The Imams’ story

Sheikh Mohammad Daghbashi, an Imam in Yemen

Imams, the spiritual leaders in Yemen, are playing a vital role in breaking the taboo over HIV and AIDS.

Yemen’s a Muslim country and discrimination against people who are living with HIV is very strong. Progressio is educating imams about HIV and they in turn are telling their communities at Friday prayers.

Sheikh Mohammad Daghbashi, general manager of Jamiat Abu Musa, said, “The mosque receives people from all sections of society, young and old, men and women, poor and rich. The imams and khateebs [preachers] can play a vital role in educating people about HIV and AIDS.’

Yemen is a conservative country where myths and misconceptions have led to a culture of denial and silence about HIV. But at the same time, there’s an increase in pre-marital and extra-marital sex putting people at risk of infection.

So, Progressio has been teaching imams about HIV in order to help get positive messages out to local people. In Sana’a alone, it’s estimated that more than 13,000 people have been reached through the imams’ preaching.

But it doesn’t stop with the imams. An HIV education has now been given to nearly 2,000 people including journalists, sex workers, members of the army and police – indeed anyone who can influence their peers.

“The training helped me to acquire skills and develop my confidence in breaking the silence about HIV and AIDS,” says Sheikh Hayel Saeed Mohammad, khateeb at Jaafar Abi Talib mosque.

“After I delivered a sermon, several people came forward and praised my initiative, so I feel that the problem of AIDS is gaining people’s acceptance now.”