Good News on HIV/AIDS

With unprecedented focus from world governments, international institutions, major donors and the best doctors and scientists in the world, the tide is slowly turning against HIV/AIDS.

The British newspaper The Independent asked the question yesterday,"is the end in sight?"

Read the story here, to find out how use of Anti-Retroviral Therapy combined with comprehensive care can extend lives and prevent the spread of the disease.

Vision Africa provides comprehensive care to victims of HIV/AIDS every day in Nigeria. As an implementing partner in the U.S. President's Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), we have served more than 5,000 people living with HIV/AIDS as well as their families, friends and communities.

We are blessed to be a part of life-saving work in a place of great need.

USAID Trains Vision Africa

Bishop Sunday checked in last week from Nigeria with good news about our growing relationship with the U.S. Agency for International Development:

"Vision Africa was invited to be part of the one week training from Sunday Jan 31st to Sat Feb 6th, 2010, on Leadership Development Program/capacity building on how to secure and manage USAID government funded programs. Elder Onyedi Udo, Paul Ihediwanma and Deconess Nkechi Akuma represented Vision Africa." -- Bishop Sunday

Vision Africa is a current partner with the U.S. President's Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

Our little piece of PEPFAR funding comes through the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC). With those funds Vision Africa is able to support a handful of staff in Enugu State, Nigeria, where we work with partners to provide comprehensive care for people living with HIV/AIDS.

We also work with families and communities to prevent the spread of the virus - particularly from mother to child. This is life-saving work and we are always on the look out for ways that we can do more.

Enter USAID!

This year, we intend to apply for a significant grant to operate a multi-state HIV/AIDS prevention program in Nigeria where the disease is rampant.

Support from individuals like you helps Bishop Sunday and Vision Africa make these efforts possible.

Thank you!

Radio Upgrade Plan Approved

Volunteers and staff in the U.S. worked with Bishop Sunday and U.S.-based radio partner KSBJ-Houston for years assessing needs and solutions for upgrading Love 104.1 FM. With grants from the Murchison Foundation, we can begin to meet those needs.

Clearly, the people will benefit from a stronger, more reliable signal from the station. And after several years of invaluable start-up assistance, KSBJ-Houston has agreed to provide a 3-month training course for our Nigerian radio staff at KSBJ headquarters in Houston.

In Nigeria, a country of government controlled radio stations, Vision Africa's Love 104.1 FM stands as a light "Sharing God's Love" to a potential population of 20 million. The desperately needed upgrades for our tower, our equipment and our staff will significantly boost signal strength, reliability and quality.

Thanks to your support, the multitudes will hear God's Word for their lives.

Click to view our video about Vision Africa Radio.

Faith Leaders Cooperate to End Malaria

At last month's launch of Faiths United for Health, the Sultan of Sokoto (Nigeria's most senior Muslim leader) and the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja joined hands to kick-off the training of an initial, core group of 100 faith leaders. Members of this core group plan to fan out across Nigeria, training a cadre of their peers, who will train yet another group, and so on, until at least 300,000 have been mobilized to spread the life-saving message that Nigerians can defeat malaria through the use of bed nets.

Many Nigerians, especially those in rural areas, believe that malaria is caused by too much work or too much sunshine; so, the faith-leaders first task will be as health-educators. And, that's not their only hurdle. Nigerians have lived with malaria for so many generations that they tend to accept it as a normal part of life; overcoming this complacency will be a challenge.

There's reason for considerable optimism about the interfaith campaign. At the kick-off event in Abuja, the United Nations Special Envoy for Malaria, Mr. Ray Chambers, said it best: "Working together, Nigeria's faith leaders have the credibility, influence, and reach to...ensure that the next generation of Nigeria's children will have the strength and good health to pursue their hopes and dreams."

We are thrilled about these recent developments led by Vision Africa's Bishop Sunday, as he directs the newly formed Nigerian Interfaith Action Association (NIFAA). Through NIFAA, Vision Africa is putting its mark on what has been described as the largest Christian-Muslim collaboration in history, as the entire religious sector comes together to focus on Nigeria's fight against malaria.

While NIFAA helps to coordinate and train faith leaders, Vision Africa is now in a strong position to deliver new malaria programs as part of Nigeria's overall campaign.