Events 2008
February 2008
Frederick Olum
Fred Olum was an herbalist who ran his own private clinic in addition to working with HIV+ patients at Women Fighting AIDS in Kenya (WOFAK). He was also a key member of the TICAH team. He worked closely with TICAH for over two years to help research and compile our groundbreaking book, Using Our Traditions and to participate in the community training programs that arose from this work. This book would not have been possible without his generosity of spirit and his willingness to share his knowledge. Fred passed away in February 2008 after a short illness. We will miss him very much.
April 2008
Our Positive Bodies Exhibition - Brunei Gallery, London
A team of 6 traveled to London for the 16th April opening of the exhibition, Our Positive Bodies. The exhibition includes portraits, paintings, photographs and stories in Thai, Kiswahili, Hindi and English, showing the power of expression, pointing to the problems with our programs, and sharing our strategies for staying healthy and engaged. We believe that by creating spaces for this kind of expression, we are also supporting policies and programs that are more responsive to lived needs and realities on the ground, policies that address the injustice and inequality that fuel the epidemic. The exhibition runs until 21 June.
May 2008
Traditional Medicine and AIDS: Research, Treatment & Resources - Nairobi
TICAH will hosted a gathering that brought together a small group of experts from Africa, North America, Asia and Europe to discuss our joint efforts to support positive living and promote comprehensive and inclusive care for positive people and their families. Our meeting objective is to identify strategies for better integrating herbal medicine into AIDS treatment, care, and research. The focus of discussions during this meeting was on protocols and procedures for carrying out research on herbal medicines, on broadening treatment so it better meets the needs and treatment aspirations of positive people in Africa and Asia, and on the resources we need to accomplish this.
Opening of Medicinal Herb Garden - National Museum of Kenya
TICAH has worked in partnership with Sanctuaries and the National Museum of Kenya to develop and plant a medicinal herb garden of indigenous Kenyan plants at the Nairobi Museum. We call it ¨Our Living Traditions: Our Plants, Our Health". The garden has 16 flowerbeds containing over 100 plant species from 36 different families. We had an opening ceremony for this unique and beautiful garden in May 2008. We hope this demonstration garden will invigorate interest on the part of educators and curators at the Museum in Kenya's indigenous knowledge and those holding that knowledge.
August 2008
17th International AIDS Conference - Mexico City
TICAH participated in the Mexico City AIDS conference. As we have done in the past, we had our own booth in the commercial exhibit centre, which continued to attract many visitors. We hosted a groundbreaking theatrical performance entitled, I'm Sexy, Too, which is a rythmic reading of stories, poems, questions, rantings, and advice from our positive sexuality project. Actors were members of TICAH's positive support groups.