HIV Hope for the Nations - Forward

HIV Hope for the Nations: A Guide to Positive, Motivational HIV/AIDS Prevention Education presents the approach to HIV prevention that is fundamental to the work of this organization. Below is the Forward to the book because it describes some of the concepts that are essential to effective prevention efforts. If this Forward captures some of the things you have been thinking or answers some questions that have been in your mind and you want to know more, you will want to order a copy of the book. Contact us. The email address is Book@HIVHope.net.  Or you can call us at (239) 337-4336 ext. 130.

If this is something you would like to be a part of, please check out the “Join the Team” page on this website for more information about positions available with HIVHope. We cannot do this alone.

FORWARD

My reason for writing this book is to empower people in cultures throughout the world to develop their own HIV prevention programs, materials, strategies, and methods. The more I travel, the more convinced I become that I do not understand cultures other than the one in which I have lived my life. Thus, my role is not to tell people what to do. Rather it is to help them think through the issues involved and develop for themselves the most effective strategies for reaching people in their culture.

The best ways to motivate the people in other cultures will be developed by people from those cultures, not by people like me. That is why we refuse to develop any curriculum, pamphlets, videos, or other teaching materials. While producing them ourselves would be the easy way to proceed, they will be most effective when they come from within a culture, not from the outside.

You will find here those facts that must be understood for HIV prevention education to be accurate and adequate to the needs of people. In addition you will find the insights that have come from more than twenty years working in this field and doing prevention education.

Some of the ideas presented here surprise some who have been working in this field. I believe that too much of what is being done in HIV/AIDS education and AIDS awareness is not effective. More to the point, some of what is commonly done is actually increasing the rate at which the virus is spreading, rather than slowing it.

I am not questioning anyone’s motives. Those working in this field are motivated to do all they can to help slow the spread of HIV. However, some of what has traditionally been done is sadly counter productive.

My hope and prayer is that as you read this book, you will consider what it says in the context of your culture, community, and other local factors. As you develop materials, use your creativity and that of those around you to find new ways to motivate people. Then, please share them with us.

This book is not a finished product. Rather, it is (and always will be) a work in process. As we receive input and insights from you and others, we will incorporate them in future editions. More than that, we have established an email mailing list of people using the book so that we can share ideas as we receive them. Please share your address with us so that you can be included in the ongoing discussions.

Let us all work together to make a significant difference in the course of this epidemic and to help people around the world make and carry out the choices that will keep them from infection with this virus.

Together, we can do it!

Please send an email to Book@HIVHope.net so that we can include you on the mailing list. Let us know that you have a copy of the book, how you are planning to use it, and how we can help. Perhaps the next time one of our HIVHope team is in your area, we can meet with you and look for ways to assist you in your work.

My hope is that this will be a collaborative effort. I know that we do not have all of the answers to this epidemic. I also know that those of you who will read this book will discover some wonderful insights we have not considered that will help all of us be more effective. So, please share your thoughts, experiences, ideas, and criticisms of what you will find in these pages.

Also, as you are teaching, you may be asked questions that are not covered here. Please share those questions along with the answers you have found effective. OR, if you need help answering a question, email it to us, and we will get back to you with our thoughts. If we do not have a ready answer, we will send your question out to the mailing list and share the responses we receive.

This epidemic is too big for any of us to tackle alone. But, together we can make a real difference. Thank you for your willingness to be part of the answer to the greatest health crisis in recent history!

Duane Crumb for the HIVHope team