Together with young people living with HIV networks Y+ Global, Y+ Kenya, Y+ Malawi, and youth- and women-led organisations AYARHEP and COWLHA, Aidsfonds has initiated YouthWise.
This new four-year programme aims to amplify the voices of adolescents and young people living with HIV in Kenya and Malawi to enable them to practice self-care and fulfil their sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) needs, in a supportive and respectful environment.
#YouthWise! Elina is in charge of her health from Aidsfonds on Vimeo.
It is the time we take charge of everything. I mean, everything
Elina Wasinga is a radiant young woman from Malawi working for the Coalition of Women living with HIV and AIDS. She explains why young people need to be in charge when it comes to their health. Watch her strong message in this lively vlog.
In 2022, YouthWise will train 290 young people living with HIV as advocates and peers. 8,900 adolescents and young people will be supported through peers and (online) support groups for young people living with HIV and become more treatment- and health literate. This makes them better understand the importance of treatment adherence and able to pro-actively seek information and support where needed.
We will work with 200 parents, community and religious leaders, journalists and other community duty bearers to change the discourse on HIV and adolescent’ SRHR and support adolescents and young people living with HIV. We will work with 85 health service providers in facilities and communities to make services more youth-friendly and accessible and to strengthen referral systems.
At national level, we will advocate to change laws and policies, e.g. pushing for Community ART Groups to be adopted as a policy in Malawi. The young people living with HIV-led national networks will be strengthened in their organisational and technical capacity, amongst others their advocacy capacity.
I need to be in charge of my health because it is my responsibility
– Zipporah, AYARHEP
AIDS is still the leading cause of death among adolescents and young people living with HIV in Africa. There is a high need to improve treatment outcomes and quality of life for this group, to enable them to live healthy and productive lives.
There is a high need to improve treatment outcomes and quality of life for adolescents and young people living with HIV. YouthWise aims to amplify the voices of young people living with HIV in Kenya and Malawi to enable them to practice self-care and fulfil their sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) needs.
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For the first time Sidaction and Aidsfonds are pleased to jointly launch a call for scientific proposals on the theme of HIV CURE with an overall budget of 2 million euros. This initiative, the fruit of an unprecedented collaboration between the two organisations, aims to mobilise researchers from France, the Netherlands and African countries around this crucial issue for global health. The goal of this ambitious initiative is to foster collaboration between researchers, institutions, and communities, with an emphasis on interdisciplinary and collaborative research on the cure for HIV.
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Next Thursday, the Dutch House of Representatives will discuss the Dutch Global Health Strategy for the first time. As Aidsfonds, we successfully campaigned with others for the introduction of such a strategy with a strong focus on HIV/AIDS and we continue to advocate for its effective implementation. In this article, we explain why the strategy came about, what it entails, why it is so important, and what the Dutch House of Representatives must do.
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