buddhist-approach-hiv-aids-prevention-care-thailand

8/7/2019 buddhist-approach-hiv-aids-prevention-care-thailand

1/5

UNAIDS Best Practice A Buddhist Approach to HIV/AIDS Prevention and Care, Thailand

- 1 -

A Buddhist approach to HIV/AIDS prevention and care, Thailand

Developed by : Sangha Metta Project, Chiangmai, ThailandKey words : Faith-based organisations, community, training, prevention, care, Thailand

Section Content

1 Summary of the practice

A programme that trains and supports monks to expand their traditional role to include HIV/AIDS education, prevention, care, andoutreach

2 Level of intervention

Community level for implementation, local, national, and regionallevel for training

3 Prospective usersof the practice

Faith-based organisations, NGOs, communities

4 Problem addressed ! PLHIV face stigma and discrimination in their communities! PLHIV and their families need spiritual, social and economicsupport from the communities in which they live! Monks traditionally teach communities, but do not have the

knowledge to include HIV/AIDS in their teaching; theysupport communities in their development activities, but notdo not address HIV/AIDS in a structured way

5 Purpose of intervention

1 To provide Buddhist monks with an opportunity to take part inHIV/AIDS prevention and care2 To establish a network of Buddhist monks capable of working inHIV/ AIDS prevention and care3 To help Buddhist monks identify roles they can play inHIV/AIDS prevention and care4 To provide Buddhist monks with accurate and up-to-dateinformation on HIV/AIDS prevention, transmission and care5 To organize seminars, workshops and training programs for Buddhist monks, nuns and novices6 To equip Buddhist monks, nuns and novices with participatorysocial management skills to enable them to work more effectively inHIV/AIDS prevention and care7 To serve as a resource centre providing information andmaterials on HIV/AIDS8 To promote and support the role of Buddhist monks, nuns andnovices in HIV/AIDS prevention and care9 To cooperate and coordinate with other organizations working inHIV/AIDS prevention and care

6 Context 94% of the Thai population is Buddhist. The temple and the monks,nuns and novices who live in the temple are the centre of spiritual andsocial well being in all communities. Because of their faith inBuddhism and the respect that they have for monks, communitymembers listen to what monks have to say and uphold their teachingsas truth. At the end of 2001 there were more than 1 million PLHIV in

Thailand and there is hardly a community in Thailand that has not been affected by HIV/AIDS, in one way or another. A multi-sectoralapproach that involves government, religious organisations, NGOs


2/5


- 2 -

and the community is needed to address impacts and developeffective approaches for prevention. If the HIV/AIDS problem is to

be solved it should be dealt with locally. To enable this to happen, allcommunities need to be made aware of the problem, its impact ontheir community and the need for their cooperation in solving it.Once awareness has been raised, the community has to be given

assistance in identifying ways to solve the problem and in developing plans and strategies.

7 History and process The Sanga-metta project was initiated by monks themselves in 1997in response to the need for monks to have a more active role inHIV/AIDS prevention and care. Taking the Buddhist teachings astheir inspiration, they concluded that a core aspect of HIV/AIDS wasignorance about the condition both among those infected and thegeneral public. In line with their traditional role as teachers, theydecided they could teach both groups about its realities. Within this

basic framework, the project teaches monks, nuns and novices aboutHIV/AIDS taking as a starting point the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism - Dukkha (Suffering); Samudaya (the origin of suffering);

Nirodha (the cessation of suffering); and Magga (the path leading tothe cessation of suffering) and replacing dukkha (suffering) withHIV/AIDS. The Buddist way to overcome suffering is by followingthe Noble Eight-fold Path that includes right understanding; rightthought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, rightmindfulness, right concentration. These can also be applied toHIV/AIDS. It also equips the monks with modern participatory socialmanagement skills and tools so that they can in turn work effectivelyin their communities both to prevent further HIV transmission and tohelp people living with HIV/AIDS and their families. One of themost important developments is that, in contrast with their traditionalformal roles (where the monks wait for the community to come tothem), the project trains monks to have a more active role incommunity work. Using Buddhist ethics as their guideline, they nowteach villagers how to avoid high-risk behaviour, help to set upsupport groups, train people with HIV/AIDS in handicrafts, donatetheir alms and take care of AIDS orphans. Because local people areaccustomed to telling monks their troubles, the latter have become aconduit for identifying many secret HIV+ people who, once

identified, can be referred to support groups and public assistance programs. 'HIV-friendly' temples encourage these people to participate in community activities. They also provide training inmeditation as well as grow and dispense herbal medicines incollaboration with local hospitals. This more active role amongmonks is strengthening trust between them and the people. It is alsodeveloping community potential and encouraging greater grass roots

participation in solving problem at the local level. Because the projecthas given monks a way to become actively Involved in their communities, something they have always wanted, it is spreadingrapidly into other regions of Thailand and in neighbouring countries

such as Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, Bhutan, Mongolia andChina.


3/5


- 3 -

8 Steps inimplementation

1 Conduct training seminars with monks, nuns and novices. Topicscovered are basic knowledge on HIV/AIDS, the impact on thecommunity and development and its socio-economic impacts. This isthen applied to Buddhist teachings to increase understanding. Monksand lay people engaged in community development work are invitedto talk and also this is applied to Buddhist teachings. Also PLHIV are

invited to talk about their experiences, their needs and wants from themonks and the community. In addition, the training covers

participatory skills, life skills education and social managementskills. At the end of the seminar they realise that HIV/AIDS

prevention and care are an integral part of community developmentwork 2 Trainees return to their temples and conduct 3-5 day seminarssimilar to those they attended for other monks and lay communityleaders (including village headmen, members of the villagedevelopment committees and representatives of the local governmentcouncil) to ensure participation of people responsible for thedevelopment and well being of the community. The monks and laycommunity leaders work in groups to draft action plans and devisestrategies for managing HIV/AIDS related problems at thecommunity level. They also identify potential problems and obstaclesand work out ways to solve or avoid them3 In the community HIV/AIDS action groups are set up andcommunity members are collaborating with the monks, existing

NGOs and local government staff to develop their work 4 As an ongoing activity, monks carry out home visits for adviceand spiritual support, give counselling, give health care and refer tohealth services5 They give seminars on HIV/AIDS related topics and especially

prevention topics (awareness raising, narcotics and substance abuse,Buddhist values and the five precepts of Buddhism) to special targetgroups such as youth, orphans, schools, PLHIV. In this they make useof participatory and life skills approaches6 They promote and support community initiatives such as incomegenerating activities, orphan care, herbal gardens and network withsupporting organisations7 The Sangha Metta project organises specialised seminars ontopics such as child and adult counselling, facilitation skills, media at

different levels (district, provincial, regional) to further train themonks. It also gives technical advice for projects set up by monks inthe communities8 The project is involved in other activities such as youth camps,vocational training, an information resource centre, education fund, amilk bank, a medicine bank, an alms offering bank, a funeral robes

bank 9 Duration From 1997 onwards and expanding to neighbouring Buddhist

countries10 Resources required Staff (5)

Skilled facilitators to conduct the seminars

Resource persons for the seminars (doctors, public healthofficials, PLHIV) Transport


4/5


- 4 -

Office equipment11 Indicators for monitoring

Number of monks trained (over 5000) Evaluations at the end of the training seminars Number of seminars conducted at local level by trained monks Number of communities that have initiated action plans withsupport of the monks

Activities carried out in the communities12 Impact Raised awareness with monks, nuns and novices on HIV/AIDS and

its impact and ability to teach this in the community Ability with the monks to integrate HIV/AIDS in their Buddhistteachings and to have a greater and more influential role incommunity development and social welfare Greater cooperation between monks, communities, localgovernment administration, public health sector, schools and other relevant sectors Monks promote and support many activities in the communities,resulting in increased awareness, decreased stigma, greater solidarityand hence increased care and support for PLHIV and their families Behaviour changes are taking place in the communities wheremonks are active and people are involved less in risk behaviour (visiting sex workers, substance abuse) PLHIV receive counselling, spiritual guidance, care and supportfrom the temple

13 Challenges and pitfalls

Organisation of resource persons for the seminars is not very easyas they are paid only a small incentive Often monks ask for support of their community activities, but the

project feels quite strongly that such activities need to be financedfrom the temple donations in order to be sustainable Initially the attitude of the higher Buddhist officials was not verysupportive, but this has changed with the success of the project

14 Critical issues andlessons learnt

Through this approach, those trained have become aware thatHIV/AIDS is a serious socioeconomic issue with potentiallydevastating impacts on future development. It is something nthataffects everyone and everyone must unite to respond to the crisis if they are to ensure a peaceful, happy future. Participants recognizethat all the resources needed to confront this crisis are alreadyavailable in their own community. They learn how to identify thoseresources and how to mobilize them in the fight against AIDS. When

people unite, it is the community working together for the benefit of the community. When they dont unite, it isthe community who suffers.

15 Source of practiceand dialogue

Sangha Metta Project (Project manager: Laurie Maund), Wat SriSuphan, 100 Wualai Road, Soi 2Tambon Haiya, Muang District, Chiang Mai, Thailand [email protected]/sangha-metta/project.html

16 Editors note for learning

This is an exceptional good project because it builds capacity in atarget group that reaches the majority of the population in Thailand(or any Buddhist country). It not only enables the monks, nuns andnovices to integrate HIV/AIDS in their Buddhist teaching, but alsoequips them with methods to reach out effectively to different groupsin the community through participatory approaches and life skills.


5/5


- 5 -

The approach moreover is highly sustainable because the trainedmonks in turn train others and community initiatives are funded bytemple donations, private donations and by linking to fundedgovernment activities.

Documents

buddhist-approach-hiv-aids-prevention-care-thailand