Dilemmas and tensions facing a faith-based organisation promoting HIVprevention among young people in South Africa

Abstract

Faith-based organisations (FBOs) are receiving growing attention for their roles in addressing HIV and AIDS in southern Africa. These roles, however, are not without philosophical challenges. Yet, to date, most references to the successes or limitations of FBOs have remained the domain of theoretical and, often, ideological debate. In this context, discussions about the roles of faith and FBOs in responding to HIV and AIDS often evoke extreme positions-either advocating for or critiquing their involvement. In place of this there is a need for empirical evidence and analyses that shed light on both the challenges and opportunities of faith-based HIV-prevention programming. This article presents a critical sociological analysis of the complexities confronting one FBO in its effort to deliver an abstinence-focused HIV-prevention programme to school-going adolescents in a poor peri-urban area of South Africa. As one aspect of a larger mixed-methods evaluation, this analysis is based on 11 focus group discussions, variously held with parents, teachers, learners and programme facilitators, in an effort to determine how and why the participants perceived the programme to work. We present and analyse four sources of tension appearing within the data which relate to the programme's faith-based orientation: a) enthusiasm for sexual abstinence despite awareness of the structural constraints; b) a dichotomous framing of behaviours (i.e. good versus bad); c) mixed messages about condoms; and d) administering faith-based programming within secular public schools. Through this analysis we aim to identify opportunities and challenges for faith-based HIV-prevention efforts more broadly. We argue that any assessment of faith-based HIV-prevention programming ought to respect and reflect its complexity as well as the complexity of the context within which it operates.

Taking it to the Pulpit: Repositioning FBOs as Critical Agencies in the HIV/AIDS Response in South Africa

“…The role of FBOs in Southern Africa in providing care and support to those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS has been globally acknowledged [15][16][17]. In other words, there is a recognition, even where self-referent, that African FBOs are critical or important role players in the HIV/AIDS response especially in care giving (see, [18][19][20][21]) and also in the areas of prevention and awareness creation. At the same time, even while recognizing the roles of these FBOs, some authors have equally indicated these organizations as acting in ways that often undermine the overall response [21][22][23].…”

“…In other words, there is a recognition, even where self-referent, that African FBOs are critical or important role players in the HIV/AIDS response especially in care giving (see, [18][19][20][21]) and also in the areas of prevention and awareness creation. At the same time, even while recognizing the roles of these FBOs, some authors have equally indicated these organizations as acting in ways that often undermine the overall response [21][22][23]. In other words, while there is no doubt that these FBOs do certain things in terms of the pandemic, there is ambivalence in terms of the net effect of such contributions and how the various roles of the different FBOs conflate with the overall national strategy and broad efforts.…”

“…In other words, there is often the tendency among the FBOs to indirectly and in some few cases directly blame the victims. AIDS is thus seen as an issue which underlines both immorality and sinful predilection of those affected [4,21].…”

Fighting down the scourge, building up the church: Organisational constraints in religious involvement with HIV/AIDS in Mozambique

“…The scholarly literature on the role of ROs in mitigating the impact of HIV/AIDS is generally less celebratory, and studies have identified several problematic areas that are inherent to most ROs or vary in importance across different types of ROs (Agadjanian and Sen 2007, Casale et al 2010, Francis and Liverpool 2009, Haddad et al 2008, Trinitapoli 2009, Trinitapoli and Regnerus 2006). Thus it has been argued that ROs may contribute to HIV/AIDS-related stigma and discrimination (Keikelame et al 2010, Mbilinyi and Kaihula 2000.…”

“…Regnerus and Salinas 2007, Zou et al 2009). Perhaps one of the most frequently discussed issues is many ROs' critical or ambivalent stance and practice in regards to condom use (Casale et al 2010, Garner 2000a, Pfeiffer 2004). …”