The Global Health Council is the world's largest membership alliance dedicated to saving lives by improving health throughout the world. National Coordinators National Coordinator Biographies National coordinators are the representatives of the Candlelight Memorial program in their countries. National coordinators support the Council year-round, helping to build national partnerships for the program as well as guide community coordinators in the planning of their International AIDS Candlelight Memorial activities. National coordinators (one per country) serve voluntarily for three years as representatives of the Candlelight Memorial program in their countries and earn a certificate presented by the Council as a result of their service. Their expertise and experience as leading civil society health implementers are critical to strengthening the Candlelight Memorial program. Eligibility & Expectations Anyone who has served for at least one year as a registered community coordinator is eligible to apply. If you have never served but are the only registered community coordinator in your country, you are also eligible. The Council will make selections according to experience with the Candlelight program, HIV/AIDS and health-related issues, community mobilization, and other factors. National coordinators may not serve consecutive terms unless they represent the only viable choice from that country. The Global Health Council and national coordinators communicate quarterly through an international email listserve, with occasional one-on-one emails or phone calls with Council staff to share strategy, feedback and reports from their countries. Understanding they have their own busy daily schedules, the Council only expects national coordinators to spend a minimal, yet meaningful, amount of time each month toward their mission. National coordinators are not expected to coordinate nationwide memorials. Application for 2010-2013 National Coordinators Applications for the International AIDS Candlelight Memorial 2010-2013 National Coordinator positions are now being accepted. Become a leader of the Candlelight Memorial in your country through this unique opportunity. Download application form here: PDF (155K) | Word Document (60K) At this time, all country positions are available EXCEPT: Bangladesh, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Estonia, Ghana, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia Please revisit this site for any updates as some positions may be added or removed after January. Applications close on March 1, 2010. Questions? Please contact Neda Dowlatshahi at ndowlatshahi@globalhealth.org. National Coordinator Biographies download PDF (370K) AFGHANISTAN Ghulam Sarwar Ahmadzai Coordinator, National AIDS Control Program (NACP) Email: sarwarahmadzai@gmail.com Ghulam Sarwar Ahmadzai, MD, is coordinator for the National AIDS Control Program (NACP) at the Ministry of Public Health in Kabul, Afghanistan. Dr. Ahmadzai has worked in coordination with stakeholders to develop the NACP strategy, the HIV testing and counseling guidelines, as well as to evaluate a study on injection drug users in Afghanistan. He has worked on HIV/AIDS for the last four years, and has attended numerous national and international trainings, conferences, and courses on the subject. This is Dr. Ahmadzai's first year as a Candlelight Coordinator. ANGOLA Mwansa Katunga Fredrick Project Manager, ADPP Angola Email: kabwa2001@yahoo.co Mwansa Katunga is Project Manager for Development Aid from People to People (DAPP) at National Headquarters in Zambia. He has just been transferred from Angola to Zambia working in DAPP Zambia as Project Manager – M & E for DAPP Total Control of Epidemic (TCE) and Humana People to People HOPE projects in Zambia, both dealing with HIV/AIDS and related programs. He has previous experience of five years in Humana People to People Botswana, and three years and six months in Angola with Ajuda de Desenvolvimento de Povo para Povo (ADPP) in Caxito, Bengo Province. Throughout his tenure, Mr. Katunga has played an integral role in the development and implementation of TCE addressing issues related to HIV/AIDS. Mr. Katunga has taken action to mobilize various entities for HIV testing, prevention, treatment and awareness. He has served as a Candlelight Coordinator for three years. AZERBAIJAN Ilham Tahirli President, GLOBAL Humanitarian Organization Email: Ilham_tahirli@hotmail.com Ilham Tahirli is the founder and president of GLOBAL Humanitarian Organization in Baku, Azerbaijan. Mr. Tahirli founded GLOBAL in 2001 to address health and security issues facing internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees affected by HIV/AIDS. Since 2001, GLOBAL has implemented various projects targeting youth, women, and injection drug users in communities of internally displaced persons in Azerbajan. Mr. Tahirli has facilitated programmatic partnerships with various foundations, government programs and international structures. He has been a Candlelight Coordinator for three years. Back to Top BANGLADESH G. M. Mourtoza Founder and Director, Center for Communication and Development Email: ccd@ccdbd.org G. M. Mourtoza is founder and director of the Center for Communication and Development (CCD Bangladesh), a non-governmental center in Rajshahi, Bangladesh. Through CCD Bangladesh, Mr. Mourtoza has mobilized communities with media and campaigns to increase awareness and prevention of HIV/AIDS. Mr. Mourtoza has more than 10 years of experience in the media and development sector, and serves as a consultant for several development and media organizations in Bangladesh. He is a member of numerous national and international associations and forums dedicated to preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS. Mr. Mourtoza has developed a number of journalistic training manuals, modules, and publications focusing on several socio-development issues, including AIDS. He has been a Candlelight Coordinator for five years. BARBADOS Merlene Blackett Vice President, AIDS Society of Barbados, Inc. Email: merleneb@gmail.com Merlene Blackett is vice president of the AIDS Society of Barbados, Inc. in St. Michael, Barbados, where she has been working for the past eight years. At the AIDS Society, Ms. Blackett serves on the education committee, visiting with parent teacher associations, church groups, and other organizations to provide information about prevention of HIV/AIDS. She is also a voluntary counseling and testing provider with the Ministry of Health. Prior to her work at the AIDS Society, Ms. Blackett held positions with C.A.R.E. in Barbados, the Caribbean Regional Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS, and the International HIV/AIDS Alliance Caribbean Program’s peer treatment counseling program. She has served as a Candlelight Coordinator for the last three years. BURUNDI Mwilima Juma Founder, Prevention Group Email: jmwilima2001@yahoo.fr Mwilima Juma is the Founder of Prevention Group, an organization in Bujumbura, Burundi, that is dedicated to raising awareness about HIV/AIDS through theatrical performance. Mr. Juma has organized street performances, skits in secondary schools and shows in offices to sensitize the general public to the AIDS epidemic in Burundi. Prior to founding Prevention Group in 1992, Mr. Juma worked with UNICEF on the Humanitarian Aid Program and with the UN Development Program. Back to Top CANADA Ted Gaudet Regional Coordinator, Global Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS – North America Email: Ted.Gaudet@gnb.ca Ted Gaudet lives in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada, was diagnosed in 1988 and works full-time for the Provincial government. He has served on the Boards of AIDS New Brunswick, the Global Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS – North America and GNP+ in Amsterdam. He is a member of national organizations: CATIE, CTAC, Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network. He was the recipient of the 2002 Queen’s Jubilee Medal for Community Work, 2001 United Nations International Year of the Volunteer Award and the 2008 AIDS New Brunswick’s Life-Time Achievement Award. Ted has also organized a number of local Memorial Candlelight Services, has been featured in a variety of media mediums and has attended numerous International AIDS Conferences. CAMEROON Machoussi Nathalie Nadège Executive Secretary, Cameroon Network Associations of People Living with HIV/AIDS Email: machoussinath@yahoo.fr Machoussi Nathalie Nadège is the executive secretary at the Cameroon Network Associations of People Living with HIV/AIDS (RéCap+). In this capacity she works to bring member associations together to address HIV and AIDS and advocate on their behalf at the meetings of the National AIDS Control Committee, CCM and CMS. Ms. Nadège has over five years of experience working directly with people living with HIV and AIDS and previously worked as a consultant to the National AIDS Control Committee of Cameroon. She has served as a Candlelight Coordinator for three years. CZECH REPUBLIC Ivo Procházka Chairman, Czech AIDS Help Society Email: ivo.prochazka@seznam.cz Ivo Procházka, PhD, is Chairman of the Czech AIDS Help Society in Prague, Czech Republic, which presides over a forum of non-governmental organizations working in HIV/AIDS throughout his country. Dr. Procházka is an expert in Sexology and has worked in the field of HIV/AIDS since 1986 as a clinician, researcher, and teacher. At the Society, Dr. Procházka conducts seminars and trainings for medical practitioners, introducing them to issues related to HIV/AIDS. Additionally, Dr. Procházka works part-time as a psychiatrist at the AIDS Treatment Center in Bulovka, Prague, provides voluntary counseling and testing, and gives clinical care to patients with sexual and psychological problems. He has served as a Candlelight Coordinator for 20 years. DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO Andremans Mansadila President, Amans Foundation International (AFI) Email: afi_ong@yahoo.fr Andremans Mansadila has served as the president of Amans Foundation International in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo since 2000. In this position he has worked with numerous groups and individuals in Kinshasa to raise awareness about and prevention of HIV/AIDS and other health issues through the publication and distribution of health and development books. Mr. Mansadila is a member of the Congolese Network of Associations of Young People against HIV/AIDS and a Pastor and Representative of Christian Life Ministries International in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He has been a Candlelight Coordinator for four years. Back to Top EGYPT Sherif R. Arafa External Affairs Coordinator, HealED Email: lethia_servant@hotmail.com Sherif R. Arafa is the external affairs coordinator for Health Education (HealED), a project dedicated to raising awareness about national public health issues among medical students in Kafr El-Sheikh, Egypt. He is an active member in a number of coalitions and NGOs working on development programs that focus on issues of public health, HIV/AIDS, and human rights. Mr. Arafa has partnered with such organizations as IFMSA-Egypt, Dance4Life, UNAIDS, WHO-EMRO, and numerous others for awareness programs, trainings, and policy in Egypt. He is currently interning at the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights. Mr. Arafa has been a Candlelight Coordinator for two years. ESTONIA Latsin Alijev Project Coordinator, Estonian Network of People Living with HIV Email: alijev@gmail.com Latsin Alijev is the project coordinator for the Estonian Network of People Living with HIV in Tallinn, Estonia. Mr. Alijev began volunteering with the organization in 1999 and in that time has organized HIV/AIDS awareness initiatives, support groups, counseling and testing in area prisons. He has also worked with national and international partners to organize public events like World AIDS Day, the International AIDS Candlelight Memorial, and numerous public concerts to raise awareness about HIV. The Estonian Network of People Living with HIV was a recipient of the 2008 Red Ribbon Award, presented at the International AIDS Conference. Mr. Alijev has a been a Candlelight Coordinator for six years. GHANA Chief Austin Arinze Obiefuna Founder and President, Afro Global Alliance International Email: austinos7@gmail.com Chief Austin A. Obiefuna is the founder and president of Afro Global Alliance International in Accra, Ghana. He is also the National Coordinator for Stop TB Partnership Ghana and a member of the Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) for the Global Fund. Chief Austin serves on various boards and is a consultant to the World Health Organization. Chief Austin specializes in journalism and management consulting, and has attended numerous international, regional and national trainings and conferences on HIV/AIDS during his 13 years of work on the disease. Chief Austin has served as a Candlelight Coordinator for 3 years. Back to Top GEORGIA Mzia Tabatadze, MD, MPH Save the Children, Georgia Email: mziatab@gmail.com Mzia Tabatadze, MD, MPH, is STI/HIV prevention project manager for Save the Children in Tbilisi, Georgia. Although she has practiced medicine for six years, Dr. Tabatadze specializes in health administration and management. At Save the Children, she coordinates an STI/HIV Prevention Task Force funded by USAID that serves an action-oriented network, and unites experts and people living with HIV/AIDS. Most recently, she has served as the focal point for planning and implementing public awareness raising campaigns for HIV/AIDS. She has been a Candlelight Coordinator for four years. Back to Top HAITI Eddy Génécé Executive Director, Promoteurs Objectif Zéro Sida (POZ) Email: edygen174@yahoo.com Email: edygen174@yahoo.com Eddy Génécé, MD, is the chief executive officer of the Foundation "Promoteurs Objectif ZEROSIDA (POZ)". Dr Génécé initiated the first care and support program for persons living with HIV/AIDS in HAITI, developing empowerment and support groups under the Greater Involvement of People living with HIV/AIDS (GIPA) program. With the POZ program, he worked with and launched a nationwide mobilization among faith-based organizations. Since 2000 Dr. Génécé has coordinated the International AIDS Candlelight Memorial event nationally in Haiti. Dr. Génécé has worked in many West African countries: Nigeria, Senegal, Congo, Somalia, Mali and participated in many consultancy works with USAID Mission/Nigeria, TvT, CIDA, World Bank, UNICEF, and FUTURES GROUPS International/Policy Project and Management sciences for Health. He has served as a Candlelight Coordinator for ten years. INDIA M.K. Nabeel Research Associate, Solution Exchange AIDS Community (UNAIDS) Email: nabeelmk@gmail.com M.K. Nabeel, MD, is a medical doctor by professional training and has been working for over four years at tertiary care teaching hospitals in and around Kannur, India in the South Indian state of Kerala. He is currently a Research Associate with the Solution Exchange AIDS Community. Dr. Nabeel has been involved in HIV-related training through the State AIDS Control Society (SACS) and has undergone training-of-trainers programs, especially in the area of rights-based approaches to reducing stigma in health care. Dr. Nabeel is also actively involved in electronic discussion groups and the UN Solution Exchange AIDS Community of Practice. He has been a Candlelight Coordinator for eight years. Back to Top INDONESIA Sahrul Syrah Secretary General, Indonesian Harm Reduction Network (IHRN/ JANGKAR) Email: hardpagan@yahoo.com Sahrul Syrah, also known as Gogon, is secretary general of the Indonesian Harm Reduction Network in Jakarta, Indonesia. Gogon is also the Indonesian National Coordinator of Millennium Development Goal to combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria, Tuberculosis and other diseases. He has worked to enhance advocacy, program development, social marketing of Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT), outreach and support. Gogon has worked in partnership with Family Health International, UNAIDS, the United States Agency for International Development, and numerous other foundations and institutions. He has been a Candlelight Coordinator for thirteen years. KAZAKHSTAN Yelena Bondareva Director, The Public Fund "Challenge" Email: chelendg_kz@mail.ru Yelena Bondareva is director of the Public Fund "Challenge", an NGO aimed at preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS and drug addiction among the youth of Pavlodar, Kazakhstan and the Republic of Kazakhstan. Through the well established partnership with donor agencies like CORDAID, Peace Corps, and others, the Public Fund holds prophylactic events at night clubs, educational institutions, and campaigns within the framework of city-wide events. On May 20, 2008 the Fund organized the "Candle of Hope" event on the bank of the Irtysh River. Yelena has served as a Candlelight Coordinator for two years. KENYA Bernadette Otieno Founder & Coordinator, St. Rita Community Based Orphan Care Email: familybased89@yahoo.com Bernadette Otieno is founder and coordinator of St. Rita Community Based Orphan Care, which finds homes for children who have lost parents to HIV/AIDS in Kisumu, Kenya. An advocate for children’s rights, Mrs. Otieno works with a group of mothers to care for some 90 orphans in Kisumu, providing them with food, clothing, medicine, homes, and schooling. She has participated in the creation of national guidelines on orphans and vulnerable children in Kenya, and in 2005, Ms. Otieno and the Mothers of St. Rita Women Group were awarded the World’s Children’s Prize for the Rights of the Child in Sweden to honor their commitment to helping children. Ms. Otieno has been a Candlelight Coordinator for the last five years. Back to Top KYRGYZSTAN Azamat Baialinov Coordinator, Y-PEER (Youth Peer Education Network) Email: abayalinov@yahoo.com Azamat Baialinov is the coordinator of youth activities at Y-PEER (Youth Peer Education Network) of Kyrgyzstan based in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. The UNFPA Youth PEER Network, is a network of youth dedicated to improving sexual and reproductive health and knowledge. In 1998 Mr. Baialinov began his work with the Red Crescent Society of Kyrgyzstan as a volunteer. Since that time he has worked on programs that address HIV/AIDS, first aid, international humanitarian law, tuberculosis, security for street children, and disaster preparedness. He has been a Candlelight Coordinator for 3 years. LIBERIA Stephen McGill Executive Director, Stop AIDS in Liberia (SAIL) Email: smcgill_sail@yahoo.com Stephen McGill is executive director and founder of Stop AIDS in Liberia (SAIL) based in Monrovia, Liberia. Mr. McGill joined the global fight against AIDS in 1997 after attending a workshop organized by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) for refugees living in Nigeria. As a founder of one of the first AIDS service organizations in Liberia, Mr. McGill has extensive experience in fostering multilateral partnerships with foundations and organizations to develop and implement programming that has informed youth, students, and the general public of the impacts of HIV/AIDS. He has been a Candlelight Coordinator for nine years. MALAYSIA P.R. Selvarajan Chairman, Community AIDS Service Penang (CASP) Email: selvapr@casp.com.my P.R. Selvarajan is the chairman of Community AIDS Service Penang (CASP) in Georgetown, Malaysia and has been focused on HIV/AIDS work for ten years. In 2001, Mr. Selvarajan joined CASP, serving as the Honorary Secretary from 2003 to 2004, and was elected as a chairman in 2005. CASP runs a shelter for the terminally ill and abandoned people living with HIV/AIDS. The organization also facilitates various education and awareness programs in schools, workplaces, shopping complexes, and colleges, as well as outreach programs to sex workers and hospitals. Mr. Selvarajan has served as a Candlelight Coordinator for three years. Back to Top MAURITIUS Daniel Philippe Head, Prevention Unit of Centre de Solidarité Email: philldfr@yahoo.fr Daniel Philippe is head of the Prevention Unit of Centre de Solidarité (Noubaz), a rehabilitation centre for substance abusers in Rose Hill, Mauritius. In 2008, Mr. Philippe co-founded the Aids Candlelight Memorial Association and is currently the Association's president. In 2007, he co-founded Research Action Prevention Information and Dissemination on HIV/AIDS (RAPID) and chaired a sub-committee at the National Aids Secretariat as well as a Needle Exchange Program Committee at the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life. In 2006, Mr. Philippe joined the Southern African Treatment Access Movement Organization (SATAMO) based in Johannesburg, South Africa. He has been a Candlelight Coordinator for three years. NEW ZEALAND Eamonn Smythe Director of Positive Health, New Zealand AIDS Foundation Email: eamonn.smythe@nzaf.org.nz Eamonn Smythe is the national director of positive health for the New Zealand AIDS Foundation in Auckland, New Zealand. Mr. Smythe has over 20 years of managerial and healthcare experience, and is known for being the first in the Australasian region to introduce counselor-driven rapid HIV testing. Mr. Smythe has an extensive clinical background across a number of specialties, as well as experience in management at both the government and nongovernment levels, and plays a key role in ensuring equity of access to antiretroviral medications. He has provided national coordination and development of the Candlelight Memorial in New Zealand over the past three years. NIGERIA Mayowa Joel Program Director, Communication for Development Centre Email: mayowajoel@yahoo.com Mayowa Joel is the program director for the Communication for Development Centre, a non-governmental organization in Lagos, Nigeria promoting development and public health issues, especially HIV/AIDS, through interactive media and community-based strategies. Mr. Joel has over 10 years of experience in promoting sexual and reproductive health, managing programs, research, training and capacity building; and he serves as a consultant to many local and international organizations. He also serves as resource person on television and radio programs. He has participated in many relevant national and international trainings and conferences, and has been a Candlelight Coordinator for four years. Back to Top PAKISTAN Muhammad Hanif Founder and Project Coordinator, AIDS Prevention Association of Pakistan (APAP) Email: aidspak@gmail.com Muhammad Hanif, DHMS, is founder and project coordinator for the AIDS Prevention Association of Pakistan (APAP), a non governmental organization in Lahore, Pakistan. Dr. Hanif founded APAP in 1996 to increase awareness of HIV/AIDS among vulnerable and marginalized groups, and currently sponsors educational campaigns for medical students, youth, female sex workers, injection drug users, and many others. APAP has partnered with other organizations and networks to make the International AIDS Candlelight Memorial a national event in Pakistan. Dr. Hanif has been a Candlelight Coordinator for five years. PHILLIPPINES Sister Mary Soledad Perpiñan President, Third World Movement Against the Exploitation of Women Email: soledadperpinan@gmail.com Sister Mary Soledad L,. Perpiñan, RGS, popularly known as "Sister Sol," is chair and founder of the Third World Movement Against the Exploitation of Women (TW-MAE-W) in Quezon City, Philippines, which provides drop-in centers and homes for abused and exploited women and children. Sister Sol was the first person in the Philippines contacted by the Memorial's organizers some 16 years ago, and has since served as a Candlelight Coordinator. For eight years she was the Secretary General of the Asia-Pacific Peace Research Association, as well as convener of the Women and Peace Commission of the International Peace Research Association. ROMANIA Cristina Puscasu Education Programs Coordinator, Baylor-Black Sea Foundation Email: cpuscasu@baylor-romania.ro Cristina Puscasu is the education programs coordinator of the Baylor-Black Sea Foundation, an organization providing care and support for people infected and affected by HIV in Constanta, Romania. At the Foundation, Ms. Puscasu manages training and scientific events for health professionals, international conferences on HIV/AIDS, and educational sessions for students to improve their knowledge and promote acceptance of HIV infected people. Ms. Puscasu coordinates international events such as World AIDS Day and the International AIDS Candlelight Memorial, and international conferences on HIV/AIDS such as the 7th Biannual BIPAI Meeting. She has served as a Candlelight Coordinator for the last four years. Back to Top RWANDA Edmond Baganizi Advisor/Consultant, Rwanda Village Concept Project Email: bageddy@gmail.com Edmond Baganizi is an advisor to the Rwanda Village Concept Project (RVCP) outside Butare, Rwanda and oversees the Let the Little Children Come to Me HIV and AIDS Orphan Center (LLCCM). Mr. Baganizi was recently selected as the National Action Partener of the Oxfam International Youth Partnership. He has served as chairman of the organising committee for the Pyramid Project Workshop that works to educate young girls and boys about gender and HIV/AIDS, as well as coordinator of the RVCP mentorship program in 50 high schools in the southern province of Rwanda. He has been a Candlelight Coordinator for two years. SOMALIA Hassen Abdi Meder Coordinator, Social Development Services (SDS) Email: sds_som@yahoo.com Hassen Abdi Meder is a coordinator and chairperson for Social Development Services in Hargeisa, Somalia and has been working with international organizations in Somalia and Somaliland for more than ten years. Mr. Meder is also a program administrator for Cooperazione Internazionale. He has attended international and national training courses on HIV/AIDS, peace building, good governance, election observations, human rights, and humanitarian law. Mr. Meder is also a member of Somaliland Journalists Association (SOLJA). He has served as a Candlelight Coordinator for two years. SRI LANKA Genita Perera Team Leader, Plan Sri Lanka Email: jenitaperera@hotmail.com Genita Perera is presently the project leader of Adolescent Sexual & Reproductive Health Project & Gender of Plan Sri Lanka based in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Plan Sri Lanka works with adolescents and youth, both in and out of school, to encourage creative types of peer communication. Ms. Perera works in partnership with the ministries of health and education to support their work in relevant health areas. Plan Sri Lanka also promotes best practices and helps other organizations incorporate those into their work. Ms. Perera has been a Candlelight Coordinator for eight years. Back to Top ST VINCENT & THE GRENADINES Theresa Daniel Communications Specialist, Ministry of Health and the Environment Email: tdaniel@vincysurf.com Ms. Theresa Daniel is the communication specialist at the Ministry of Health and the Environment for the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines in Kingstown, St. Vincent and The Grenadines. Ms. Daniel interacts with all stakeholders in HIV/AIDS prevention and control programs throughout St. Vincent and The Grenadines while overseeing all communication and media initiatives. Ms Daniel manages a team of six peer communicators who are involved in a unique program taking AIDS messages and education to "youths on the block," as well as taxi and mini bus drivers. She has been a Candlelight Coordinator for one year. SWAZILAND Peter Wonderlik Founder and Coordinator, New Hope Swaziland Foundation Email: upf.swaziland@gmail.com Reverend Peter Wonderlik is the founder and coordinator of the New Hope Swaziland Foundation in Manzini, Swaziland. Reverend Wonderlik works extensively with faith-based organizations and other NGO's to increase HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention, home based care, and life skills among youth, orphans, and vulnerable children. The vision of the New Hope Swaziland Foundation is to unite and work with the stakeholders in Swaziland to bring about an AIDS free society. Reverend Wonderlik has extensive experience building partnerships to address HIV/AIDS in numerous southern African countries. He has been a Candlelight Coordinator for one year. TANZANIA Dr. Isangula Kahabi, MD Lake Zone Coordinator, World Vision Tanzania Email: kaisa079@yahoo.com Dr. Isangula Kahabi is a medical doctor also holding a diploma in NGO Leadership and Management for developing countries. For the last four years, he has worked as a clinical volunteer and the Vice Chairperson of People in Fight Against HIV/AIDS in Tanzania (WAMATA). He also founded the Unite for Sight (T) chapter and Friends of Life Network in addition to working as a clinician at Mwananyamala Municipal Hospital in Dar Es Salaam before joining World Vision Tanzania this year as a zonal coordinator for HIV/AIDS and Malaria Lake Zone. He has served as candlelight coordinator for three years. Back to Top TRINIDAD & TOBAGO O'Leo Lokai Project Coordinator, RED Initiatives Email: redtnt@gmail.com O’Leo Lokai is the founder and project coordinator for RED Initiatives in Arima, Trinidad and Tobago. The foundation uses film, media, and other creative approaches to promote research, awareness and prevention of HIV/AIDS and sexually-transmitted infections, and rights with a focus on youth and social minority groups. Mr. Lokai has worked as a researcher, writer, coordinator, and advocate in HIV/AIDS and STI, SRH, and rights for the last five years, engaging the public through documentaries, radio and television shows, behavioral research, workshops, and international events. He is a certified community health educator, a VCT/HIV counselor, and an advocate for sexual and reproductive rights. Mr. Lokai has been a Candlelight Coordinator for three years. UGANDA Martin Okia Program Coordinator, Uganda Assemblies of God Email: okiamat@yahoo.com Martin Okia is a program coordinator for the Uganda Assemblies of God in Kampala, Uganda. Mr. Okia has spent the past 13 years with The AIDS Support Organization (TASO) working with communities to address sensitivity to HIV/AIDS, drug and alcohol addiction, water shortages, and sanitation through collaborations with various organizations. He has presented papers on the involvement of community volunteers in the fight against HIV/AIDS at an international conference held in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and at an international conference on the Global Campaign for Microbicides held in Belgium. He has served as a Candlelight Coordinator for nine years. UNITED STATES George McGarry Founding Director, Siouxland & Local Area AIDS Project Email: geomcgarry@cableone.net George McGarry is founding director of the Siouxland & Local Area AIDS Project, an organization assisting people living with HIV/AIDS and their families in Sioux City, United States. As director, Mr. McGarry provides case management for clients, oversees HIV testing and counseling, and provides community outreach and education. Mr. McGarry is president of the Board of Directors and secretary of the Patient Advisory Committee for the Siouxland Community Health Center, secretary of the Western Iowa Care Consortium, and a member of both the Siouxland AIDS Coalition and the Patient Advisory Committee for the Iowa AIDS Housing Network. Mr. McGarry has served as a Candlelight Coordinator for five years. Dave Chandler Senior Manager, Youth Now Collaboration/Volunteer Center of Southern Arizona Email: dpchandler@gmail.com Dave Chandler is the senior manager for Youth Services at the Volunteer Center of Southern Arizona/Youth Now Collaboration in Tucson, United States. Mr. Chandler has 33 years of program and community development experience, working in a variety of faith-based organizations, public schools districts, and non-profit groups. Mr. Chandler specializes in the areas of leadership development, program design, and volunteer management. He volunteered with Tucson Interfaith HIV/AIDS Network (TIHAN), the second largest AIDS Service Organization in Southern Arizona, for twelve years, and was on staff as director of education. He has served as a Candlelight Coordinator for four years. Back to Top ZIMBABWE Obert Manyeza Provincial Level Coordinator, Zimbabwe AIDS Network Email: manyeza@yahoo.co.uk Obert Manyeza is the provincial level coordinator for the Zimbabwe AIDS Network in Harare Province. Prior to joining the Zimbabwe AIDS Network in 2003, he worked with various stakeholders at the grassroots level as a district AIDS coordinator for National AIDS Council of Zimbabwe. In his current capacity, Mr. Manyeza works with over 100 AIDS Service organizations, faith based organizations and private sector companies and is responsible for ensuring smooth and meaningful networking amongst the organizations. Mr. Manyeza is an active member of a number of coalitions and NGOs working on development programs that focus on public health, HIV/AIDS and human rights. He has been a Candlelight Coordinator for 3 years. Back to Top

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