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May
20, 2005
Today we had a very busy and interesting day. First,
we went to the U.S. Embassy in Pretoria where we briefly
spoke with the head of the political section about
the political climate of the relationship between
South Africa and the United States. She said overall
they have a pretty good relationship. I assumed this
was for reasons having to do with South Africa's,
particularly Johannesburg's, wealth of natural resources
and general security concerns.
All
of the representatives made sure to tell us they were
speaking as representatives of the U.S. and not necessarily
always including their personal opinions when answering
policy questions.
The
major issue that emerged in her presentation was that
the people who run the government are black, but the
people who own the land in South Africa are still
white. That's similar to the makeup of a corporation
that hires managers to run the day-to-day operations,
but the managers are given power to only approve certain
line itemsÅ\not major decisions in the organizational
structure.
Another
interesting point she made was that the new sixth
region of South Africa is the diaspora, which includes
blacks across the globe. The most important part of
the visit was the presentation given by Steve Smith
about the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief
(PEPFAR). It is the largest public health plan ever
enacted by the United States according to Mr. Smith.
President George W. Bush announced the plan for aid
in 2003 and they began receiving funds in 2004. Smith
also noted that a business model is used to operate
PEPFAR, which gives money to non-governmental organizations
to support HIV/AIDS initiatives.
As
a business major, I know that the objective of running
a business is to make a suitable return on an investment.
From that point on I was suspicious of the plan. The
numbers sound good as far as how much is invested
and where it is going. Mr. Smith says for organizations
to continue to receive money, the U.S. government
must see results immediately. With a problem that
has existed as long as AIDS, I can't fathom how they
would truly think their plan is so successful as to
see results immediately, when no other plan that I
know of has done that. The stipulation is that the
plan takes the ABC (Abstinence, Being faithful, and
Condoms) approach, with abstinence being the prevention
method emphasized.
Next,
we went to the University of Pretoria, which was a
predominately Afrikaans university under apartheid.
After apartheid ended the university desegregated
allowing blacks and other races to enroll.
We
visited the university's Center for the Study of AIDS.
Established in 1999 and active in five of South Africa's
nine provinces and eight countries in southern Africa,
they have a broad array of volunteer programs in which
students volunteer.
The
amazing panel spoke with us about male sexual behavior
as it relates to AIDS. They said it is more difficult
to talk with men about HIV/AIDS because oftentimes
the men don't see themselves as the problem. They
may cheat on a wife or girlfriend and get the virus,
but believe its the woman's fault, although they're
the ones cheating and passing the virus on to their
significant others.
The
panel also spoke with us about AIDS as it relates
to youth and sex workers. The question that was burning
in my mind was how much money was given to them by
PEPFAR. The answer, none. How can the biggest AIDS
organization in S.A. not receive any money from this
incredible program? Well apparently because they promote
condom use along with abstinence and monogamy.
Also,
you can't entertain termination of pregnancy--the
main foundation has to be abstinence.
Next
we went to Pretoria Evangelism and Nature (PEN). Reverend
Mirenda Vandekerk and her husband head the ministry.
Her story of her own personal journey to becoming
aware of racism was empowering. PEN works with neighborhood
youth and and orphans. Where PEN is based was once
one of the richest and whitest places in Pretoria,
now it is one of the poorest and blackest.
The
members of the community are poor, very old or very
young.
One
of the most influential community arms of PEN is the
Sediba House, which works with the homeless in the
prevention of AIDS. Guess what? No money from PEPFAR
because they work with the homeless. We presented
them with a 600 Rand donation, I had to give another
50 personally because I was feeling her dedication.
We Americans really need to look at our values.
After
leaving there we went to the house of Sonja Martin,
the South African representative for a women's reproductive
agency, and her husband for a beautiful African dinner.
It was a very full, enriching, and powerful day.
Nashid
Sharrief '06 is a business administration major from
Detroit, Mich.
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