BY GAYLE PEREZ THE PUEBLO CHIEFTAIN
Published: November 30, 2014
Growing up in Eastern Uganda, Jude Walubo Tadeo experienced the devastation and death of the AIDS virus. “Uganda was one of the most hardest hit (countries) by HIV,” said Tadeo, a native of Jinja, Uganda. “In the 1980s, our rate was so high. It reached 21 percent (infection rate) at its peak. As a young boy, I remember the sadness as almost every family lost someone to AIDS,” said Tadeo. “I lost my sister to it. She was only 25.”
Tadeo, 34, said church, community and other leaders got together and decided something needed to be done to cut the infection rate before it got any higher. “We talked about what we could do,” said Tadeo. “We were poor and we didn’t have medicine or money, so we turned to God. We prayed for change. We prayed to live.”
Tadeo said the community came up with a simple message – “AIDS kills” – that was spread through churches and schools, community gatherings and over the airwaves. “We told our people that those who were not married should abstain from sex and the married people should be faithful.” The message was being heard and there has been a phenomenal turnaround in the country’s HIV/AIDs rate of infection to the current 5 percent infection rate. Tadeo the national coordinator of Universal Chastity Education in Uganda, is in Pueblo to talk about the success in cutting the HIV/AIDS rate in his homeland as part of the annual observance or World AIDS Day.
He will be the keynote speaker at the annual Agape Dinner and all-night prayer vigil scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church in Pueblo West. Tadeo also is scheduled to speak at the Pueblo Rotary Club 43 meeting Monday and in Westcliffe on Dec. 7. Puebloan Andrew Dernovsek, executive director of UCE, is hosting Tadeo.
“I’ve come to share my experience and the success we have had in Uganda,” said Tadeo. He said a key message he shared with his fellow countrymen was one of hope. “We talked about second chances, that if they change their behavior, they could prevent catching the disease and they can live.”
Tadeo said the message of chastity has been taken seriously and the results in the reduction of the AIDS/HIV are proof. Tadeo said the message of safe sex is not one he supports. “We know that condoms are not 100 percent effective. In fact, they are only 85 percent effective in reducing the spread of HIV. We know we can’t recommend something that puts a person at 15 percent chance of getting it.
“People understand our message of life, our message of hope and understand that the only way to avoid it is to abstain from sex and to remain faithful for those who are married,” he said.
gperez@chieftain.com
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