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  • Research
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  • China
  • Malawi
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Countries

• Partners in Hope
• Clinical Rotations
• U. of Malawi
• Orphans

Programs

University of Malawi - Chancellor College

UCLA PGH has established a partnership with University of Malawi's Chancellor College. In August 2007, we organized and sponsored the first Chancellor College Film Festival to focus on HIV/AIDS. In November, John Hamilton, PGH Malawi Director, accompanied two Chancellor faculty and one student to the U.S. to enable them to participate in UCLA's World AIDS Day activities.

In July-August 2008, PGH brought together Malawian and American students and teachers at Chancellor College, as well as a group of Malawians living with HIV/AIDS. The project consisted of a five-week course during which the international team explored issues of HIV/AIDS. This included team-building cativities, a series of courses about HIV/AIDS taught by HIV counselors and physicians from Partners in Hope, and exploration of complex aspects of HIV, including the social and cultural implications of the disease and the role of poverty and gender inequality, which fuels the epidemic in Malawi.

For most of the Malawian and American students, this was their first opportunity to develop close relationships with Malawians open about their HIV status. As the course progressed, the instructors guided the participants to develop their stories into scenes and, eventually a dramatic narrative was shaped. The result was an original performance piece that communicated truths about HIV/AIDS and its impact on young people in Malawi. The group called their drama This is My Story. The play was performed at Chancellor College and a teacher's training college. More detailed information, including comments from each participant, is provided on the project's Web site: http://www.thisismystory.info.