CRS’ Wellness and HIV in the Workplace Program in Southern Africa
By Ana Maria Ferraz, Regional Technical Advisor for HIV, CRS Southern Africa Regional Office
CRS is committed to creating a compassionate and just workplace with well informed and sensitive employees who have access to quality medical and psychosocial support. Since 2005, CRS has had a workplace HIV policy which promotes staff education and awareness on HIV, ensures access to HIV prevention, treatment and care services, and encourages staff to be involved in HIV-related community service outside of work. In 2009, some of the SARO country programs expanded the HIV in the workplace program to include wellness in the workplace. This new focus promotes adoption of healthier behaviors by staff and their families in addition to continuing supporting those living with or affected by HIV.
Participating on the commemorations of the World AIDS Day (WAD) is one of the Wellness and HIV in the workplace program’s activities. CRS country programs’ staff and partners organize and engage in various events aiming to support the HIV cause and those living with it. A brief description of the various activities is found below.
CRS Lesotho
CRS Lesotho commemorated the WAD by visiting the God’s Love orphanage in Maseru. This orphanage has about 30 children (boys and girls). CRS staff played with the children then started making two trench vegetable-gardens for them and planted some seeds. It was fun and hectic but staff enjoyed themselves, and the kids had lots of fun too. At the end, the staff handed over to the orphanage groceries that were bought from staff contributions. CRS Lesotho staff also donated clothes collected from the CRS staff families. These activities were organized by the CRS Lesotho Wellness and HIV in the workplace committee.
CRS Zambia
CRS Zambia commemorated the World AIDS Day by participating in three different activities organized by the Wellness and HIV in the workplace committee: 1) visit to Chikumbuso Women and Orphan Centre, 2) visit to Kasisi Children’s home and 3) participation in the Lusaka District walk organized by the National AIDS Council (NAC). Employees signed up for the activity of their preference.
The team visiting the Chikumbuso Women and Orphan Centre learned that the center provides support to women infected by HIV and AIDS and orphans and vulnerable children. The center provides support to children’s education and income generating activities to the women. These activities include soya milk processing factory, tofu bakery, tailoring shop and the crocheting centre. CRS staff toured the center and participated in the entertainment activities performed by children attending the centre’s community school and heard testimonies from two women who are being supported by the centre. CRS staff delivered a contribution of more than a hundred plus plastic bags collected from staff. The plastic bags are used by the women to crotchet hand bags, purses and bracelets as an income generating activity. CRS staff described the visit fruitful and fulfilling.
The team visiting the Kasisi Children’s Home helped the orphanage with daily chores. CRS staff assisted with feeding the children, washing dishes and cleaning the dining area for the older children. Kasisi Children’s Home currently has 250 children with 160 under the age of five and 30 under the age of two. Sixty of these children are living with HIV and 40 of them are on ART. A major need of Kasisi Children’s home is infant formula for the babies under 6 months. CRS Wellness and HIV in the workplace conducted an internal campaign to collect infant formula as per the orphanage specifications and CRS staff donated forty containers of Lactogen1. In addition, staff donated mealie meal and baby clothing. The visit was described by the team as touching and self-fulfilling.
The team participating on the District Walk joined a ceremony at the Lusaka Show Grounds with the presence of the honorable Minister of Education.
CRS Madagascar
CRS Madagascar commemorated the World AIDS Day by organizing “AIDS Space” in the CRS Tana reception office. Key information related to the theme of the World AIDS Day (“Right to Health”) were displayed and information about the various activities planned by the CNLS (National Committee for the fight against AIDS) was disseminated. CRS/MG staff and visitors visited and enjoyed this space.
CRS Zimbabwe
CRS Zimbabwe conducted a number of WAD activities across the different sub offices. In the Harare office, the WAD commemorations consisted of two components: on the 1st of December, a Candlelight Memorial in the office was held and attended by about 20 staff members, including the Acting CR. Staff lit their candles while reciting a poem, from the Candlelight memorial website. Staff then took turns sharing various personal experiences, including that staff were opening up more about issues that were of concern to them.
The second component was held on the 4th of December, where staff spent the day at Chinyaradzo Children’s home, which is supported by CRS through the Child Protection Society. The home caters for 60 children, whose ages range from 4 months to 18 years. Staff helped to clean the premises, weeded the garden and then had lunch with the children. A collection box was set up prior to that day so staff could donated clothing and other items to the children.
Mutare sub office commemorated the day on the 10th of December, and held a number of talks including talks with the National AIDS Council, sharing on the importance of WAD. Bulawayo will commemorate the day, by visiting a children’s home on the 18th December, spending the day with them, and also donating some items.
CRS South Africa
CRS South Africa Wellness and HIV in the workplace committee organized a visit to a place called “Door of Hope” in Hillbro, Johannesburg for the WAD commemoration. Door of Hope is a place where mothers anonymously drop off their babies rather than abandon them on the streets. A “baby bin” is installed in the wall (like a post box) where babies can be placed 24 hours a day. A sensor alerts the people in the house of the new arrival. Staff members contributed in cash and in kind, donating diapers, baby formula, wet wipes and purity (baby food). These items were handed over to the home on World AIDS Day. The staff members who visited the place got a chance to feed the babies and toured the premises.
CRS Malawi
CRS Malawi’s theme for the 2009 WAD commemoration was “Mutual Faithfulness”. The Wellness and HIV in the workplace committee organized role plays which were performed by members of staff on “unfaithfulness in marriages”. Discussion points focused on why men or women engage in extramarital relationships. The encompassing explanation was lack of communication between married couples. The conclusion was that HIV is spreading faster among married couples than in any other groups of people. Because many married men and women have long term relationships with those who they “trust”. What they don’t know is that many of these relationships have other serious partner concurrently. This creates an enormous “network of trusting relationships” and when one person is infecteted with HIV, everyone within the chain has a high probability of being infected. Ninety percent of staff participated.
CRS Botswana
CRS Botswana participated in the government organized activities together with district multi-sectoral AIDS committee. WAD activities started on the 24th -28th November 2009, and the commemorations were held in different wards in the district.
CRS Angola
CRS Angola celebrated World AIDS Day by holding an event for all staff and families on the property of CRS Angola in Lobito. The 2009 World AIDS Day event highlighted the significance of World AIDS Day by remembering the Angolans who died from AIDS as well as people currently living with HIV and AIDS. Lunch and beverages were sponsored by the CRS Angola HIV in the workplace program. In addition, two guest speakers shared with staff their experiences in living positively with HIV. CRS Angola staff were impressed by the courage and commitment of these ladies and by their willingness in educating people about HIV and AIDS and their determination to live their lives with dignity. The success of the CRS Angola 2009 World AIDS Day event was attributed to the majority of staff taking seriously the issue of HIV and AIDS as well as the importance of having time set aside for discussing HIV and AIDS related topics in the workplace. Around sixty people consisting of CRS Angola Lobito staff and their families attended this event.
Publications library
New publications
- Strategies for Sustainable Coffee
Coffee production is important to both the economies and ecologies of the regions in which it is produced. This poster looks at how CRS is providing support for coffee-based livelihoods to
Increasing Smallholder Access to Finance
This poster looks at how increasing smallholder access to finance through saving and lending can lead to increased investment in agriculture.
Increasing Market Access for Smallhold…
CRS is helping farmers in the Phillipines organize into product clusters to supply quality produce at the right price and time. Download this poster to learn more about this approach.
A Holistic Livelihoods-based Approach …
CRS uses the Integral Human Development conceptual framework to help design programs in the field. The framework and how it works is presented in this poster.
Baby-Friendly Farms
This poster explains how CRS is helping women practice exclusive breastfeeding and improve their nutrition through baby-friendly farms to reduce infant morbidity and mortality in Sierra Leone.