprisonment can be considered a hidden form of capital punishment” because it does not deprive the person only from their freedom but also of “hope”. The criminal system can take some of the transgressors’ time away but “it must never deprive them of hope”
The State kills when it applies the death penalty but also “when it leads its population to war, when it performs extrajudicial or summary executions” and can also kill by ‘neglect’, when it does not guarantee its population access to the essential things they need to live.”
The sanctity of life is always the underlining reason for all, Christians are called to do when dealing with fellow human beings or even creation as such. All existing is graced with the spirit of God and we believe that all human being are brothers and sisters or sons and daughters of God. This protection of life from birth till death is also the baseline for all done in the world of medicine. It also applies when HOPE Cape Town focuses on children and their families infected or affected by HIV, AIDS and related illnesses. It is the sanctity of life which gives them the right to live their lives also to the fullest. It applies to all working in the field of poverty relief as a decent life with all the essentials they need to live in dignity is essential if we don’t want to fall into the neglect the Pope is pointing out. Seeing the state of affair in South Africa and the obvious neglect in various fields of government and society attributed to corruption and absolute ignorance for the plight of the people the words from the Vatican are a reminder of the long way we still have to go in our rainbow nation. And it is a reminder that we have to work tireless to get the message to those in power and assisting them to get it right in time for this generation now striving to build an equal society around the Cape of Good Hope.
Filed under: Catholic Church, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, Reflection, Religion and Ethics, Society and living environment, South Africa, Africa, Aids, Cape of Good Hope, capital punishment, catholic church, death penaltiy, death penalty, essentials, Francis, hiv, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, human dignity, life sentence, Pope Francis, poverty relief, punishment, Quoting Dostoyevsky, sanctity of life, south africa, vatican
02/27/2015 • 6:54 pm Comments Off on Ball of HOPE 2015
Southern African – German Chamber of Commerce and Industry
&
HOPE Cape Town
Join us again for this prestigious event and play a significant role in the lives of many needy children and their families in the Western Cape.
The Ball of HOPE 2015 takes place on
Saturday, 16th May 2015 at 18h30 for 19h00
at the WESTIN CAPE TOWN
Dress Code: Black Tie
Enjoy fantastic entertainment, delicious food, extraordinary people
and support the good cause at the same time!
Stand the chance to travel to Europe, compliments of :
Lufthansa & edelweiss
KATLEGO MABOE – MASTER OF CEREMONY
In his career as a television presenter, Katlego started his venture into the industry at the age of 21 when he was selected to be one of the leading presenters of “DEKAT TV”, an Afrikaans lifestyle program launched on SABC 3. After only a few months on the show he was approached by CMP (Clive Morris Productions) to audition as a presenter on the well renowned nature program, 50/50. He was subsequently head hunted to be one of the hosts of SABC 3’s breakfast show Expresso, SABC 3: 2010 – Present, Studio and field presenter on 50/50, SABC 2: 2010, Head presenter on DEKAT TV, SABC 3: 2009 – 2010
THE HOSTS
THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN-GERMAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY
130 offices in 90 countries. One network, one objective, one design. The Southern African-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry NPC is part of the German Chamber Network and has therefore a lot to offer to its members and customers. With offices in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban, the SAGCCI is the official authorized representative of German industry and trade for the Southern Africa. As a private, non-profit organization, its primary goal is to offer the best service for building bilateral business relationships between Southern Africa and Germany.
HOPE CAPE TOWN
HOPE Cape Town is a non-profit organisation providing outreach, education and counselling at the community level, focusing on HIV/AIDS and TB in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. HOPE Cape Town is co-located and associated with Tygerberg Hospital in Cape Town and is linked to the University of Stellenbosch. HOPE Cape Town cooperates with “KID-CRU”, the Tygerberg Hospital research unit for paediatric infectious diseases. The offices of HOPE Cape Town are located at the Medical School of the University of Stellenbosch – Tygerberg Campus in close vicinity of the Tygerberg Hospital.
THE VENUE
THE WESTIN CAPE TOWN
Set in one of the most popular destinations in the world, directly linked to the Cape Town International Convention Centre, The Westin Cape Town is a deluxe city centre hotel dedicated to providing world class facilities and services. Classified as the preferred luxury establishment for heads of state, business leaders, celebrities and those who simply seek an oasis of comfort at the end of a busy day.
Relish in spectacular views overlooking the vibrant city, Table Mountain and harbour. The Westin Cape Town is ideally positioned for business and pleasure, located within easy walking distance from cultural and commercial attractions. The hotels offers a variety of food and beverage options, including The Westin Executive Club Restaurant on the 19th floor with unsurpassed views of Cape Town, the contemporary Thirty7, Raleigh’s cigar lounge and Louis B’s Bar.
THE ENTERTAINMENT
ADOLF THELEN – MUSICAL DIRECTOR
Adolf Thelen is a freelance musician and producer in Cape Town and also works as a music educator at Holy Cross Brooklyn. He has been in charge of the entertainment at the Ball for 15 years.
For each Ball he has conceptualized and conducted different musical acts from opera to West End musical to rock-shows.
HOLY CROSS CONVENT SCHOOL BROOKLYN
The Holy Cross Convent School is a catholic private school in Brooklyn. Their Senior Choir has performed at the Ball of Hope for more that 10 years. May of the children live in neglected areas of Cape Town. For these children, the participation at the Ball is an important event in the school’s calendar. The choir is conducted by Mrs Josey Oranzie.
All proceeds are once again for the HOPE Cape Town Project at Tygerberg Children’s Hospital; one of the major HIV outreach programmes in the Western Cape.
visit: http://www.hopecapetown.com
For bookings please contact:
SA-German Chamber of Commerce & Industry
Tel. (021) 418 3311,
Email capetown@germanchamber.co.za
THE GUEST OF HONOUR
JUSTICE EDWIN CAMERON
Edwin Cameron has been a Justice of South Africa’s highest court, the Constitutional Court, since 1 January 2009. Previously, he was a judge of the Supreme Court of Appeal for eight years, and a judge of the High Court for six. He was educated at Pretoria Boys’ High School, Stellenbosch and as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford.
During apartheid he was a human rights lawyer. President Mandela appointed him a judge in 1994.
He was an outspoken critic of President Mbeki’s AIDS-denialist policies and his prize-winning memoir, Witness to AIDS, has been published in South Africa, the UK, the US and in translation in Germany and in China.
His latest book, Justice: A Personal Account, was published in February 2014.
He is involved in many charitable and public causes, and has received many honors for his work.
Filed under: HOPE Cape Town Association, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, HOPE Cape Town Trust, SA-German Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Society and living environment, South Africa, Aids, ball of hope, cape town, Edwin Cameron, hiv, HOPE Cape Town Association, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, HOPE Cape Town Trust, Katlego Maboe, south africa
01/14/2015 • 9:53 pm Comments Off on World without Aids Award – Berlin 2015
Being honored in absentia is an interesting feeling – or better a mix of feelings: Being grateful for the honor of receiving the “World without Aids” Award, feeling sorry for not being able to attend the ceremony, feeling committed to a prior agreed engagement as a chaplain at sea. Sometimes roles clashes, but very often they support each other: being a priest, a chaplain, an activist, a chairperson. This time it was not possible to accommodate all roles on this particular day.
This award makes me feel humble – it is a recognition of work done, but mostly I feel it is a challenge to continue doing what one does best and to continue fighting for a world without Aids. I can only do this, if I have the support of so many – the employees of HOPE Cape Town, the boards of HOPE Cape Town Trust and Association, the multitude of sponsors and donors and partners like the German Aids Foundation or “Hope and Future e.V.” or Saxonia Systems and Process Consulting and all the others named on the HOPE Cape Town’s website.
So once again thank you to those having awarded me the recognition; congratulations to the other awardee Prof Rita Suessmuth – thanks to Manuel Neuer from Bayern Munich for the kind words and all I ask is that you all continue assisting in the dream of a world without Aids… It’s possible…
German AIDS Foundation honors Rev Father Stefan Hippler and Prof Rita Suessmuth
On Saturday evening, 10 January 2015, the 21st Festive Opera Gala for the German AIDS Foundation took place at the Deutsche Oper Berlin. More than 2000 high-profiled guests from visited the event. The new main sponsor, Audi, presented a cheque of 200,000 Euros to the Honorary Chairman of the German AIDS-Foundation, Prof Dr Rita Süssmuth. Overall, the German AIDS-Foundation expects a total of around 500,000 Euros for this year.
The money will go into important aid projects of the German AIDS Foundation in Germany, South Africa and Mozambique. The next Festive Opera Gala in Berlin will take place on 7 November 2015.This year the winners of the “World without AIDS Award” were Rev Fr Stefan Hippler and Prof Dr Rita Süssmuth. Via video message, Manuel Neuer gave the laudation for Rev Fr Stefan Hippler. The soccer star honored the work of the founder of HOPE Cape Town, an organisation that supports especially children with HIV/AIDS in South Africa.
The former Mayor of Berlin, Klaus Wowereit, honored Prof Dr Rita Süssmuth for her many decades of fighting against AIDS.
For the German AIDS Foundation, the Festive Opera Gala is the most glamorous and most important charity event since 1994. Since many years Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission, acts as chairman for this evening. The Charity Gala received more than 6.2 million Euros in the last 20 years. With the income of the 21st Festive Opera Gala the German AIDS Foundation is going to support projects in Berlin as well as in Southern Africa.
Filed under: General, HOPE Cape Town Association, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, HOPE Cape Town Trust, Networking, Reflection, Africa, Aids, AIDS at 30, aids foundation, award, berlin, catholic church, Deutsche AIDS Stiftung, german aids foundation, hiv, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, Jean-Claude Juncker, Michael Neuer, priest, Prof Rita Suessmuth, Rev Fr Stefan Hippler, Rita Suessmuth, south africa, stefan hippler, western cape, World without Aids Award
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