History of the African AIDS Angels Project

In the summer of 2000, seven Canadians (four from Ottawa and three from Victoria) travelled together to South Africa. The group was in Durban, South Africa, for the International AIDS Conference and visited hospitals and orphanages where children suffering from AIDS were being treated and cared for. This first-hand experience of the tragedy taking place in sub-Saharan Africa propelled them to think of some way to help combat the AIDS pandemic.

Upon returning to Canada, they developed the idea of making African AIDS Angels. Each Angel would have a tag that provided information about the situation in sub-Saharan Africa along with an African name for that Angel. Funds raised by the sale of Angels would be sent to organizations that were visited by the Canadians.

The following is a chronology of how this project has grown since that visit to South Africa in the summer of 2000.

2000

·         The Ottawa committee began work on a prototype African AIDS Angel and sold their first African AIDS Angels.

2001

·         The Victoria committee initiated an angel-making group in their city.

·        Space for angel-making sessions became available at Holy Cross Roman Catholic church in Ottawa.

·         The first workshop took place in May for students attending the National Commonwealth Student Forum in Ottawa. One of the students started an African AIDS Angels project in her school that September. A workshop was also given to students at Sacred Heart High School in Stittsville.

·         At the invitation of the AIDS Committee of Ottawa, the committee participated in World AIDS Day (December 1) by displaying African AIDS Angels at the National Gallery.

2002

·         Presentations on AIDS in Africa were developed for elementary school students and given at the following Ottawa schools: Holy Cross, Marguerite D’Youville, St. Anthony’s, and St. Brigid’s. The committee also gave a workshop on AIDS in Africa to students at Youville Centre.

·         The African AIDS Angels project, adopted by the student Key Club in P.E.I., won first prize as best Major Emphasis Project for Eastern Canada.

·         In November, an Ottawa committee member accompanied her daughter, Dr. Christina Fernandez-Marion, to Zambia. Dr. Christina was sent by Care Canada to give workshops to caregivers of AIDS patients. While there, they visited Chilanga Hospice and Kasisi Orphanage.

·         The Ottawa committee participated in World AIDS Day by displaying African AIDS Angels at the Museum of Civilization.

2003

·         A presentation on AIDS in Africa was given to students attending the National Commonwealth Student Forum in Ottawa and to students at St. Brigid’s Elementary school.

·        The committee partnered in a fundraising dinner held at Lakeside Gardens in June to assist AIDS affected or infected children in Uganda.

·         The African AIDS Angels project, presented by the student Key Club from P.E.I., was declared the District Service Project for Eastern Canada for 2003-2004.

2004

·         Ottawa committee members provided assistance to a group from Amherst Island who wanted to start an angel-making project.

·         The committee participated in an event sponsored by the J’Nikira Dinqinesh organization at the National Library and Archives. The committee also organized an angel-making activity for children at an event called “Imagine” at the National Library and Archives to raise funds for the Stephen Lewis Foundation.

·         Angel-making workshops were held at Youville Centre, St. Mark High School and for students attending the National Commonwealth Student Forum in Ottawa. An angel-making workshop was also held for a grade 4 class at Holy Cross School where angels were made from paper and straw.

·         Committee members were involved in organizing a Glasmacher Lecture on October 21 at St. Paul University. Bishop Mlungisi Pius Dlungwane, from South Africa, was the main speaker at this lecture titled “Hope and Compassion: HIV/AIDS in Africa.” Committee members also arranged for presentations by the Bishop at five local high schools.

·         The committee participated in World AIDS Day by displaying and selling African AIDS Angels at the Museum of Civilization on December 1. They also participated in a Stephen Lewis benefit dinner at the University of Ottawa on November 28.

2005

·         A presentation on AIDS in Africa was given to students at Elmridge Elementary School. Presentations and workshops were held for Youville Centre students and for students attending the National Commonwealth Student Forum in Ottawa. 

·         A brochure and a Web site for the African AIDS Angels project in Ottawa were developed. 

·         Two Ottawa stores agreed to sell African AIDS Angels.

2006

·         A presentation and workshop on AIDS in Africa was held for students attending the National Commonwealth Student Forum in Ottawa and for students at St. Theresa's Elementary School.

·         The committee was an exhibitor at the "Sharing our Strengths Community Conference" sponsored by United Way.

·         A bilingual tag was developed.

2007

·         Presentations and workshops on AIDS in Africa were held for students at Pius X High School and St. Paul High School, attendees at the National Commonwealth Student Forum in Ottawa and for the United Church summer event at Kemptville Agricultural College and Epiphany Anglican Church in Ottawa.

·        An Ottawa angel-maker, Elizabeth Lamarche, volunteered for 3 months at Kasisi Children's Home in Zambia. Read her testimonial.

·        A bride and groom ordered 85 African AIDS Angels as gifts for their wedding guests.

2008

·        A workshop was held at City View United Church and a presentation on AIDS in Africa was given at St. Paul High School.

·        We shipped 150 African AIDS Angels to Winnipeg for sale at a CWL Convention.