DRAFT WORKING PAPER – NOT FOR CIRCULATION OR CITATION

Abstract

Of the many catastrophes that the African continent has faced, HIV/AIDS is grouped among the most threatening cataclysms. The disease and its repercussions not only affect families and communities, but also have a devastating impact on different sectors of the economy including health, labour, education and security issues. Immense human suffering has been experienced for the past 25 years, with young children being forced into adulthood before they are ready, among other upheavals. Amidst these misfortunes, tremendous scientific advances have been made; some of which have fairly succeeded, whereas others have had heart-breaking setbacks. Given this background, it would be relevant to raise a wide range of questions especially those aimed at understanding why the myriad of efforts by the various parties have not realized the desired results. To do this, this paper draws attention to local community settings, especially in Africa, and focus on village set-ups, probing into the nature of the approaches to combating the pandemic. Given the issues surrounding the spread of the virus including, but not limited to stigmatization/discrimination, sexuality, modes of transmission, cultural beliefs and practices, trauma, health care services, aid organizations as well as governance issues, we raise questions that cut across the societal belief terrains on the one hand, and scientific/technological advancements on the other. This paper explores questions such as: to what extent are cultural practices part of the unbreakable barriers in the efforts to combat the pandemic? Are cultural contexts of local communities misunderstood? How can a focus on participatory approaches and not diagnostic measures help? How best can a sustainable integration of scientific and social aspects be achieved in the search for solutions? To address these and other related questions, the argument will be informed by examples from Kenya and Zimbabwe, looking at how particular ‘scientific’ and ‘local’ communities have engaged in efforts to integrate their efforts towards combating HIV/AIDS.