NEWS & EVENTS

• UAAF participates in the annual crusade walk for life held every year.
• Support Groups meetings are held once in two months in the London Borough of Kensington Chelsea and Westminster. If you require further information call the Service Development and Coordination Manager on: 020 7394 8866
• We are planning a unique World AIDS day event later this year. This will include various activities in the day. A detailed programme will be released soon. Keep visiting the website.
• We are organizing an event in collaboration with Embassies from the sub-Sahara region later this year. This will highlight the plight of people living with HIV/AIDS in Africa and how we can work together in accessing support for various organizations and people living with AID/HIV. Check the website for details.

BHIVA Conference-Dublin Ireland

PLANNED NEW SERVICES

As leading player in HIV and community matters, UAAF participated in the following events and activities.

BHIVA conference in Dublin Ireland

Volunteer Training -UAAF

UAAF shared a stall with HIV-I base where resources were displayed and distributed. Mukuka Mulenga KCW project worker and Diana Mirembe Health & Fitness Worker ably manned the stall while Simon Mwendapole Services Development Manager attended meetings and networked with various stakeholders.

UAAF participated in the charity fair held in Excel exhibition centre in East London and our aim was to network with the various charity organisations that served the public and get to know non-traditional funders i.e Trusts and Legacies.

A new office was opened in the London Borough of New ham with the sole purpose of developing services for unprivileged African community. A volunteer Richard Muonge is currently running it.

Our Barnet A5 Partnership office continues to serve the community and recently UAAF organised a successful African food day that was attended by African members of the community from all major regions of Africa. The aim was to raise awareness around healthy foods and cooking in the African community.

BHIVA Conference- Dublin, Ireland

Trizah Ndwaru has made roads in getting African families affected by HIV in Barnet to start accessing UAAF services. This service is run collaboratively with the Social services department of London Borough of Barnet. It involves identifying client’s needs, making referrals to other appropriate agencies and organising support group meeting for service users.

UAAF will participate in the World AIDS Day event 2005 in partnership with local organisations and agencies based in the Lambeth, Southwark & Lewisham boroughs.

UAAF MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMME

Volunteer Training-UAAF

Uganda Aids Action Fund provides free individual/group/family psychotherapy and counselling to Black people in and around Pan London Area.

UAAF aims to provide a high level of counselling to people who have been diagnosed with mental illness or are threatened by sudden mental breakdown. People come to see us on their own accord or can be referred to us by their families, social services, and psychiatric services, GPs or any other agencies.

If you would like to talk to someone in confidence or arrange an appointment to meet one of our therapists, please do not hesitate to call UAAF office or our therapy centre at THT London Lighthouse West on the following numbers:

UAAF office: 0207 3948866, ask for Simon.

CRUSAID Walk for life 2005

THT LLH counselling services on: 0207 7921200 (ask for William Saku)

Remember this free service is provided for Africans living in and around Pan London area so please tell a friend or a relative about this opportunity for a lot of our people are suffering out there yet the professionals and the funds are available out here.

This Service is funded by Crusaid

BHIVA Conference-Dublin Ireland

BHIVA CONFERENCE
BARNET AND NEWHAM OFFICES
CHARITY FAIR
HEALTH WALKS

UAAF ADVOCACY SERVICE

UAAF provides an advocacy service to the African community who either live, or work or access HIV services in the boroughs of Kensington/Chelsea and Westminster through the provision of advice surgeries at St. Mary’s Hospital, Paddington (Winston Churchill Wing) every Monday from 1.00pm-5.00pm and Chelsea Westminster (Kobler Day Care Unit) every Monday from 1.00pm-5.00pm.

There are numerous issues that arise for African people who have recently been diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, or have been diagnosed for a considerable length of time but are uncertain of how to deal with different arising situations in relation to their HIV diagnosis.

CRUSAID Walk for life 2005

As an organisation serving the African community, we are sensitive to the issues that arise as a result of a positive diagnosis and we therefore endeavour to provide a culturally sensitive service, in as best a way as we can. Common issues that people face range from lack of emotional and social support, immigration problems, financial hardships, disclosure, medication side effects etc…This list is not exhaustive, as upon assessment of a client, we determine the varying circumstances, and give support accordingly.

The advocacy service offers one to one support on the following:

1. Access to Welfare Benefits, Housing and Immigration advice.
2. Access to hardship funds.
3. Home and hospital visits.
4. Escort and representation to other agencies.
5. An interpretation and translation service.
6. Access to counselling Service.
7. Referrals to other agencies, i.e training and employment, social services etc.

CRUSAID Walk for life 2005

The advocacy Service also incorporates African Day events (group sessions) which are held on one Saturday every two months in partnership with THT lighthouse West. These take form of a workshop covering different aspects of issues for Africans living with HIV/AIDS.

People can get access to this free and confidential service either through self-referrals by calling the UAAF Advocacy Worker or by making an appointment with reception staff at the two hospitals where advice surgeries are run.