2011 World AIDS Day Ceremonies, Burundi

Makamba, Burundi (By Bishop Martin Blaise Nyaboho)- In Burundi, as in most of the world, the 1^st of December is traditionally World AIDS Day. However, in Burundi the Head of State shifted it to Saturday the 4^th, because of the financial constraints. In Makamba province, the UCE team led the activities of the day.

To gear up, the Burundi team went on an outreach marathon in November. The UCE team reached 17 schools during this time. The outreaches culminated by having the students join the UCE team in Makamba for the World AIDS Day events.

The UCE team brought students into Makamba Friday afternoon. The youth center was packed and overflowing with students. Dr. Guillaume Gatete from Makamba Hospital talked to the students about HIV/AIDS from both a global perspective and local perspective. The UCE team then answered questions from the students. The students were then split into classrooms, and the team gave them more focused teachings.

Saturday 4^th December: Oh! What a bright sunshine morning! Young people vested in school uniforms were prepared to tour the streets of Makamba. Priests and other church leaders, headmasters and teachers, government employees, soccer teams and thousands of fans joined the march to awake all in Burundi to the crisis, even those who are reluctant to hear the UCE message. The colorful people marched towards the stadium with abstinence and faithfulness banners and slogans. Different choirs sang about HIV/AIDS entered the stadium at 10.30am.

At this time, official speeches started beginning with the local administrator who welcomed the guests and the participants to the events. He invited everybody present to listen carefully to the following speakers and lastly congratulated the Bishop of Makamba and his team for the success in organizing the ceremonies.

The Bishop of Makamba (UCE National Director) challenged the gathering that HIV/AIDS will not have to celebrate its 50^th anniversary in 2031 if people decide to implement abstinence and faithfulness in their daily lives.

He supported the UN HIV/AIDS slogan that by 2015 there would be: Zero new infections, Zero discrimination, Zero death related to HIV/AIDS. Following this, the Governor of Makamba spoke on behalf of the Government of Burundi. He stressed that "No child should be born with HIV by the year 2015.”

The most awaited moment was that of the entertainment. A traditional dancing group from Buraza in Gitega Province was invited to join both the drummers and the outspoken acrobatic Agasimbo dancers to entertain the huge gathering at the stadium. A sketch to mobilize people to join UCE teachings for a better life free of HIV was presented by students from Dr. Rowan Williams Secondary School.

Students March to the StadiumLast but not least, two soccer games were played: Muyogo Secondary School played versus Makamba High School while Nyaburumba Islamic School played the drivers and taxi men football club. All the teams were congratulated with different prizes. At the luncheon, the Deputy Governor, Mr. Cyriaque   Kabura commented

"We congratulate UCE-Burundi to have well organized the activities of this day but mostly the clear message of abstinence and faithfulness that the Bishop has addressed to us all. May God richly bless the UCE activities.”