ABOUT US
WHO WE ARE
AJAN facilitates and coordinates efforts of Jesuits in the fight against HIV and AIDS in Africa through Networking, Communication, Capacity Building, Advocacy, Resource Mobilization and Fundraising.
Jesuits efforts in the fight against HIV and AIDS in Africa include offering services such as HIV Care and Treatment, Psycho-social Support through Voluntary Counseling and Testing, Spiritual and Psycho-social Counseling and Integral Human Development through livelihood support and giving education sponsorship to orphans and vulnerable children affected and infected with HIV and AIDS.
AJAN through its AJAN HIV and AIDS Prevention Programme for the Youth (AHAPPY) Programme seeks to empower the youth in Africa to live responsibly.
WHERE WE ARE
Central African Province (ACE)
In the Central African Province (ACE), AJAN operates in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Centre Maisha and the Foyer Louis de Gonzague (Aloysius Gonzaga Forum) are leading AJAN HIV and AIDS Projects in Kisangani and Kikwit regions respectively.
The projects offers holistic and personalized care to people infected and affected with HIV and AIDS and also carries out HIV and AIDS Awareness activities especially among the youth by encouraging them to live positively. Other Jesuit Parishes in DRC with active HIV and AIDS Ministry include St Pierre Claver in Bukavu, Jesuit High Schools and Colleges of formation such as the faculty of philosophy of St Pierre Canisius
Southern Africa Province (SAP)
It brings together the present territories of the dependent Region of South Africa, the Province of Zimbabwe-Mozambique and the Province of Zambia-Malawi. The countries where the Jesuits work in this new Province are the Republic of South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Botswana, Eswatini, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
In Zimbabwe, Integral Youth Development (IYD) empowers young people years in schools, colleges, orphan institutions, parishes and communities to avoid Sexually Transmitted Infections and HIV infections. IYD envisions an empowered generation of young people free from HIV and AIDS who uphold love and justice for human life and are responsible members of society. Chikuni Home-Based Care (CHBC) in Zambia established in 2000 Accompanies PLHIV and Young people in the southern part of Zambia. CHBC started off by carrying out home visits to those who were bed-ridden by HIV hence the tag name Home-Based Care. CHBC carries out activities that empowers people living with HIV, the centre also has a community radio that runs sensitization and awareness program on HIV infection and prevention program to reduce stigmatization in the community.
Rwanda-Burundi Region (RWB)
Service Yezu Mwiza (SYM) translated as ‘Good Jesus’ in Kirundi (language) supports HIV infected and affected persons. The project offers services such as HIV Treatment and Care, nutritional care, pastoral and psycho-social support, supports orphans and vulnerable children among other roles. SYM is known for its mobile clinic in reaching out to people infected and affected by HIV and AIDS in rural areas in Burundi.
Jesuit Urumuri Centre (JUC) is a social justice initiative under the aegis of the Society of Jesus (Compagnie de Jésus) in Rwanda-Burundi Region. Through the works undertaken by AJAN JUC is committed to devising effective and far-reaching responses to the problems of Rwandan communities through interventions that cater for the welfare of the vulnerable and the safeguard of the dignity of persons from all walks of life. In the year 2019, JUC started the implementation process of AHAPPY Program that is geared towards integral development of the youth and in educating the youth on positive values and involved in sensitization activities against HIV & STIs, Gender-based Violence, peace, etc. The centre has served 10,892 beneficiaries made up of 1,418 learners, 600 adolescents and young adults.
Eastern Africa Province (AOR)
North Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia
Eastern Africa Province (AOR) is home to AJAN Head Quarters in Nairobi. The Province has HIV and AIDS projects in Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan and Ethiopia. St Aloysius Gonzaga Secondary School, Children of God Relief Institute (COGRI) famously known as Nyumbani Children’s Home and Upendo OVC and Uzima Programme at St. Joseph Parish, Kangemi are key HIV and AIDS Projects in Kenya. Campion Jesuit College and Radio Kwizera are HIV and AIDS projects in Northern Uganda and Western Tanzania respectively.
North-West Africa Province (ANW)
The Jesuits of North-West Africa Province of the Society of Jesus comprises of five countries, namely Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone Gambia. The Jesuits of North-West Africa Province are actively involved in various ministries in which they constantly seek the greater glory of God in Africa and in the whole world.
In Liberia, Holy Family Catholic Parish, undertakes AJAN’s mission where they train peer educators in schools, hold Sensitization and Awareness program on HIV Prevention. The youth peer educators undertake AHAPPY GENERATION program, where they train the youth on HIV prevention, promote values and at the same time offering VCT services, youth economic empowernment to fight poverty. The centre has served 839 beneficiaries.
In Sierra Leone, St. John Paul ll Catholic Parish Grafton, Freetown, is accompanying young people and youth through the AHAPPY Program by organizing awareness and sensitization activities about HIV & AIDS and STIs, currently we have 53 youths who are AHAPPY Trainees. The Centre is also empowering the youth in Social Innovation through the Jesuit Youth Social Entrepreneurship Action (JYSEA) program which is focused in encouraging the youths to come up with innovation to the problems the youths in Sierra Leone are currently facing.
West Africa Province (AOC)
In West Africa Province (AOC), HIV and AIDS Ministry is active in Togo, Cameroon, Central African Republic (CAR), Côte d’Ivoire and Bukina Faso. Our Programs are being run in Centres Sociaux Loyola – Lome, Togo, Libermann College in Cameroon, Catholic University Centre in Bangui, Association Solidarité Vie et Santé (ASVS – Association of Solidarity, Life and Health), and the Association Bénévoles de l’Espérance (ABE – Volunteer Hope Association) in Ouagadougou, Bukina Faso and in Côte d’Ivoire, under the Christian Life Community (CLC) which has a Commission for action against AIDS and Complexe Hospitalo-Universitiaire le Bon Samaritain, Chad.
Madagascar Province
In Madagascar, Centre Arrupe (CA MDG) is a Malagasy Catholic establishment, which exists since May 15, 2005. Through the collaboration that the centre has with AJAN it has set up a program, the Pastoral of Health fight against HIV with the aim of reducing and eradicating this scourge while at the same time being involved in the fight against violence against girls and women (LVFF), by offering training series on gender development, support for victims, participatory gender audit, research on a specific theme, reflection workshops, and various sensitizations via radio programs they have managed to serve 11, 202, 700 beneficiaries of this figure 14,000 are children.
VISION
MISSION
AJAN CORE VALUES
At AJAN, Our Work Is Guided by the Following Core Values:
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- COLLABORATION:
We believe true transformation happens when we walk together. AJAN fosters collaboration that empowers communities and young people to co-create sustainable responses to HIV and related challenges.
By working hand in hand with those affected, infected, and impacted, we share responsibility, listen deeply, and unite diverse strengths to promote “life in all its fulness.” - CREATIVITY:
We respond to challenges with imagination and faith. Creativity moves us beyond limitation, helping us see new possibilities for prevention, care, and empowerment.
AJAN encourages innovative approaches that reflect compassion and resilience, especially among youth who bring new energy and ideas to our mission.
Through our ingenuity, we find hope-filled solutions that restore lives and transform communities. - INTEGRITY:
We recognize that integrity sustains mission. AJAN promotes a culture of honesty, transparency, and accountability in all we do toward the people we serve, our partners, and one another.
We pursue social justice and fairness, ensuring that our work truly uplifts the vulnerable and oppressed. Integrity means measuring our impact truthfully, learning from experience, and remaining faithful to our call to build an AIDS-free and dignified world. - HUMILITY:
We serve with open hearts and teachable spirits. Humility enables AJAN to listen, learn, and walk alongside others rather than above them. It reminds us that effective ministry grows from respect, reflection, and continuous improvement.
Our aim is not simply to act, but to serve meaningfully, allowing Christ’s love to guide our words, actions, and partnerships for lasting transformation.
- COLLABORATION:
AJAN MANDATE
AJAN was founded to undertake the following objectives:
- Help Jesuits in each African country where there is a presence to respond to HIV and AIDS by bringing those involved together into a task force/working group.
- Bind these national working groups to step by step into an effective continental Jesuit Network with its own voice and ability to act in a coordinated fashion.
- Develop good relations of cooperation with many other groups and associations, and with larger Church and Society of Jesus, relationships based on sharing of information, expertise and financial resource.
By these objectives, AJAN is the technical body of JCAM plenary on issues of HIV/AIDS. The AJAN team reflects, conducts research and advises the plenary on the direction and concrete actions to take in order to orient the mission of the conference regarding HIV/AIDS for greater and holistic impact with respect to the ever-evolving context.
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