So far, we have traveled to Kampala, Lubowa, and Jinja as well as passed through many rural areas. We saw many clinics and the majority of them have been specific to HIV. During the past few days we have been visiting the National Fisheries Resource Research Institute where the researchers told us there was a particularly high HIV prevalence among fisher communities. However, it was interesting to learn from the researchers the opinions of the local communities. Fishers often see HIV as a “nuisance”. The men are more concerned about drowning and the women are more concerned about pregnancy. This discussion led us to reflect on the fact that in order to better meet the needs of the community that are being served, it is necessary to conduct research using community centered approaches.
Reflection by: Rick Dong, Daniel Brener, Hannah Guiang, Carolyn Spiegel-Feld
The Africa Institute Blog 