Programmes and Activities

 

Churches Channels of Hope

Our flagship training and church mobilization programme is also used by partners such as World Vision and AIDSLink.


Read more about the programme and the training here.

CARIS - Christian AIDS Resource and Information Service.

CARIS is a project of CABSA and one of the tools through which CABSA aims toa chieve its vision.  Although our functions overlap, CARIS is mostly responsible for the information provision and networking part of our mission.
 
This website forms an important part of the services CARIS provides, but two other services can be highlighted.
 
Resource Centre:
 
A comprehensive HIV and AIDS Resource Centre is available at the CARIS office in Randburg. Materials includes books, magazines, pamphlets, articles, videos and CD–ROMs.   The more than 3500 items in the centre can be used by anyone. A manual and classification system was developed for HIV resource centres in faith based settings.  I would like to invite you to come and visit the centre during office hours.  If this is not possible - join me for a virtual visit:
 
 
 
Welcome!  Please come inside....
 
 
 
We have a selection of free materials that you can use as you require.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Make yourself at home and select what you would like to work on - we have more than 3500 items in the resource centre.  Luckily all materials are classified and form part of our online database, so it is easy to find what you require.
 
 
 
 
 
 
We also have a selection of DVDs and Videos - you can browse through these in our video corner to see if it suits your needs.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Even a door becomes a display space for posters!
 
 
 CARIS acts as a distribution centre for a limited amount of resource materials.  We dream of expanding this to include materials of Strategies for Hope, EHAIA and others.  Please contact  Lyn if you would like to be part of this initiative
 
 
 
Network of local resource centres:
 
Local churches and faith based organisations participate in this network at a minimal fee. A basic or advanced manual is provided and CARIS continues to support and assist these organisations at the particular level that they require. Participating organisations help to make information accessible to those working in the field in their area, who cannot otherwise access existing resources and do not have the capacity to develop their own body of knowledge.
The network currently includes a variety of centres comprising anything from a single shelf in a church office to large centres with comprehensive facilities.  If you are interested in being part of the network, contact Lyn

Resources for the Christian HIV Response

 

In the book “Development and Faith”, the authors, Katherine Marshall and Marisa van Saanen, devote a chapter to faith communities and HIV. In this chapter they say the following about “Information”:  “Teams working on HIV/AIDS at the local level are hungry for information, especially about what works and what does not. Using the diverse communication channels and networks of faith networks creatively and well is one option.”
It is part of the dream of CARIS that churches and faith communities not only become “Channels of Hope”, but also become “Channels of Knowledge and Information” about HIV and the church's response to HIV. Since 2004 CARIS has made a lot of progress in being a source of accurate and reliable information for churches responding to HIV. We have a wonderful resource centre at our offices in Randburg, we have helped organisations set up local resource centres and we have provided a comprehensive service through our webpage and electronic tools.
We know that there is a sector of the Southern African Christian Community responding to HIV that cannot access the electronic services we provide. We have looked at various ways to also provide information materials to this market.
Through a partnership with Bybel-Media, we now have the opportunity to provide a resource pack containing a selection Christian books, CD-ROMs and DVDs focussing on HIV from a Christian perspective to a small number of these organisations. The materials include valuable resources from the Called to Care series of Strategies for Hope, World Council of Churches Ecumenical HIV Initiative in Africa, Bybel-Media and others.
If you know of an organisation or church who would like to be a "Channel of Knowledge" in their community that can’t access the website, I would like to ask you to print the application form for them, and to encourage them to apply for these materials. Applications should be completed in full and can be emailed, faxed or posted to us.
We regret that for the moment we can only provide this service to organisations in Southern Africa and all organisations need to commit to filling in an evaluation form after receiving the packs. Information about participating organisations will also become part of the online CARIS project database.
Please also let us know about any organisations that would be interested in partnering with us in order to expand this service.

 

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Feedback from Users of Our Services

Read what others say about our programmes and services

CARIS 5th Birthday

Thank you so much for this wonderful newsletter, and for the support you render through CARIS' resources.
Can you please send me the resource pack for HIV trainings.
The demand is huge in our area for such information.
Warm Regards,
Anna Mashilo
MCDC

I want to congratulate you and your amazing team for the last five years. You did well and served the Body of Christ in a great way. Hands wishes you and all the staff a great next five years as you continue to serve in the same manner!!
George Snyman
Hands at Work in Africa

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!! And congratulations on such an exciting first 5 years!
May God equip and guide you for the next 5!
Best wishes
Janine Ward
ttt4c Coordinator

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CARIS!!
I cannot believe that the CARIS I have seen is just 5 years old! What I saw there spoke of a work of many many years. Indeed, the Lord has used you mightily and accelerated your work and every desire. Congratulations CARIS,
I WISH YOU MANY MORE
There's interesting resources you have put up on the web thanks Lyn and Nonceba.
Minenhle Moyo
Christian AIDS Taskforce
Gender Project

Thanks a million.
Emma Mahlalela
Nkomazi Municipality

Thank you for this newsletter and allow to add my voice to the others and say HAPPY BIRTHDAY CABSA. It's a godly thing to count ones blessings and thank God for what He has done. I enjoyed reading your personal experience and testimony in work and learning. I guess I am following in your footsteps in many ways, so you are an encouragement that "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me"

 

The conference on mobilizing religious health assets sounds a great one, though I am hearing about it a bit late. Still reading the news letter, will write again later
Blessings,
Loyce
PACANet

Happy birthday and may my God bless Caris a lot, five years is not a little and i hope caris will be more for the next year. I bless caris a lot.
Dr Sylvie Kinkela

Congratulations Lyn. You are so with it for a person with no former knowledge of knowledge management and it shows in your programme!! Everything is possible with God.
>Naume Kupe
AIDSPortal Facilitator, Southern Africa

Congrats on you and CARIS for reaching 5 years,
Well done to you and your small team in keeping the goal alive and spreading the message of love and peace and communication.
All I can say is thanks for the inspiration and leadership.
May you and the CARIS / CABSA Family be blessed .
Blessings
Anthony Ambrose
Advocacy Manager
World Vision

I did receive your Birthday letter. Congratulations on CABSA's 5th birthday. You have indeed come a long way, and God has blessed you personally and CABSA generally with many wonderful gifts and blessings. You are making a difference. And you try to do what you do in excellence. Have a joyful celebration and trust God to heap more blessings on your undertakings. My prayer is with you.
Shalom and stay blessed
Sr Claudia o.p.
Catholic AIDS JHB

Belated happy birth day CARIS! May the lord grow and prosper the work for his own glory.
Lloyd Khanyanga
(Coordinator)
Family Life And Aids Education Ministry(FLAEM)

 

I cannot but help thanking our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ for the work you and the organisation are doing in this very dark and difficult time we live in, especially with Christians and churches in highlighting the stigma attached to HIV and AIDS.

You and your team have made a profound impression on me during the conference in Durban, with the presentations and your stall which I visited daily. Your news letter is also very inspiring as well the messages I regularly receive. I forward them to all staff through the relevant channels in the Department of Labour in the Northern Cape where I work.

I am pleased to be on your mailing list and grateful to also have a small opportunity to pray and support your work. It is pleasing to read how you all started, and your sentiments about yourself, you definitely are the right person for the job you do now, also your personality, passion love and care you displayed, I must add that your presentation on the first day was excellent – when  you spoke at the end of the plenary session. I must end by stating that I am the gentleman whom you kept the two books for until the end of the conference. I use them regularly since; and quoted from them during our Aids awareness session in my Department last week. Finally, congratulations on the five year anniversary, may our Lord Jesus continue to bless you and increase your ministry through the work you do.

A.K. Pillay
Kimberley

CARIS Electronic Newsletter

Warm Greetings to you in Jesus Name and I hope you're doing well. Thank you so much for updating us with relevant information that really equips us in the field of HIV and AIDS.

Ditsele Samuel. 026/04/2010
 
Thank you a million times for the Newsletter. I find its contents so fascinating. Am so touched by the powerful quotation you wrote on the death of the infected ones. Surely stigma has to be confronted head on.
Thank you for all the support you give to us Lyn. Extend our appriciation to all the CABSA team. You really are stars. Only God can reward you on our behalf.
Samuel Mhungu.
RCZ CBAP Programme Coordinator.
18/4/09

"A delayed meal is compensated by a unique taste". Although I have not gone through the "What's new" I have a feeling that the issues are what everyone needs.
Thanks for continuing to make life easier for us.
With His blessings.
Lloyd Khanyanga
(Coordinator)
Family Life And Aids Education Ministry

Thank you so much for all your assistance. You were superb and look forward to further dealings.
Farai “Kays” Kanyangarara
Freedom Unlimited (Family Impact), Zimbabwe

Thank you for the Newsletter. In fact I really thought it disappeared. I like the Newsletter because it is up-to-date and informative.
Lazarus
Malawi

I browsed through your website. It is simply fantastic. The Prisma Capacity Building Programme is an A+!
Your website is saved under my favourite links. I have some reading and catching up to do, which will be weekly on your website.
It is very, very, very impressive.
Dr Edwin Mavunika Mapara
Author Pictures in AIDucation: African Communities Talking Sex, AIDS and Pictures

It is amazing to learn how much the Lord is using you for His glory! May He continue to bless you so that you will in turn continue to be the blessing you are to many.
Lloyd Khanyanga (Coordinator)
Family Life and Aids Education Ministry (FLAEM)
Malawi

I trust the Lord that you are doing fine.
Mail to thank you for sharing helpful information with me over the period, it has been BLESSINGS.
May I say at this point that I've got so much to learn from you, you see I have special passion for disseminating timely and correct info to the Christ Body and the entire Nigeria Population as it relate to HIV.
Lyn, I will certainly drive towards acquiring more ICT skill in order for me to be well effective web wise. In fact I wish to have here in Nigeria what CABSA is to Southern Africans.
I sincerely admit to your resourcefulness and will continue to learn be inspired, be motivated more as I continue to learn.
Please keep doing the good work.
Rex
Hope for AIDS outreach, Nigeria

I am eternally grateful for your professionalism, support and efficiency.
Thank you so much again
Julie Peters
Philimpilo Community Care

I congratulate you on one of the best newsletters. Besides the latest news events, it contains valuable programmatic information
Thanks
Eddie Harvey

 

HIV Integration Training Course.

Channels of Hope HIV Integration Training Course

“Integrating HIV and AIDS information on a personal, spiritual and professional level”

Purpose

The purpose of this training programme is to equip participants with thorough knowledge of, and sufficient insight into, HIV and AIDS related facts and issues that will empower them to integrate this information on a personal, spiritual and professional level.

Background

CABSA has been implementing a very comprehensive and intensive HIV facilitator training course, “Churches, Channels of Hope Facilitator Training” since 2003. The purpose of this programme is to empower church leaders with the attitudes, knowledge and skills to be channels of hope and assist faith communities towards becoming HIV competent.

Years of experience with this highly praised course taught us that:

  • Not all Christians are necessarily leaders.
  • Not all Christians are necessarily called to become actively involved in the field of HIV.
  • Yet, all Christians are affected and challenged by HIV in different ways.
  • All Christians should understand their own vulnerability in terms of HIV and AIDS.
  • All Christians CAN benefit from a better understanding of HIV and how it affects us as Christians.
  • Christians need to recognise the challenges and opportunities that HIV brings to their work places.

With this in mind, the HIV Integration course was developed to assist Christians to integrate HIV information on a personal, spiritual and professional level. Feedback on general HIV and the Workplace programmes indicates that many of these programmes lack a spiritual component, making it less successful in attitude and behaviour change.

This programme has been presented in a variety of settings for different groups and has a degree of flexibility to accommodate local needs.

The programme has been presented to

  • Two groups of academic and administrative staff of the Huguenot College, Wellington 
  • Support staff at the Huguenot College, Wellington
  • Visiting group from Nigeria sponsored by Woord en Aksie – a Dutch organisation working in Nigeria at the time. (Presented in Malawi)
  • Two groups of participants from various PRISMA partner organisations as part of organisational capacity building programme. (In Johannesburg and Zimbabwe)
  • Staff of Waterberg FET College. (Mokopane)
  • Members of the Harare based organisation, Youth Engaged (Zimbabwe)

Some feedback from previous participants:

  • I think am better off now than last week.  The workshop has been a life changing event.
  • I am now a changed somebody. Thanks !!
  • Information given will also assist me in personal decision making
  • It was an important journey for me to challenge my personal beliefs on particular issues
  • Some of the scriptures were excellent and helped me see my walk with God differently.  But I need more time on them personally before I can say I’m empowered.
  • The pace and variety of activities were excellent.  This is a rare comment for me to make.  There was never a time when I was bored.

Outcomes

The successful participant would be:

  • Equipped with thorough knowledge on HIV and AIDS related topics and issues;
  • Enriched and challenged to explore a Christian response to the challenges of HIV and AIDS,
  • Able to respond accurately and sensitively to HIV questions and challenges in the workplace, and
  • Challenged, motivated and equipped to start integrating the above on a personal, spiritual and professional level.

Who should attend this programme?

This training is suitable for anybody with the desire to know and understand more about HIV and AIDS related topics.  This could therefore include anyone who wishes to have a better understanding of the challenges and realities HIV and AIDS brings to their specific project or ministry.

The programme is also ideal for employers and employees who as a group want to improve their understanding of and response to HIV and AIDS.

This programme was specifically developed from a Christian perspective, but is sensitive to people of other faiths. All participants and their views will be treated with respect and dignity.

Content of programme

1. Integrating the knowledge on a personal level
    Exploring my attitudes and worldview
    Evaluating personal risk
    Understanding statistics and the impact of HIV and AIDS on various contexts
    HIV and AIDS related facts
o    HIV and AIDS
o    The immune system
o    The effect of HIV on the immune system
o    Phases of infection
o    Treatment options (including ARVs)
o    Transmission
2. Integrating the knowledge on a spiritual level
    Bible reflections integrated into course
    Prevention strategies
    Addressing Stigma
o    Listening to HIV stories
o    Understanding my role/responsibilities as a Christian
3. Integrating the knowledge on a professional level
    How does HIV impact on my profession/work environment/ministry etc.
    Case studies
    Introduction or revisiting of HIV workplace policy.
    Planning towards my own response
    Sharing and praying

Duration

This is a three day training program that will require some homework.

The three days could be scheduled as three consecutive days (ideally Tuesday – Thursday) or can be on one specific day of the week for three consecutive weeks.

Other options can be discussed with the training manager.

Ideal group size

20 -30 - Smaller groups are less cost effective, but will be considered.

Training venue

Training will focus on group work and the training room should therefore allow enough space for four or five groups to be seated around tables.

Evaluation

Participants will complete a pre and post training questionnaire, to assess the impact of the training on their HIV related knowledge and attitudes.

Resource material

Each participant will receive a reader with information, articles on the topics covered, and additional pamphlets and booklets.

Participants could register for an electronic monthly CARIS (Christian AIDS Resource and Information Service) newsletter.

Participants could register for a weekly electronic Bible Message with an HIV focus.

Costs

CABSA is a non-profit organisation that strives to make training accessible, but is constricted by the availability of funding and donations. The cost of each training event is therefore negotiated individually and depends on various factors.

The average cost is R500 per participant per day.

Follow up

On completion of the course participants will have the option of receiving CABSA’s weekly Bible message, the monthly CARIS newsletter and the CABSA quarterly newsletter. Participants will also be encouraged to use the resources on the webpage and at our two resource centres.

More information

For more information on please contact Aneleh Fourie-Le Roux at training@cabsa.co.za or (+27) 021 873 0028.