We were very honoured to be a part of the 01st September 2010 Kampala screening of Christa Graf’s ‘Memory Books‘ Film on Memory Work experiences here in Uganda. Memory Work is one of our key areas of focus in the fight against HIV/AIDS. It involves family-centred psychosocial responses to mitigiating the impact of HIV/AIDS on children, such as the use of good communication skills between parents/guardians and children/orphans; disclosing one’s HIV status, planning for the future and memory book writing. Memory Books in particular, are a way for families to come to terms with the inevitable death that they face. Christa Graf’s documentary film centres around two main families, describing the Memory Book development process and its benefits through the eyes of a parent, an orphan, a health worker and the community in which they live. The Memory Book film has already won at least 8 international awards so far across Europe. Currently, plans are underway to show the Memory Book Film in WAKISO, SPAU’s Memory Work project area. Special thanks to the Uganda-German Cultural centre for organising the film’s screening in Kampala.
SPAU in partnership with Cooperaid has been implementing a Memory Work project in Wakiso district, central Uganda over the past 12 months. This project has directly benefitted at least 150 families affected by HIV/AIDS in this region.