People
are more sensitive to emotional imagery and pictures than to theory and
factual text.
The responsibility of a national government is different from the responsibility of the various groups in society.
The message consists of 4 sections, in all 44 posters:
1. AIDS is like a Flood (1-18)
2. Different responsibilities (19-24)
3. Individual options (25-36)
The AIDS pandemics is being compared to a flood that rises up and up and swallows up millions of people. One can
escape only if one climbs on board of the "Fleet of Hope": an inseparable combination
of three boats that may save from
death by AIDS: "the Fidelity" "the Abstinence" and "the rubber lifeboat" (condom). These boats are options in determined situations. When the situation changes, it is better to change boats rather than to get back into the water.
The national government should encourage people to board a boat whatsoever. Groups in society, for example families or religious groups, are not under any obligation to present all options as equal alternatives in view of their values.
N.B. The prevention deadlock occurs whenever the government promotes one particular boat. If exclusively "safe sex" is promoted, moral values are implicitly being imposed on the entire population. As a counterreaction the churches and other groups are provoked to give their views on that boat from a moral point of view.
On the other hand, the churches, because of their understanding of the universal mission of the Gospel, might not agree that their message were exclusively meant for their followers or parish members.
Looking closer who is on board of any of the boats in a determined situation, helps to do away with stereotypes.
The 'Abstinence' is not only for monks, but an option everyone has stayed on, at least in his early youth. And the 'Condom' is not only for sex workers: also a faithful discordant couple may decide to use it when the "Fidelity" option is no longer safe. And everyone
may at a determined moment have to change from one boat to another unless he
takes the risk of drowning. The typical example is of the "condomizing
womaniser" who runs out of stock: he can either drown or board the
"Abstinence" until the pharmacy opens next morning.
Experiences
4. Psychological constraints (37-44)
The real problem lies with those who don't want to board a boat, for irrational convictions like "AIDS is punishment for a sin" or "I am bewitched". And many people, especially women, cannot board a boat, being too poor and too dependent on their partners to make free choices.
This
campaign, which started in an a-religious association, was promoted by UNAIDS all over the world through its branches and adopted by many public health services, especially in Africa. It has aroused suspicion in some faith groups as if the Fleet were meant to prove that all options, especially the rubber lifeboat one, would be equally acceptible irrespective of any circumstances. It could be misused, and sometimes it is.
It has been used successfully by churches in various African countries: in Burkina Faso
it was translated into French, and adapted to a group discussion game with a
tapestry and character cartoons. In Angola, it was
translated into Portuguese, and reposted on the internet http://www.fleetofhope.tk.
In general, it is felt that the campaign in itself doesn't impose any moral view, and focuses precisely on circumstances and individual situations, in order to make moral decisions possible.
This openness has helped to overcome the deadlock on both sides, since no party likes to be compared to a war-ship wasting her energy in shooting torpedo's at other boats instead of saving
lives...
The association "La Flottille de l'Espoir" in France facilitates worldwide
distribution of the 44 posters, a pedagogic handbook, and the discussion game.
Association Flottille de l'espoir
www.fleetofhope.tk
Addresses
last revision December 1st, 2003.