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other, leading to positive relationships

30and good sexual health.
We want to see people flourish and reach their potential
because they understand how unique and precious they are.
We want a world where people can build, enjoy, and maintain
safe and fulfilling relationships. We want to see culture
transformed so that sex is valued and people are able to
have a better understanding of human sexuality – our desire
to connect deeply with others.
As an organisation that began as a Christian response to HIV
and AIDS, we also want to see a shift in culture so that those
living with HIV are integrated into every part of society –
every community, every church and every institution.

acet UK is a Christian charity with a mission to equip and inspire
individuals, schools, churches and organisations, in the UK and

internationally, to transform culture by promoting healthy self-esteem,
positive relationships and good sexual health.

2 acet UK • Celebrating 30 years

“As we reflect on 30 years of acet UK, we give thanks
and celebrate all that God has done! From a few willing
volunteers, to education in 15 nations, our intensive training
programmes have truly changed hearts and attitudes
towards HIV and the wider breadth of relational and sexual
health. None of this would have been possible without our
supporters. My heartfelt thanks for standing with us!

Partnership is one of our core values. It is understanding about relationships and
how we began, a key influence in our sex. Our Esteem project (page 22)
growth, and an important part of our o ers training to equip your work as
plans for the future. We know that there well as bespoke and teacher training
is a significant demand for quality for organisations and schools.
relationships and sex education,
particularly to keep pace with the If you are a parent, carer, school
challenges of our current culture. With so or church, we want to give you the
many negative messages and images knowledge to address young people’s
about bodies and sexual expectations, questions confidently. Our parents’
students constantly tell us how much they workshops and resources (page 25) are
appreciate our sessions informing them designed to foster positive relationships
in a fun, open, and non-judgemental way. between yourself and young people.

We want to share our expertise in Finally, if you are inspired, we invite you
relational and sexual health so that to give and help us continue this life
more young people experience transforming work. We want to saturate
emotional wellbeing and are young people with the message that they
supported to make wise and healthy
choices. ”are unique, valued, and loved – today,

If you have a heart for young people, we and in the next 30 years to come!
would love to partner with you in building
young people’s self-esteem and Sarah Smith
Chief Executive,
acet UK

acet UK • Celebrating 30 years 3

“acet UK began when Dr the need for continued education and a
compassionate response. It is our personal
Patrick Dixon visited the AIDS experiences, of seeing someone su ering,
ward of a London hospital in experiencing stigma, not having access
1987. The first thing he saw to e ective medication, that incites true
was a desperately sick young change.
man. Anxious, sweaty, and
fighting for every breath, he As we celebrate acet UK’s anniversary, we
was totally alone and about reflect on the privilege it is to be part of
to die. the Christian response to HIV. Over 300,000
copies of AIDS and You (Patrick’s second
Fear, judgement, and hostility surrounded book) have been distributed because
the HIV epidemic at that time. Not one of the people wanted to help, but did not know
100 cancer hospices in Britain would accept where to begin. acet UK shifted attitudes,
someone with AIDS, and HIV was incorrectly challenged cultural norms, and broke
thought to be a virus that was passed only through taboos to create a movement of
between men who had sex with men. Seeing people passionate about education.
this stigma and discrimination spurred Patrick
and his wife Sheila to action. Following God’s Today you will find ACET programmes in
prompting, Patrick wrote The Truth about sub-Saharan Africa, Eastern Europe, and
AIDS and on April 19th, 1988 acet UK was Central Asia. Although cultures may di er,
o cially born! each has the same desire to help others
see their value and to experience true love
Unfortunately, I know personally the and acceptance. We thank God for each and
devastation that HIV and AIDS can bring. every life that has been transformed and
Twenty years ago, before antiretroviral
medication, I lost a brother, sister, and other ”look ahead in eager anticipation of what the
family members to HIV/AIDS. Although I am
grateful for how far we have come, I also see future will bring!

Margaret Sentamu
Patron of acet UK

Patrick writes
The Truth
About AIDS

1987

4 acet UK • Celebrating 30 years

The Early Days... acet UK / The Early Days

Within a few weeks of becoming “When we started, acet UK’s home care
‘o cial’ in 1988, nurses, social workers,
and volunteers were providing teams looked after people who had acquired
24-hour home support across London HIV through same sex relationships or
and education in schools had spread through needle sharing as drug users. Many
throughout the UK! acet UK quickly were very surprised that Christian volunteers
became the largest London provider were so willing to help. Where perhaps they
of home based care for people living expected judgment, they received totally
with HIV as similar work developed unconditional love, expressed in practical
throughout the UK and the Republic compassion.
of Ireland.
By 1997-2001, treatments and community
At the same time, thanks to George Verwer
and Operation Mobilisation, Patrick’s provision had improved and we eventually
second book, AIDS and You was distributed
worldwide in over 25 di erent languages. handed over homecare to the government and
The call for a compassionate response to
HIV and AIDS drew the attention of others other agencies. Today, acet UK continues to
facing similar challenges. Independent
ACET teams were established in Northern raise awareness about HIV and challenge stigma
Ireland, Uganda, Thailand, Czech Republic,
and Romania. and discrimination through education, but the

Eventually, the NHS began caring for focus has widened. We support parents, schools
people with HIV, awareness about
transmission and prevention grew, and and churches to be fully
the first anti-retroviral medicines became
available. After 14 years of service, the committed and equipped
London Home Care programme ended
and acet UK’s school education was to deliver relationships
transferred to Oasis Trust.
and sex education. Our
The work in the UK re-structured but did
not end there! acet UK was then a channel hope is that children
for support to partners overseas and in
2006, formed a global partnership with and adults will flourish,
Tearfund. ACETs throughout Eastern Europe,
sub-Saharan Africa, and Central Asia were reach their potential,
launched to help stop further spread of
HIV and care for those a ected. and experience Patrick and

”healthy and fulfilling Sheila Dixon.
Founders of acet UK
relationships.
acet UK is born!

1988 5

acet UK • Celebrating 30 years

Today, acet UK seeks to equip and
inspire individuals, schools, churches, and
organisations, in the UK and internationally,
to transform culture by promoting healthy
self-esteem, positive relationships, and
good sexual health. We do this by:

Educating young people through Working with and training
our Esteem programme international partners who
share our vision and mission
Sharing our expertise on these and who are committed to
issues through delivering Esteem mobilising the church to promote
training and providing resources healthy relationships, improve
sexual health and respond to
to those who work with young
people and communities, including the HIV pandemic

youth workers, teachers and Providing a channel for donors
health practitioners to support the work of our
international partners in
Providing support to parents
on how to talk to their children delivering education and training,
and care for those whose
about relationships and sex lives have been affected by
HIV and AIDS
Training and mobilising churches
to facilitate conversations around

relationships and sex

6 acet UK • Celebrating 30 years

ACET teams continue to flourish across The following pages highlight acet UK’s What we do / International Support and ACET Uganda
sub-Saharan Africa, Eastern Europe, work together with key partners, who
and Central Asia inspired by the call to we support through fundraising and
care for those in need, to educate and training. Other members of the ACET
train others, and with a desire to make family also continue their faithful
AIDS history. service in Czech Republic, Latvia,
Lithuania, Slovakia, and Russia.

ACET Uganda

In 1988, Pastor Balaki Kirya appealed includes partnering with the Ministries of
to the Dixons about the urgent need Health and Education to develop a national
for a response to AIDS in Uganda. training of trainers manual. With o ces in
Two years later, ACET Uganda began Kampala, Kitgum, Mbale, Gulu, and Pader,
to change attitudes and dispel myths ACET Uganda remains committed to
about HIV and encourage the church supporting young people and sharing
towards a compassionate response. what they have learned with others.
Soon after, they began a relatively
new approach developing life skills ACET Uganda
programming for young people. begins & other
This led to an invitation to sit on a ACETs begin
national life skills committee alongside opening in Eastern
UNICEF, UNDP, and the National
Curriculum Development Centre. Europe

Today, ACET Uganda uses their expertise
to influence other organisations in Africa
and develop responses to HIV and sexual
health issues. Their most recent work

1990

acet UK • Celebrating 30 years 7

ACET Uganda “I live wi th my elder brother. Af ter
the death of my parents, I started
Key aspects of the project going for night dances instead of
at tending school. I made trouble wi th
● HIV prevention and sexual health my teachers and my friends. I fel t
training for teachers, church leaders, big and that I needed no advice.
and peer educators
That was when ACET Uganda came
● Life skills education in local schools to our school and taught us about
to reduce young people’s vulnerability adolescence and puberty. They
to HIV and support them in making challenged me to analyse myself,
healthy choices because the way you handle these
things will determine your future.
● Vocational skills training and
advocacy for orphans and vulnerable From that t ime I decided to change
children, including village savings and my lifestyle. If you ask my teachers,
loan associations and encouraging they will tell you that I am a new
self-advocacy Dembe. Thank you ACET for
changing my life! Now I have a
● Special partnerships with organisations fu t ure. I am si t t ing my finals nex t
such as Friends of ACET Uganda and year, hopefully I will pass and join
Rianna’s Fund UK to construct and high school.”
establish local schools and orphanages
Dembe, 15 years old
● Consultation and technical support
to other organisations regarding HIV,
sexual and reproductive health, and life
skills programming and development

With support from acet UK,
ACET Uganda has an average
annual reach of:

72,000 young people receiving life

skills education

264 church leaders and peer educators

sharing HIV prevention and sexual
health education

8 acet UK • Celebrating 30 years