God, AIDS, Africa & HOPE

Reflections / Gedanken

10/16/2013 • 1:27 pm Comments Off on HOPE Gala in Dresden and much more

HOPE Gala in Dresden and much more

Time again to pack and leave Cape Town for the annual event of the HOPE Gala in Dresden. And this year, it is indeed a special year, where the people of this lovely city pulled together for the Gala after having the devastating floods in spring and battling themselves to get back with their own life. It is with appreciation to note, that despite all the odds the Gala will be once again a festival of good thoughts, helpful hands and lots of fun and joy.
If you have not yet purchased your ticket – the website http://www.hopegala.de will bring you closer to join the event and meet with like-minded people. See you there – Viola Klein has surely with her team and the support of Saxonia Systems (who initiated the Gala), the HOPE Kapstadt Stiftung ( our German trust and the organizers) and all other sponsors (check the logos on the gala website) drawn a full house with the program and not to forget the after-show party. Thank you so much! How much work is going in such an event…

Before the HOPE Gala Dresden I will meet with students from my hometown of Bitburg and engage with them in a lively discussion about HIV and AIDS and what brings South Africa and Bitburg together. It is amazing how much support has come and is still coming from my hometown and I could not be more grateful about it. Another blessing for those, living with the virus here in South Africa.

Berlin and Munich are the other big cities to meet and greet sponsors, supporters and to attend the Festliche AIDS Gala of the German AIDS Foundation. They are such a strong partner for HOPE Cape Town and we wouldn’t be where we are without them. Another big thank you all working for this foundation.

New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania are the last stations of this trip – a renewed effort to get fundraising in the USA going. It is a tough one, but never give up is here the motto and with some goodwill we will be able to plant some small seeds of compassion on the other side of the ocean. Press your thumbs and if you know somebody in that area to approach – please let me know. I am delighted to meet new people.

 

Filed under: General, HOPE Cape Town Association, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, HOPE Cape Town Trust, HOPE Gala Dresden, Networking, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

10/03/2013 • 7:14 am Comments Off on Tell me, what makes HOPE Cape Town special?

Tell me, what makes HOPE Cape Town special?

Planing strategy and looking at the state of affair as it is in the moment: HOPE Cape Town has always to check its relevance and its direction for the future. It is an ongoing process. And as the word “HOPE” is used more often in the broader Cape Town area since the visit of Angela Merkel there is a need to have a proper marketing strategy and a distinctive logo and branding. The logo is in existence and even protected, what keeps an organization in Kwazulu Natal not away from advertising themselves with our logo. It seems some are going to an extreme length to try to cash in.

Nevertheless it would be interesting to hear from our supporters and sponsors what they think is unique or laudable on the work HOPE Cape Town is doing? What do our Facebook and Twitter friends think or value most? Please feel free to give it a thought – check our website if need be and let me know: stefan (at) hopecapetown.com. Or leave a message on our Facebook page, twitter us or comment on this blog.

I would be thrilled to hear from you and to have reflection on the picture as we are received from the outside. It would make another strong contribution to the development of HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust. Hear from you.Many thanks 🙂

SH

Filed under: HOPE Cape Town Association, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, HOPE Cape Town Trust, , , , , , , , , ,

09/30/2013 • 2:29 pm Comments Off on Interviews

Interviews

HOPE Cape Town has advertised two positions, one of a secretary and one of a resource developer. Tomorrow will be the first round of interviews for those making it to the shortlist. Interviews are not only exciting for those seeking employment or a change of position but also for the prospective employer. It is difficult to pick the right person: Qualification can be measured, but the potential of a candidate and the willingness to fit into an existing team and to add value to it is more difficult to evaluate. Candidates are trying to show their best performance and sometimes I wish to see them performing the worst at such an interview – it would make it easier for me to see the span of performance. 🙂

I am sometimes also amazed about the discrepancy between what a CV promises and what a candidate delivers. An interview showing strength and weakness in an honest way could give a hint about development potential. I am convinced that most jobs are to be conquered by anybody who has an open mind and an open heart and a solid ground of knowledge in the field of expertise. People must like what they doing, they must love to identify themselves with the work they are doing. They should be proud to be part of the company.  Starting a job does not mean to be perfect, but the first day in a new job is the beginning of an exciting development for both, the person and the company or NGO.

And so I hope that this will happen: That we find the right candidate whose work will do HOPE Cape Town proud and HOPE Cape Town does him proud. 31 colleagues are waiting to welcome the lucky one and specially our back office, serving the HOPE Cape Town Trust and the HOPE Cape Town Association will be able to go full speed and deliver on all levels.

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Filed under: HOPE Cape Town Association, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, HOPE Cape Town Trust, Reflection, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

08/22/2013 • 9:15 am Comments Off on HOPE Cape Town is developing…

HOPE Cape Town is developing…

Tomorrow is the Annual General Meeting of the HOPE Cape Town Association, the working arm of HOPE Cape Town which consists of two arms: aforesaid HOPE Cape Town Association which is combining all the project work on the ground and HOPE Cape Town Trust, which is leading in fundraising and marketing of the work done. Together with the German AIDS Foundation, the HOPE Cape Town Trust has a common “child”, called HOPE Kapstadt Stiftung, a dependent trust governed by German law.  To complete the picture the HOPE Cape Town family has also very close relatives:  the Kuratorium Deutschland, which relates to the HOPE Cape Town Trust and is looking together with Viola Klein to support the HOPE Gala Dresden (26.10.2013). The Freundeskreis HOPE Cape Town Trust Olching e.V. is another German and Bavarian support group of the HOPE Cape Town Trust. Not to forget HOPE & Future e.V. in MĂĽnster (Germany), which is an essential part of our supporting family. And we HOPE to give birth in the near future also to an US American entity relating to HOPE Cape Town.  And locally our brainchild is also the Ball of HOPE together with the Southern-African – German Chamber of Commerce and Industry, next year taking place on the 11th of May 2014.

There is the idea of spreading the word about the “friends of HOPE Cape Town” and if you think, you can get some people together forming a small group supporting the goals of HOPE Cape Town, then feel free to contact me for further information. HOPE Cape Town depends like any other public benefit organization on the support of many – so HOPE Cape Town understands itself as much more than a local organization – we are a network of people trying to better the lives of South African’s living with HIV and TB and everything related to it.
Sometimes I am asked why TB and why we not concentrate on HIV? The answer is very simple: TB is the twin-sister of HIV in South Africa and to combat only HIV would not making sense. They are interlinked, and so are the other social problems attached to it. Studies have shown that poverty, unemployment and unfavorable conditions lead to early death even if treatment is available. So there is so much more to HIV and AIDS. And there is so much more to do – whatever we can do as HOPE Cape Town depends on resources, manpower and funds. We have grown to 31 employees and our portfolios range from the vegetable garden in Blikkisdorp to academic research @ the University of Stellenbosch. It will depend on the ongoing and additional support of people like you, the reader of this blog, whether we can enhance our work and do more to give people hope and future.  We are willing to go the extra – mile; come and join us in one of the many ways possible:

* Donation: All our donation options are summarized on our website under donation

* Tell friends about HOPE Cape Town and ask them to have a look at our website

* Maybe you consider to donate to capital (Zustiftung in German language) and make you money work for a good cause for eternity…
* Find a circle of friends to become ambassadors of HOPE – we can assist you in this…

* Visit us on Facebook, Twitter, Cause, share the links and stories and follow us

For all donations and donations to capital applies in Germany and South Africa: We are able to issue a tax-deductible receipt for the respective county.

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Filed under: HIV and AIDS, HIV Prevention, HIV Treatment, HOPE Cape Town Association, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, HOPE Cape Town Trust, HOPE Gala Dresden, Medical and Research, Networking, Politics and Society, Reflection, Religion and Ethics, SA-German Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Society and living environment, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

08/15/2013 • 7:44 am Comments Off on Using the term “HIV negative” as a substitution for “not being tested”

Using the term “HIV negative” as a substitution for “not being tested”

An attempt at a discrimination graphic.

An attempt at a discrimination graphic. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I recently came across an opinion piece from Preston Mitchum, a policy analyst for LGBT issues. He reflects on the question how people use the wording” HIV negative” almost as a hideout for not getting tested. But telling his own story about dating a person being HIV positive and rejecting him, he touches on the whole question of maturity and discrimination. We as church always emphasis not being judgmental and not discriminating against somebody being positive. I remember a talk in a Secondary School for girls here in Cape Town where I discussed with the students the question of stigma and discrimination in the context of HIV and AIDS. And being assured from all present that discrimination would never be an option for themselves, especially being students in a Catholic school,  I dared to ask who of them would have the courage to take a boyfriend who is HIV positive. There was silence and from more than 200 girls only one hand was raised.

I am convinced that we start tackling stigma and discrimination when starting to deal with our own fears, when we confront ourselves with all our hidden anxieties and when we are able to be honest about it looking into a mirror. The honest testimony of Preston might be helpful to reflect on our own standing when it comes to stigma and discrimination in our own midst.

Using ‘HIV-Negative’ as a Substitution for ‘Haven’t Been Tested’

by Preston Mitchum

A policy analyst for LGBT issues confronts his fears about HIV testing.

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Filed under: Catholic Church, General, HIV and AIDS, HIV Prevention, HIV Treatment, Reflection, Religion and Ethics, Society and living environment, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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