Tradition and transition : NGO"s respond to AIDS in Africa

Taken in turn, the specific topics are: (1) the links between ancestor worship in traditional religion and strongly felt obligations to bear children -- beliefs which can have a powerful impact on a couple"s decision to use or not use condoms; (2) how cultural pressures for a woman to bear children, and to accept her husband"s having other sexual partners, can limit a woman"s ability to protect herself; (3) findings from focus group discussions with residents of Marondera, Zimbabwe; (4) an interview with the AIDS coordinator for Zimbabwe"s National Traditional Healer"s Associations; (5) a discussion of AIDS education through traditional drama; (6) the need for community-level counseling; (7) concrete approaches to the monitoring and evaluation of AIDS projects; (8) perspectives on project sustainability (sustainability is explored not as a final result but as an ongoing negotiation over the transfer of responsibility for particular areas of activity, such as condom distribution or counseling training); and (9) lessons from a project with vulnerable groups in Bulawayo in southwest Zimbabwe. (Author abstract, modified)