CHRISTIAN EMPOWERMENT AFRICA -CEA: Aug 17, 2009

CHRISTIAN EMPOWERMENT AFRICA
(CEA)

VISION:

To reach out to Africa with ‘love’, care, hope, support and discipleship.1 John 3: 23, John 15: 17, Matthew 28:18-20

MISSION: We are giving Hope of a better today and an expectation of a Brighter tomorrow.

Focus - We need to keep the main thing; Matthew 6:33 & Amos 5:1-6

Whole-hearted Commitment - We need to remain dedicated to the Mission we set to drive us

Respect - Though we have different opinions, we appreciate them and value the originators

Passion - We breathe, eat and think our mission

We don't wander aimlessly; there are principles that guide us

Love - Matthew 22:37-39

Truth - Psalm 51:6

Faith - Hebrews 11:6

Wisdom - 1Kings 3:5-7 & James 3:17-18

Meekness - II Corinthians 10:1

GOAL: Having a God fearing, healthy and Self sustaining Africa.

Christian Empowerment Africa (CEA) is a Christian founded organization that started in 2006 by Mr. Muhumuza Francis with intentions of reaching out to our brothers and sisters throughout Africa with love, hope, care, support and building up youth and children in families, schools, churches and communities with Christian morals.

CEA is operating under the anointing of the Holy Spirit. CEA is a non profit making organization rendering services to people of all back ground irrespective of their colour, faith and belief.

The organization has 40 members and started reaching out through talk shows In December, 2008 CEA started supporting families in communities through counseling, guiding and providing them transport to go to VCT centre for medication and blood testing.

. The organization has been supporting these patients with transport to go for counseling services, Anti Retroviral (ARVs) Therapy and provision of food to the weak.

CEA has been getting funds from Watooto Church home cell, friends, members and well wishers 80% of the funds come from Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Aguma, the watooto church home cell leader and host. 20%of the funds from executive members. The funds have been used to cater for talk shows, transporting patients for Counseling and health care services and other activities. Because of limited resources, the activities of the organization are slow and restricted.

CEA is against all works of evil that is homosexuality, lesbianism, sex before marriage, infidelity, child sacrifice, theft, corruption and any other activities which tarnishes the Godly image that human nature is created to represent.

The issue of poverty is being tackled by use of income generating activities. This helps the communities from turning to un Godly ways of getting money (for example; commercial sex, robbery and corruption).

CEA we are to operate though out all urban and rural areas in all nations of Africa bringing hope

Our activities will be carried out to target two groups of people.

a) Youth and children

The activities for the youth and children will be carried out targeting both school and non-school goers

b) Under privileged

This category will include orphans, widows and widowers.

Objectives of the organization:

1. To increase awareness about HIV/ AIDS

2. To empower the beneficiaries to be self sustaining

3. To carry out discipleship

Activities to meet the organization’s objectives will include but not limited to:

1. Awareness about HIV/ AIDS

The use of projector to spread the message by display of useful video clips, counseling of those with HIV/AIDS, that there is still life after infection. The patients will be referred to centers that provide ARVs and other HIV care, advised on having a good diet, self control, confession and forgiveness through the Holy Spirit. (Romans 5:14-17, Galatians 5:16-26, 1 John 5:5-26) and overcoming stigma.

We shall organize free HIV counseling and testing services, drama competitions/ Music galas, outings, debates and conferences. (Proverbs 5&7, Thessalonians 4:1-8)

Through use of district teachers, school projects, Church leaders, youth leaders, people living with HIV/AIDS, local council leaders, celebrities and other key stakeholders to openly address the issue of HIV/AIDS to different communities.

2. Empowerment to be self sustaining

Carpentry

The initial phase will involve sending the members to internships with different organizations followed by supporting them in the field to work.
Later, tutors, equipment, carpentry workshops can then be set up.

Brick making
This is a very good venture that we intend to encourage our members to do but for this Project to be more fruitful, land and market are very important constituents. We may initially hire land for brick making and then contact individuals and companies involved in house construction.

Tailoring and weaving for ladies, orphans and widowers thus they will be in position of sustaining them selves.

Bakery and home management and making of African crafts for ladies

Service delivery including mosquito nets and safe water supply

Computer training school; this is to also help the school goers when in the holidays.

Health competitions including all sporting activities and debates.

Agriculture promotion for those in villages (poultry keeping, goats, cattle rearing where applicable)

Small scale businesses for the widows and widowers so as to raise their standards of living and having a meaningful life

Provision of basic facilities to the orphans and other categories of people for example food, clothing, medication, scholastic material, beddings and so on.

Scholarships and bursaries for the orphans though liaising with other Non Governmental Organizations that advocate for a similar course

Setting up orphanages for the orphans and homes for the widows through liaising with other Non governmental organizations that advocate for a similar course. These points seem to be lumped up in a way that does no flow. Initially the points were following each other nicely under the subheadings.

3. Discipleship

This will be done by incorporating the youth into church, school and village activities, visitation and follow up of those infected and affected with HIV/AIDS in homes, schools, villages and churches using the example of Jesus Christ, treat them as you want to be treated, giving them food, drinks, clothing, shelter, nursing care, comfort, compassion and love (James 2:8-25, Luke 10: 25-37, Matthew 25: 31-46)

We shall teach the youth to acknowledge that God is the creator such that they do not give up with life for with God all things are possible. By faith they should trust God, give their hearts, life, and bodies to the lord Jesus Christ (James 5: 13-20, Psalms 23: 27, 2 Corinthians 4: 13, 5: 10. 1 John 5: 11-15)

Continual sensitization of the youth with behavioral change messages will be key in our approach to HIV prevention. Abstinence until marriage, being faithful when you are married, basing on biblical foundation in schools, churches and village centers through talk shows, seminars, crusades, conferences and Christian movies and awarding the best students will be used and emphasized during our campaign against HIV.

Training of youth and ushering them in to evangelization programs to reach Africa for Christ .matt 28:18
Uniting of all churches, Christians and leaders as one body of Christ Jesus, psalms 133, Romans 15: 5 Eph 4: 3, 4: 13, Col 3: 14

Challenges currently faced

Beyond what CEA project can offer to the infected youth, there is a challenge of supporting their families and this to be self sustaining; therSubjecte is need for additional support to start income generating activities. This is meant to create an atmosphere of good standards of living to avoid bad practices like prostitution, having sugar daddies, gay groups and cross generational sex in the youth among others.

§ Most of the youth do not go for HIV Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) programs. Thus they do not know their HIV serostatus.

Most of the HIV patients are weak and lack jobs, here is thus need to support families of people infected and affected with HIV financially. The money is used for; school fees for their children, food, transport to VCT centers and other materials.

§ Production of posters, tracts and brochures could not be done due to resource constraints.

§ Support to behavior change communication (BCC) which started in May 2008 at Victory Church of Christ in Luzira was not sufficient to meet the unlimited needs of the youth due to scarce resources and additional training to increase confidence in handling youth issues that currently need a lot of guiding in the right path.

§ The Christian Empowerment Africa had to scale down implementation of planned activities due to scarce resources. We are however, looking forward to step up planned activities in the anticipated scale up of resources.

§ We experienced the death of two HIV/AIDS infected patients, whom we had just started supporting with counseling and guidance, feeding and transport to the VCT centers. Due to scale down of resources, we have not been able to meet all their needs in terms of feeding, praying, guidance and counseling, parental care, and love brackets as is supposed to be in John 15:11; 15:17; 3:16, 1 John 8:23

§ CEA lacks enough man power such as field counselors, nurses, social workers, and other qualified personnel to provide services to our members. The organization also lacks funds to facilitate the few resourceful people that we have.

§ CEA now has 220 patients and 130 are HIV/Aids victims. A total of 180 orphans and 30 vulnerable children already registered and many are coming to our office for help each day. 80% of the orphans are child and out of schools, in serious lack of food, medication, care, love and support. 20 % of the orphans are infected with HIV/Aids while, 70% of the children are affected.

CEA has not yet supported any of them with school fees. 55 % of these infected CEA is taking care of are youth aged 18years – 45 years and in a ratio of 1: 3, men to women of the percentage, and 35 % are aged between 46 years – 82 years and in a ratio of 1 : 5 men to women of the percentage. 15 % are children aged 1 year – 17 year women and children have opened up to the fight against HIV/Aids then men

§ 98 % of the 220 patients are very poor and have lost hope for better future, 80 % are women while 20 % are men. They have no income generating sources to start up their own business. And 85 % of the HIV/ Aids victims have other diseases like cancer, gonorrhea, syphilis

§ 90% of both infected and affected patients needs love the word of God from churches to stand and have hope of eternal life. 1 Tim 1: 6, 2Cor 41: 7-18, Mat 191: 6 ,,and John 5:11-13

What still needs to be done

We have to continue liaising and dialoging with our partners like; Kiswa Health Center, Nsambya Hospital, Mulago Hospital, Butabika Hospital and Murchison bay Hospital. These are some of the hospitals where we refer patients who test positive for HIV. We later visit these hospitals to get updates on how these patients are being managed..

There is need to involve youth living with HIV/AIDS in supporting other youth to open up through interactions, debates, conferences and testimonies in the talk shows , pamphlets among others at a greater level.

Continued liaising with the partners to support the needs of the infected is very crucial so that the issue of poverty and other diseases that is a big problem can be addressed at a large and sustainable scale..

Some of these partners like churches, HIV/AIDS project, income generating projects, family network projects and many others to support related activities in (CEA) programs need to be at the forefront of this project.

Networks with the churches partnering with us has to be strengthened to continue reaching the youth in schools, families, communities and churches

Provision of beddings like mattress, blankets, bed sheets, cloths and mosquito nets to both infected and affected people who are locking them and cannot self sustain them selves.

There is need for production of posters, brochures and other reading materials to reach the targeted beneficiaries in different local languages who require them for continuous reference. These are to act as both informative of the programs we are running and educative giving information on the different issues concerning HIV/AIDS.

In collaboration with our partners we need to emphasize behavior change programs so as to cub the spread of HIV. The programs that have already been established have to be effectively, run, monitored evaluated and consolidated.

Access to VCT services should be increased by taking our VCT campaigns to schools, churches and other communities. Health workers, opinion leaders, people having HIV/AIDS and policy makers will be at the fore front in encouraging people to go for VCT, those infected with HIV to live a positive life and those who are HIV negative to live carefully and remain so..

All those people who will be found to have HIV/AIDS will be referred and encouraged to access medical care. Where possible we shall feed some of our patients.

We hope to build capacity through partnering with organizations that carry out related projects. We shall aim at creating income generating activities, to fight disease and poverty. This will be done by increasing income earnings, building up families in unity and the love of Jesus Christ.

We shall teach biblical principles that build people’s morals as to curb and eliminate bad morals like gay groups, lesbianism, and drug abuse in youth. We shall carry out these activities in schools, families, churches and other communities. This will be done through counseling and guidance, films, posters, brochures and behavior change communication

We shall start activities to fighting against human sacrifice, abortion, divorce, early marriage, sexual abuse, rape and other similar evil practices in communities, families, schools and churches.

The patients that CEA is taking care of are not only suffering from poverty and HIV/AIDS but have other diseases such as gonorrhea, syphilis, tuberculosis, cancer, malnutrition, malaria, diarrhea just to mention but a few. Coming out openly to recognize that these diseases as serious and life threatening, yet they can be addressed or prevented early enough is very important and cost-effective.

Discrimination from information or services to any one on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, rank or HIV status shall be promoted in schools, communities, families at all times and mechanisms established to ensure that every body is protected from all forms of discrimination and stigma.

Promotion of hygiene and sanitation in our patients’ communities, families, homes. Counselors will have discussions to address this issue.

Current Achievements

Behavior Change Communication (BCC) was arranged, and in May 2008 over 180 youths was given face –to-face talks in two separate meetings on issues concerning HIV/AIDS by religious leaders, medical doctors and councilors.

Field visits mainly to the homes of the infected patients were done and patients were escorted to the VCT centers which has shown great love and hope to these patients and their families..

Face-to-face interactions and group sensitization meetings were held with in the patients’ areas of operation. The other activity done included prayers as God is the master healer and director of all, we have greatly encouraged them through these meetings.
Some of our patients (HIV positive) have had their health status greatly improved since CEA started supporting them and thanks to God for what he has done in the lives of these people.

National Breast Cancer Care Fund has openly stepped up to support CEA patients with cancer and related problems thus increasing their hope of living through treatment, brochures, education and counseling support services

Luzira community church donated to CEA 60 mosquito nets and boxes of vitamins to patients. Senior pastor Enock promised to work together with the organization in supporting and empowering the community.