Pathfinder International Awarded $9,400 Grant from The Elton John AIDS Foundation
Pathfinder International has received a $9,483 grant from the Elton John AIDS Foundation to support an HIV/AIDS education program aimed at the religious leaders of candomblé temples in Salvador, Brazil. The project will be implemented in the impoverished cities of Salvador and Feira de Santana in the state of Bahia and will target priests and the followers of 15 candomblé temples.
(PRWEB) February 13, 2004
Pathfinder International today announced it has received a $9,483 grant from the Elton John AIDS Foundation to support an HIV/AIDS education program aimed at the religious leaders of candomblé temples in Salvador, Brazil. The project will be implemented in the impoverished cities of Salvador and Feira de Santana in the state of Bahia and will target priests and the followers of 15 candomblé temples.
Candomblé temples are based on the African religious keto tradition. In recent decades, a strong revival of the African culture has taken place in Brazil. It is estimated that in Salvador alone, there are 2000 candomblé temples. Some rituals practiced during religious ceremonies at these temples may put followers at risk, including a collective use of the ritual razor blade used to shave the heads of believers. The temples also practice a relaxed approach towards sex, putting individuals at risk of contracting HIV.
Leaders of these temples hold a great deal of influence among their followers. For that reason, Pathfinder is currently conducting a project to promote understanding of HIV/AIDS among African religious leaders. In turn, they will provide this information to their communities. Funded by US Aid for International Development, (USAID), the project consists of an assessment of AIDS competence among religious leaders, and holding workshops on issues such as the use of ritual instruments, condom use, sexual and reproductive health and rights, gender-based violence and counseling.
“Education plays a critical role in the HIV/AIDS crisis. If we can reach community leaders and provide them with an understanding of the causes and effects of HIV, they have a chance to change high-risk behavior in the community,” said Dan Pellegrom, president of Pathfinder International. “The grant from the Elton John AIDS Foundation is invaluable. It enables us to educate the temple leaders and provide the educational materials they need for creating behavior change in both Salvador and Feira de Santana.”
The grant from the Elton John AIDS Foundation will extend the reach of the program, allowing the addition of two additional agents to work in the temples, the purchase of disposable razor blades and the printing of materials for use at the temples, with messages on condom use and telephone numbers for information on HIV/AIDS. The project will also support the production of a video on the candomblé rituals involving blood and their implications for HIV transmission and prevention.
About Pathfinder International
Pathfinder International provides women, men, and adolescents throughout the developing world with access to quality family planning and reproductive health information and services. Pathfinder works to halt the spread of HIV/AIDS, to provide care to women suffering from the complications of unsafe abortion, and to advocate for sound reproductive health policies in the U. S. and abroad.
On the Net: www. pathfind. org
About The Elton John AIDS Foundation
The Elton John AIDS foundation was established in 1992 by Sir Elton John, who serves as its Chairman. The Elton John AIDS Foundation has offices in Los Angeles and London. The Foundation is an international nonprofit organization funding educational programs targeted at HIV/AIDS prevention and/or the elimination of prejudice and discrimination against HIV/AIDS affected individuals, and for programs that provide services to people living with or at risk for HIV/AIDS worldwide.
On the Net: www. ejaf. org
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