S5147g-pgk.html Per Godtland Kristensen: The introduction and closing addresses to MEUSTA Evaluation Workshop, Mkonge hotel 28 – 29/03/2003

INTRODUCTION TO MEUSTA EVALUATION WORKSHOP, MKONGE HOTEL 28 – 29/03/2003

Good morning, participants!

For those of you who do not know me, my name is Per Godtland Kristensen. I am the international secretary of the Norwegian Nurses Association, in partnership with the Tanga Regional Authorities’ on the MEUSTA project. I am happy to say that I have been following this project closely since planning started in February 1993, ten years ago. I am equally happy that I am still around to receive the report of the final evaluation team, and to discuss the way forward with all of you, who are present here today.

Dear friends, we are gathered here in Action towards Change, which is the theme of this workshop. Yes, there will be presentations of findings from the evaluation team’s field work in Tanga, but only as a starting point for discussions and further input. You have not been invited to merely listen to presentations. If that was the purpose, you might as well have waited for the final evaluation report, which is supposed to be released by 15^th May.

We would not want to take up anybody’s time by only presenting what will be available in a written report in the near future. But we do want to have your comments and input. That is why, as I am sure you have already noticed from the program, plenary presentations will be as limited as possible, leaving more time for group discussions, poster presentations and discussions around suggestions provided by all of you.

In other words, we shall conduct this workshop, following a participatory approach. We have tried to design a program for these two days, which will meet that criteria. However, there are still some possibilities for adjustments. That is why we have invited you to come forward with your expectations, a session which will take place in half an hour’s time from now.

Dear friends – an evaluation is of course always supposed to provide documentation on what has been achieved. But more important, it should also provide documentation on gaps and challenges, which may still be there. An evaluation is not primarily about handing out marks for the work already done. It is much more, in my view, an intervention to assist those involved in a program, a process or activity with moving forward.

This workshop should be regarded likewise. It is not meant to judge what the people of Tanga have been doing to fight HIV/AIDS, targeting school children, but to assist them with moving forward. Even more than that – it is meant to assist all of us with moving forward, wherever we may be and whatever we may do to fight the pandemic.

We all have experiences and ideas to share. Through our discussions it is our hope that this workshop will be a learning experience for everybody. We also hope that our discussions will enable us to develop a joint statement on recommendations for future interventions, to be discussed in plenary towards the end of the workshop. That may be a challenge in such a big group, but we are confident that we shall manage, and we have prepared the logistics for arriving at a joint statement, based on conclusions drawn in all group discussions.

Good luck with your discussions! I have no doubts that they will be useful and focused, and I have no doubts that everybody in this room has something to offer. So – let us move forward in Action towards Change!

With these remarks I welcome Mr. Reuben Kakunya, the project coordinator, to take the floor and give us an introduction to MEUSTA.

Thank you for your attention. Welcome, mr. Kakunya!

CLOSING ADDRESS MEUSTA EVALUATION WORKSHOP, MKONGE HOTEL, 28 – 29/03/2003

Fellow workshop participants,

Towards the end of each year UNAIDS, the United Nations’ special agency on HIV/AIDS, is publishing data and other evidence on the global and national situation regarding the pandemic.

Every year we have observed an alarming increase in the number of infected people, the number of deaths, the number of orphans, etc., due to AIDS. Sub-Saharan Africa is still the part of the world, which is most hardly hit. Many experts say that the situation is going to continue to get worse, before it is going to get better. They may be right, or we may prove them wrong.

That part of the UNAIDS Update may be depressing. But: The annual UNAIDS Update also provides evidence of improvements in many countries - if not for the population as a whole, then at least for certain population groups. What is also good news, is the fact that such improvements are often observed in the younger age groups.

That is the part of the UNAIDS Update which is promising. That is the part, which proves that interventions work. Of course they work! We know that when people have the right knowledge and are enabled - or empowered - to develop the right attitudes and practices, they will have every possibility to stay clear of HIV/AIDS. Yes, HIV-infection is deadly, but it is also a kind of infection, which everybody can make sure to avoid – much more so than many other deadly infections.

It is often argued that the world community is not providing enough funds to fight HIV/AIDS. Let me give you one example:

In September last year I attended the World Congress of public employees in Ottawa, Canada. HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa was one of the topics on the agenda, and Mr. Stephen Lewis, who is the United Nations’ Secretary General’s special envoy on HIV/AIDS in Africa was the guest speaker. He said, and I quote:

"When Kofi Annan established the global fund to fight malaria, tuberculosis and AIDS - mostly AIDS - the target was to raise 10 billion US Dollars a year. After three years the fund has raised only 2.9 billion, instead of 30.

On 11^th September 2001 a great tragedy occurred in New York and Washington, due to a terrorist attack. Within a matter of months the rich world had raised 100 billion US Dollars to fight the war on terrorism.

Now, I do not care about the money, if that is what it takes. But what in God’s name kind of moral madness rips this world, that we are prepared to loose so many millions of lives unnecessarily, because of AIDS, while the war on terrorism is sacrosanct."

"Sacrosanct" is a word, which is not a common part of my vocabulary, but I guess the word "unquestionable" might as well have been used.

I agree with Mr. Lewis, and I dear say his words are no less valid at this very moment of time, considering what is now happening in the world.

On the other hand, I do not believe this quote presents the full picture. Neither do I believe that was Mr. Lewis’ intention.

I do believe that more financial contributions are needed from the rich countries of the world, to fight the global war on HIV/AIDS successfully. But I also believe that those funds will more or less go down the drain, if those who are closest to the problem - who owns the problem - do not take the responsibility to solve it.

In my opinion, MEUSTA is a project, illustrating this point. Over a period of eight years the financial contribution from Norway has been somewhere in the region of only 1.8 million US Dollars. The regional and local authorities of Tanga have actually contributed much more - not in terms of hard cash, but in terms of manpower and other input. There have been hundreds of local government employees in Tanga working on this project, released on a part-time basis from their ordinary duties. The financial contribution from Norway, to top up their efforts, would have been useless if the local government structure had not taken such responsibility to work towards achievement of MEUSTA’s overall goals.

I think it is fair to say that the financial support from Norway has been quite low, considering the magnitude of the MEUSTA project. I think it proves the point that although outside funding may be important, it is equally important - no, even more so - that those who own the problem take on the responsibility to put the funding into good use, and be the actual problem-solvers.

Overall speaking, the financial contribution from Norway has been shared between NORAD and the Norwegian Nurses Association (NNA) by 80% and 20% respectively. Please allow me to take this opportunity to explain why the NNA has involved itself in the MEUSTA project, as we have also done and still do in other projects in other countries - including other parts of the world, but mostly in the Southern part of Africa.

No doubt, the NNA is a resourceful organisation in a rich country. We believe this blessing also establish a responsibility to share some of the resources we have with those who are less fortunate. Solidarity is a key value for most unions and professional associations, and the NNA acts as both a union and a professional association in Norway and on the international arena.

Apart from this, solidarity is in itself a key value for the profession we represent, rooted in our Constitution and our Ethical Guidelines.

But - we are not only engaging ourselves in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Tanzania and other countries of Southern Africa, as a proof of solidarity. We also do so, because we believe it is in our own interest.

It is in our own interest, because global developments will also affect our own situation. This is becoming increasingly relevant in line with growing globalisation. We believe the saying "Think globally and act locally" needs to be broadened. Everybody who has the opportunity, must now think and act on both arenas.

This is particularly relevant when it comes to HIV/AIDS. Yes, it is true that Sub-Saharan Africa still remains the region of the world, which is most hardly hit by the pandemic. But it is equally true that the pandemic is global.

According to UNAIDS the fastest growth rate of HIV infection is presently located to a number of countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Some of these countries are on our doorstep, and Western Europe is likely to be more affected, as the European Union extends eastwards, one of the consequences being increased free movement of labour.

Consequently, Norway may face a higher challenge when it comes to HIV/AIDS in the years to come. We believe, unfair as it may seem, that working with you, who have been facing this problem for years, provides a learning experience, which is likely to assist us on our national arena. I would like to add, that we even gain knowledge, which may be put into good use in other fields of our work back home.

So - to some extent we are all passengers on the same boat. However, although outside people - or visitors - may be onboard, it must always be the local people who take the responsibility to row the boat safely to shore, and make sure that visitors do not rock the boat in the process.

Together – in Action towards Change! I believe this workshop has met its theme. We have arrived at a joint statement, and the major contributors have been the participants from the Tanga Region. That is how it was supposed to be.

On behalf of the organisers I would like to thank each and every one of you for your eager involvement and contributions. This evening’s social event is very well deserved! Enjoy it!

At this point of time I would like to take the opportunity to thank all those who have prepared and made sure that this workshop progressed smoothly: The MEUSTA staff and volunteers, headed by Mr. Reuben Kakunya, the evaluation team, headed by Ane Haaland, and last, but no least, Ruth Nesje. Let us give them a big hand, please!

On behalf of the visitors from NNA, who are here for the first time, I would also like to thank the MEUSTA people for the their hospitality during last Monday’s workshop, this workshop and the NNA delegation’s visit to Pangani. It has provided insight to what has been happening in this project, and it is highly appreciated.

Safari njema to all of you, who are travelling. And to everybody: Wherever you stay and whenever you get back home - good luck with your continued Action towards Change! We shall succeed!

With these words I declare this workshop officially closed. Thank you for your attention!