HIV counselling in developing countries: the link from individual to community counselling for support and change

Counselling in developing countries can extend from individual to family and community, can be implemented as a means of facilitating changes or support, and in the community context can be used to measure as well as sustain behaviour change. Contrasts between developed and developing countries include the capacity of communities in developing countries to acknowledge loss and find hope. Community involvement in counselling, and capacity for confidential sharing, are building blocks for strategic participatory response to AIDS and HIV, that can link inclusive care to prevention by community-determined change in attitudes, behaviours and environment. The premise that there can be a positive link from the individual to the community through confidential sharing and that it can give rise to prevention through counselling the community is illustrated by reference to programme examples from Brazil, Sri Lanka, North-Eastern India, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Community hope exists through recognition of loss, inclusion of suffering people, and capacity and action for change. One transferable tool for community development is community counselling in relation to HIV and AIDS. A visible and expected outcome is increased community capacity to care and hope.