God, AIDS, Africa & HOPE

Reflections / Gedanken

Pictures: Visit of Elke Ferner (MP German Bundestag) and other guests @ HOPE Cape Town

In BlikkisdorpA walk to Blikkisdorp with MP Ferner (German Parliament) , MP Evelyne Gebhardt (European Parliament), Consul Klaus Stross (CPT), Consul Isa Anderson and Counselor Hubert J Jaeger (German Embassy SA)

Elke Ferner MdB meets a new friend

We don’t say which political party she belongs to…. MP Elke Ferner with Rev Fr Stefan Hippler, the chair of the HOPE Cape Town Trust

Consul Stross @ the Ithemba Ward playroom

@ Delft Primary Health Care Facility: Mr Jaeger from the German Embassy in Pretoria, Acting Director HOPE Cape Town Prof Detlev Geiss and Rev Fr Stefan Hippler, chair of the HOPE Cape Town Trust listening to the sister in charge.

Filed under: HIV and AIDS, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, HOPE Cape Town Trust, Networking, Politics and Society, Reflection, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Visitors to HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust

 

Today,  Mrs. Elke Ferner, Deputy Chair of the SPD party in the German parliament and Mrs. Evelyne Gebhard, member of the European Parliament will visit our project. Together with members of the diplomatic staff of the German Embassy and the German Consulate General we will visit a township clinic and observe one of our HOPE community health worker before heading to have a look at the community of Blikkiesdorp and our involvement there. Before going to lunch and answering all open question a visit to the Ithemba ward will round-up the visit.
For HOPE Cape Town Association and Trust it is always a pleasure to have members of various parliaments and to give insight for those in the political arena. It is important that decision maker are informed about what is going on on grass root level. European visitors learn about the health system of South Africa first hand and experience the achievements as well as the shortcomings of our local system. That helps to assist in the bilateral talks between in this case Germany and South Africa and shapes the decision-making process how best to assist this country.
Also in this sense HOPE Cape Town Association and Trust is like a bridge bringing together and in touch two worlds which are quite apart from each other looking at the health system. Germans living here in South Africa know how to appreciate the health insurance Germany is offering to them and not surprisingly a lot of people making their living now in South Africa remain members of their respective health insurance company based in Germany. It is to hope that South Africa one day is ready to install a similar system. According to government sources such a system is considered and somehow in the pipeline, even nobody knows what it will cost to implement it.

Besides that the visitors will learn to know the variety of portfolios HOPE Cape Town Association and Trust is involved in: from grass root level to academic research.

Filed under: HIV and AIDS, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, HOPE Cape Town Trust, Networking, Politics and Society, Reflection, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

What has it really brought… the conference???

Being back in South Africa and back at my working desk and in my working environment the question remains and I am often asked: What has it really brought to go for 48 hours on flights with 18 hours stop over to attend a conference with more than 20.000 people I don’t know and which comes together for 5 days from all over the world.

First of all: I guess, I will take the shorter flight – only looking to save some hundred bugs does not do the trick and flying from the USA via Europe forwards and backwards is a pain in the neck. On the other hand it had the chance to get used to the new environment.. well.. somehow… 🙂
And even being with such a crowd together: I met people I know, even Prof Cotton from the own HOPE Cape Town Association board was queuing with me on the first day to get into the lecture hall passing the tight security. So it was not that lonely. But despite Washington not being very much involved into the conference, the conference remains a beacon of inspiration. I met so many people from so many angle of lives: I spoke to Thai transvestite and escorts, Russian gay activists fearing for the future of an open society, women from Asia, Africa, South America, HIV positive themselves or affected by the pandemic and all that spirit of keeping the fight going, battling against the odds, not giving up against politicians who don’t want to listen, societies, so traditional that one can’t even mention sexual words in public – it was inspiring. Talking to sex workers about their work experience, drug users who escaped somehow the tight visa control of the USA and made it to the conference, priests who are also doctors in the fields of HIV and AIDS – so many faces are still alive in my mind and in my heart and in my soul.

So, yes, even after some time it remains good to have been in Washington, also for my own well-being as an activist, as a priest realising again in all those encounters how important it is to fight on. To keep the fire burning, also in the very own church. Once again I was reminded what great organisation the Catholic church is when it comes to care, but also how disastrous the moral theology can be at times, putting lives in danger to say the least. The church as the community of saints and sinners were very close to me in Washington – and I could associate with both parts of it. 🙂

I will have meetings now in September with some of the folks I met in Washington and then I will see what in practical terms will come out of the conference for HOPE Cape Town Association and Trust – besides all the new material I could collect and bring with to South Africa. And I am confident that at the end the travel was beneficial to all concerned – as a Rotary saying says.

Filed under: General, HIV and AIDS, HIV Prevention, HIV Treatment, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, HOPE Cape Town Trust, Medical and Research, Networking, Politics and Society, Reflection, Society and living environment, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

HOPE Cape Town Association: Job opportunities

Job Opening: 1 Secretary and 1 Program Coordinator for HOPE Cape Town Association

Post

Team Secretary

Salary

neg depending on experience

Working hours

full-time

40 hour week, no overtime, no additional benefits, 22 leave days p.a.  – standard conditions of employment apply

Working location

HOPE Cape Town Association @ University of Stellenbosch

Requirements
Fluent in English and German (spoken and written), Afrikaans as bonus

Ability to communicate (spoken and written) and integrate information

Strong interpersonal skills, confidence, multicultural experience, team player

Organisational talent

Good IT skills and computer & internet literacy (MS Office)

Ability to work independently and with creativity

Duties:
Basic office admin (phone, fax, email)

Basic staff-related admin (update personnel information, forms, claims etc)

Admin support for senior staff and board

Visitors and volunteers

Starting Date: as soon as possible            

Enquiries:

Kerstin Behlau, 021 938 9930

Please submit your application for the attention of Kerstin Behlau HOPE Cape Town, P. O. Box 19145, Tygerberg 7505, South Africa, Email admin@hopecapetown.com, Tel 021 938 9930, Fax 021 938 6662

Post:

Program Facilitator

 

HOPE Cape Town is a local non-profit organization providing outreach and education on HIV and AIDS in the Western Cape Province. The program of Hope comprises in that connection several projects. The Program Facilitator position is responsible for planning and carrying out these projects.

The incumbent should personify the values and objectives of HOPE Cape Town combining stability and guidance with vision.  The Facilitator works with and reports to the chairperson of the Association and works in close contact with all staff, management, volunteers, consultants, trustees and other bodies associated with HOPE Cape Town.

Position functions include meeting program and development goals, evaluation and having the oversight of the HOPE Cape Town Association programmes.

  • Drafts correspondence, proposals and reports for portfolios and programmes (as required)
  • Assists with Annual Report
  • Liaises with HOPE doctor and HOPE Outreach Facilitator
  • Provides Budget overviews for individual programmes and drafts funding proposals as required
  • Provides evaluation for all HOPE Cape Town related programmes
  • Visits together with the HOPE Outreach facilitator clinics and employees in the fields and ensures proper evaluation
  • Represents HOPE Cape Town at community meetings, networking and fundraising events related to local programmes as may be required
  • Provides evaluation and feedback to the chairperson
  • Participates in the semi-annual medium and long-term planning meetings
  • Has an overall responsibility for the further development of HOPE Cape Town portfolios
  • Attends Senior Staff meeting and HCHW Training sessions as required

Qualifications and Skills

  • Education:  Undergraduate degree (graduate studies preferred)
  • Able to communicate (verbal and written) and integrate information in English, basic German and/or willingness to develop the German language skill, Afrikaans as a bonus
  • Strong interpersonal skills, multicultural experience
  • Operates on the basis of consensus
  • At ease with people of different social backgrounds
  • Background in community and development work with emphasis on HIV and AIDS
  • Professional understanding and exposure to the objectives and management of an NGO
  • Human resource and development experience
  • Available to work flexible hours and travel
  • Successful completion of UNISA HIV and AIDS Counselling Course or equivalent
  • Computer literate
  • Drivers license, personal car, no criminal record

Salary neg depending on skills and working experience

Please submit your application for the attention of Kerstin Behlau, HOPE Cape Town, P. O. Box 19145, Tygerberg 7505, South Africa, Email admin@hopecapetown.com, Tel 021 938 9930, Fax 021 938 6662 (suitable candidates will be invited for an interview)

 

Filed under: General, HIV and AIDS, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, Reflection, , , , , , , ,

Sorting out the social media…

Social media work is important in our days and I am in the process of get them all together in a way they make sense for me and HOPE Cape Town. So here they are for those who are interested:

HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust webpage:
http://www.hopecapetown.com

HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/HopeCapeTownAssociationTrust

HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust Causes:
http://www.causes.com/hopecapetown

HOPE Cape Town Association Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/hopecapetown

Website Stefan:
http://www.stefanhippler.com (in 2 weeks ready to go)

Blog Stefan:
https://stefanhippler.wordpress.com

Twitter Stefan:
http://www.twitter.com/stefan_capetown

Facebook Stefan:
http://www.facebook.com/stefan.hippler

Enjoy and keep connected and comment whenever you feel like it. We are one.. as SABC 2 always says.. And it is all about communication

Filed under: General, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, HOPE Cape Town Trust, Networking, Reflection, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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© Rev Fr Stefan Hippler and HIV, AIDS and HOPE.
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