God, AIDS, Africa & HOPE

Reflections / Gedanken

03/16/2014 • 7:52 am Comments Off on Welcome to the Ball of HOPE 2014

Welcome to the Ball of HOPE 2014

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 2014
takes place on
Saturday, 10th May 2014 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 and Edelweiss.

THE HOSTS
THE SA-GERMAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY
120 offices in 80 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 the Ithemba (Hope) Infectious pediatric Ward at 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 pediatric 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 hotel 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
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
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.
CHELSEA
Chelsea was born in2004 in Switzerland. Before she started talking, she was already singing her little songs. As a little child, the young talent was discovered by a US-American Gospel singer in a small church in Switzerland. Chelsea is a little hurricane. Apart from singing she enjoys tennis, where she is very successful due to her hard-working nature.
Chelsea became famous through the Show „The Voice Kids“ in Spring 2013, where she presented a very energetic version of the title „Girl on fire“ by Alicia Keys. She captured the hearts of her fans by storm. Chelsea loves to touch people‘s lives with her voice.
CHELSEA’S PARTICIPATION IS KINDLY MADE POSSIBLE BY ParX. Marketing & Events Dresden, WINDROSE finest travel and South African Airways.

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

Filed under: General, HOPE Cape Town Association, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, HOPE Cape Town Trust, SA-German Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Society and living environment, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

03/01/2014 • 2:45 pm Comments Off on Exciting times @ HOPE Cape Town

Exciting times @ HOPE Cape Town

A new year brings new spirit and energy and it is definitely true for HOPE Cape Town. Having now a so-called “back office” in place, the marketing and fundraising efforts are backed up in the true sense of the word from competent staff following up and preparing new strategies for fundraising. A well-known marketing company agreed to look “pro bono” from a professional side on HOPE Cape Towns efforts to showcase it’s work and successes and built up more fundraising power. The whole question of marketing communication is added to the package. So watch the space…

But also conceptional HOPE Cape Town is developing – HOPE to HOME will be the next major project looking after all kids living with the virus and discharged from Tygerberg Children’s Hospital. HOPE Cape Town is answering with this new concept a call from the Children’s Hospital trying to make sure that all follow-up appointments as well as prescribed medication will be adhered to. This is indeed a very important quest to stop drug resistance which shows up in more and more kids being tested positive.

Also the training portfolio started into the new year with new perspectives: 10 of the HOPE Community Health Worker are attending a 2 years program at the University of Cape Town while continuing working in the clinics. One could call it dual training. Besides the ongoing formation and training it will ensure that the community based employees will be able to feed into the nursing profession or related job opportunities. In February HOPE Cape Town could proudly announce that the HOPE Community Health Worker of Goodwood was accepted into the nursing training program.

Blikkiesdorp remains also an important portfolio for HOPE Cape Town. Nutrition students from the Hochschule Niederrhein visit regularly and the next “Health Days” of Rotary International run by the Signal Hill Rotary Club will take place again in this semi-permanent settlement. There are plans to intensify the work of community building in the area – most was and is not possible without the help of our friends from Muenster in Germany.

To keep up with all the news you can either check the “up to date” of the HOPE Cape Town website or “like” them on Facebook , follow them on Twitter @hopecapetown  – be part of the exciting times of HOPE Cape Town and become an ambassador for HOPE and of HOPE for those in need.

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

02/20/2014 • 7:07 am Comments Off on Worth reading..

Worth reading..

Another look into the world or print today with worthwhile news and interesting articles:

The scares of Manhood tells the story of “proving manhood, alcohol and peer pressure of a South African youngster. Click here

Statistics about condom distribution, vaccinations and TB in South Africa are found here

Read about the reduction of bacterial vaginosis and other vaginal threats here

LGBT to be killed like mosquitoes – so the Gambian President Yahya Jammeh in an televised address. More here

Outrage about the imminent enactment of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill in Uganda which will also undermine HIV prevention. Read more here

Motsoaledi announces free new contraception in South Africa – more info here

The Roman Catholic Church is starting to reflect on families – read here what blunt assessment the Japanese bishops have on this topic

Enjoy the read.

Filed under: Catholic Church, General, HIV and AIDS, HIV Prevention, HIV Treatment, Medical and Research, Networking, Politics and Society, Reflection, Religion and Ethics, Society and living environment, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

02/14/2014 • 7:49 am 2

State of the Nation Address

Yesterday was the big day – the state of the nation address was delivered by President Jacob Zuma – a colorful event and full benches – everybody seems to have the urge to show off their importance and what’s best in the wardrobe at home. Tastes and styles are indeed different, but important was what the President had to say about the state of the nation.
Experiencing service delivery protests all over the country, being plagued by mining strikes, a free-falling rand at times, scandals like Gupta, Nakandla and so much more, one would have expected a speech facing the realities and encouraging the people and politicians to tackle these obstacles and showing light at the end of the tunnel. Maybe too much expectations.
What I heard was a summary of 20 years one party rule  – only striving on some of the issues without addressing them proper or offering any solution. The repeated promised for millions of jobs sounded empty – to bring the service delivery protests in connection with success of the ruling party, so that only those not attended to are protesting was somehow genius and unbelievable at the same time.
HIV was mentioned – the words “resistance” and “cracking health system” I didn’t hear nor did I hear about the plight of TB especially in the Western part of the country.
I asked myself how a president perceived to be corrupt can talk about rooting out corruption. I hoped to hear that word “Wingfield” and housing to acknowledge that since years the government stalls efforts to give national land away for housing projects of the province.
I must say, I was disappointed about the performance, contents and tone was at no time encouraging – it sounded like the German slogan “weiter so” – just continuation of the situation as is as there is anyhow nobody else who could take over.
The state of the nation address is about a government set into a democratic onset – I would have expected some words about the working of parliament, how democracy can be developed further and that stones in the hand of protesters are no valid arguments to avoid other parties toi-toi.
So according to the President the last 20 years period of time was a success story – which is in part true as the country has not encountered civil war or similar. But maybe it was not because of the government but despite the government. I acknowledge that governing in our world coming from a liberation and struggle background may be tough and mistakes are made. But why did I not hear any meaningful reflection on what might be wrong, why not admitting that there are challenges ahead we only can solve if all spheres of government and all political players, be it the ruling party or the opposition plays its role.
As a president it is his task to encourage people of the country to go for more democracy and to explain that violence is not a political argument.
Let’s face it: the country is in turmoil in the moment – also attributed to election time – and it feels there are more challenges than achievements. Even if this is just a feeling, it would have been nice to be addressed. I had the feeling that we saw a President who will have to struggle to survive the next 5 years in office. The coming time will be full of surprises, but there is no doubt that on the 7th of May the ANC will win again the majority.

Working in the fields of HIV and AIDS, which has had its success stories in the last years without doubt, we need an environment where those stories can succeed and new ones added. For that we need a stable country, less corruption also in the health sector and an end to service deliver protests which stops people from attending clinics and taking their life saving medications. We need proper housing outside wetlands to prevent TB and proper sanitation to avoid Cholera, Typhus and other diseases. So politics plays a vital role for the health of its citizen and for an NGO, the rule of law and a proper partnership with the state authorities based on mutual understanding and not just “like and dislike depending on party affiliation” is needed.

Filed under: General, Politics and Society, Reflection, Society and living environment, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

02/07/2014 • 8:25 am Comments Off on PreP – one does not hear a lot about it…

PreP – one does not hear a lot about it…

“We don’t know the side effects of this drug. It’s too expensive. Insurance won’t cover it. It hasn’t been studied enough. It will encourage slutty behavior. And why the hell don’t people just use condoms?”
Sounds familiar? That has been the objections raised to the oral contraceptive progesterone (“The Pill”), approved by the FDA 54 years ago. And it seems that with Truvada as an alternative method to prevent a HIV infection it started similar. Pre-exposure prophylaxis would add to more sexual contacts, critics claimed and they painted the picture of orgies and inhibited sex lives. In an article at TheBody.com Mark S King tries to tackle all those concerns and to come up with a new assessment about the drug and its benefits and disadvantages as a prophylaxis.
To read more go to TheBody.com.

Damon L Jacobs from New York tackles this topic from a more practical side. He decided to take Truvada as PrEP since 2011 and reports on his findings in an article on this blog. As he is also a psychotherapist and safe sex educator in NY and SF it is indeed an interesting read. For more go to the blog.

The question is obviously whether PrEp would also function in South Africa and what the financial implications would be, if insurance companies and even government would consider this to be offered on a wider scale. This is certainly up to a debate which we have to start sooner than later.

Filed under: General, HIV and AIDS, HIV Prevention, HIV Treatment, Medical and Research, Reflection, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Blog Categories

Follow God, AIDS, Africa & HOPE on WordPress.com

You can share this blog in many ways..

Bookmark and Share

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 2,711 other subscribers

Translation – Deutsch? Française? Espanol? …

The translation button is located on each single blog page, Copy the text, click the button and paste it for instant translation:
Website Translation Widget

or for the translation of the front page:

* Click for Translation

Copyright

© Rev Fr Stefan Hippler and HIV, AIDS and HOPE.
Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Rev Fr Stefan Hippler and HIV, AIDS and HOPE with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

This not withstanding the following applies:
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.