Dr. Jürgen Flender

Gertraude Frank

Michael Junk

Let's talk about AIDS

Young people from Ghana and Germany meet in Ghana

Cultural learning in the partnership between YMCA Nnudu and CVJM Dreis-Tiefenbach since 1988

Björn: poor - full of hope - hard working - open hearted - cheerful

Jürgen: Beside health questions: Are there aspects you think of with rather mixed emotions?

Tobias: No; it's going to be a great stay.

Julia: There might be language problems and surprises with food.

Martina: I'm anxious how I will master this challenge of the meeting and the journey at all: How I will deal with all these impressions; and last but not least: my English...

Björn: I don't want to sound selfish, but... I am afraid of coming back even
stronger overwhelmed by frustration of the injustice in our world.

Michael: I hope the journey will not be too tiring. I need some rest.

Gertraude: My hope is that the meeting will be successful, but there's no guarantee!

Jürgen: Supposed everything will have been ideal and the meeting was a great success: What will have been decisive? What's your main criterion for success?

Tobias: I think it's important to have good connections to the Ghanaian people. Some of these relationships might also last for a long time. Another point is that we need to get sensitive for each others problems and concerns.

Martina: For me are important: Good talks, friendships, staying in contact, "leaving with a smile"

Julia: I seek for life experience and hope to become more grateful in my everyday life.

Björn: In my opinion the main criteria for success of the trip is the
establishment of a common level - based on understanding - for further contact and even friendship.

Michael: My criterion is: The young people are able to tell their colleages, why AIDS is dangerous and what they can do to prevent AIDS.

Gertraude: For me the meeting will have been successful if young people start friendships, if they really show interest in the others and their conditions of life, and it would be a success if the atmosphere allows talking about difficults topics too.

Jürgen: Concerning the last question: What will be the answers of the young Ghanaian?

Julia: They probably want to know more about life in Germany and Europe, and they probably hope for a good understanding too.

Martina: For them the meeting might be an even more exceptional situation than for us, a special experience of freedom?!

Tobias: They probably have about the same expectations as we have.

Björn: Expectations and answers of Ghanaians might vary. I'd like to listen to as many answers as possible when being there!

Michael: They might say: "The week was successful, if I learned much about Germany and the German way of dealing with AIDS."

Gertraude: I believe the Ghanaian young people are interested in personal contacts, in winning friends - as the Germans too.

Jürgen: What's about HIV/AIDS in your everyday life?

Martina: Usually I don't discuss it with my friends, I rather know it from mass media. Okay, as a dental assistant I use gloves and a special face mask to prevent infections.

Julia: For me it's the same: I know about the activities of Non Governmental Organizations, but I don't know anybody affected by AIDS personally.

Tobias: Actually HIV doesn't play such a big role in my surroundings; but still I see that it's a difficult topic. The terrible consequences of HIV must be fought throughout the whole world.

Björn: I sometimes listen to presentations about the problem of HIV/AIDS. Otherwise, I am not confronted with HIV/AIDS.

Michael: My parish is asked to support the AIDS-campaign. I should motivate them to join the campaign.

Gertraude: Two years ago during a visit in Ghana some young people asked me: How do the German CVJM and the church deal with the topic HIV/AIDS? So it became an important question to me.

Jürgen: Talking with young Ghanaian about HIV/AIDS: What do you hope to learn?

Tobias: I hope to get a deeper insight of how HIV affects society and the way the Ghanaian young people respond to it.

Julia: I suppose the Ghanaen have more knowledge; I hope to learn from them.

Martina: I want to know how they deal with HIV/AIDS in Ghana and in Nnudu: Do they talk about it? Are there educational campaigns? What kind of prevention is favoured?

Björn: I'd like to find out, what kinds of traditions and structures in/of society make it so difficult for campaigners to reach the population. Moreover, the question remains: What is and can be done to prevent the spreading of HIV/AIDS.

Michael: I hope to understand better why AIDS is a tabu in Ghana and what Christians can do to combat AIDS.

Julia Flick

Martina Krämer

Tobias Schäfer