USIS Washington File - November 22, 2006

Empowered by the information, the Muslim Women's Association identified prayer gatherings during the month of Ramadan as an opportunity to inform other Muslim women about services to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission. Following prayers at the local mosque, an ensemble of elder and young women presented a role-play performance in which the elders provided advice to young women prior to their entering marital life.

Dona Joana, one of the elder women, said, "It is our tradition and our duty to teach young women how to take care of their husbands and children. Now that we have learned there are diseases with no cure, it is our duty to teach others about this sort of things [sic]."

During the performance, Dona Joana provided information about HIV/AIDS using language familiar to the mosque's wider audience.

"We advise young girls to go to the health center nearby so they can have some analysis [HIV tests]. And in case they have AIDS, the nurse will give a medicine that will prevent their baby to get the bug that causes AIDS," she said. Using these simplified descriptions helped make abstract and complicated information on HIV/AIDS understandable.

The performance's audience actively participated in a play that addressed messages related to faithfulness, the importance of antenatal clinic visits and baby vaccination.

In coordination with host governments, the PEPFAR/Emergency Plan draws on the promise of partnerships with nongovernmental organizations, including faith-based and community-based organizations, to contribute to an effective, multisectoral response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

In particular, the extensive geographic reach and well-developed infrastructure faith-based organizations have in the developed world are a critical element to this response.

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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