Warm sunny days have welcomed the delegation of DREAM coming from Malawi and Tanzania to introduce the program of treatment and prevention of AIDS as well as the work done in Africa, in many cities of the French and German Switzerland including Zurich, Freiburg, St. Gallen and Lausanne.

Friends and supporters of the DREAM program of Kusnacht, Zurich, organized the trip. Pacem Kawonga, coordinator of DREAM in Lilongwe and author of the book “A future for my children” that was presented in the German version, participated from Malawi, while from Tanzania dr. Kingaru Shamsi, lead clinician of the DREAM centers of Arusha and Iringa and the Prior of the Benedictine mission of Uwemba located in central southern Tanzania, an area that has the highest prevalence of AIDS in the country, 25%.

In Zurich the presentation of DREAM in different parish churches involved many people who for the first time approached the hard reality of AIDS in Africa, but also African men and women already living in Switzerland.

 The moving testimony of Pacem and her book, the passionate explanations of dr. Kingaru as well as the words of the Benedictine monk regarding the problem of stigma and discrimination that affects many women suffering in Africa, have touched everyone; many questions, the desire to know more and also offers of help and collaboration.

The DREAM program was also presented at the Department of Infectious Diseases of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Zurich. It is a reference center very well known for research and studies pursued for some years on HIV-positive patients.

In the presence of doctors and students, the results of the 42 DREAM centers present in ten African countries were presented: 270,000 people assisted and more than 55,000 children born healthy. Numbers that affected and interested not only due to the quantity but also the quality, efficiency and repeatability of the services offered.

In Lausanne, DREAM was presented at the Hospital of the city and saw the participation of doctors, medical personnel and representatives of patient associations.

The next event will take place in October in Tanzania, this time with a Swiss delegation that will visit DREAM. The dream continues!