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The Organization for Cross-Cultural Exchange (OCCE) is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization that was initiated in 2007 to facilitate a dialogue between traditional healers and western medical practitioners to develop poverty alleviation and health promotion strategies. This entirely volunteer organization, is devoted to promoting research, education, and partnerships that integrates cultural traditions within developing worlds with the cross-fertilization of western ideals. The main goal of OCCE is to facilitate dialogue between traditional healers and western medical practitioners and further develop strategies, collaborative techniques, and awareness for the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis in South Africa. In promoting the dialogue between traditional healers in rural villages and western medical practitioners, we can educate traditional healers on western medical advances and combat the ravaging spread of disease. The philosophy of OCCE is to fully recognize and respect the cultures and traditions of the people who need our help.As OCCE grows, the focus is to remain true to this philosophy and to continue collaborating with traditional South African healers who are known as sangomas or inyangas. These spiritual and medicinal healers, often people of status in the villages, are the equivalent to western doctors who attend to the needs of the sick. Through our involvment with these community leaders, it is our goal to provide access to high quality treatment for patients in developing areas that are devoid of western medical infrastructure. Additionally, associated poverty conditions must be addressed in order to improve the quality of life for these individuals many of whom are children orphaned by the rampant spread of HIV/AIDS. Our work over the last two years has shown us that small successes bring larger rewards. With this in mind, OCCE plans to adopt the village of Vukuzenzele, South Africa, and work directly with their traditional healers, community leaders, and local residents to address this dire situation.

Vukauzenele school children

Project Narrative

The Organization for Cross Cultural Exchange (OCCE) was established for the purpose of developing a collaborative technique in the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS in South Africa. Since poverty is linked to the AIDS epidemic, poverty must also be addressed. Interviewing traditional healers is a key component of this project. By interviewing traditional healers the knowledge gained can help disseminate their cultural knowledge into the hands of western thinkers, thus connecting the two worldviews together.OCCE is an interdisciplinary organization using anthropological interviewing as a tool to understanding the local worldview via traditional healers. Since traditional healers are well-respected and honored members of the community, interviewing them to understand the culture and values helps systematize ideas to formulate proper poverty alleviation programs that are devised to meet specific cultural needs. Public health reflections and traditional ideals formulate effective health and educational principles for the village at large. Moreover, OCCE’s strategy to interview traditional healers benefits the people they serve and assist medical personnel in their further examination of health issues.Thus, by understanding their culture through the traditional healers, two areas of need can be addressed. First, is the examination of the lack of quality treatment due to poverty conditions and secondly, the identification of the means for building a sustainable community. OCCE’s intent is to provide a cohesive link to the daunting task of safeguarding a village from diseases such as HIV and TB through poverty alleviation.

Mission

Our mission is to bridge the communication gap between traditional and western ideals through research and cross-cultural exchange.

Objectives

  • Maintain cross-cultural exchange between western ideals and traditional principles.
  • Preserve human dignity by promoting opportunities for cross-cultural collaboration.
  • Conduct anthropological and open ended ethnographic studies on traditional healer practitioners in urban, periurban and rural areas to understand their world view on illnesses and traditional medicines.
  • Provide research findings and data for medical personnel working in developing countries.
  • Advance collaboration between traditional views and western views to better understand pragmatic ways to address health issues.
  • Transform biased perceptions, via a continuing dialogue, among the differing philosophies of the western and traditional ideals concerning medical practices.
  • Uphold the sharing of viewpoints to stimulate participation in understanding other philosophies with reference to medical treatment.
  • Acquire and allocate resources that support healthy lifestyles in rural villages.
  • Encourage capacity building in rural villages.