National Aids Council

“SASA changed my life”

BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA recently in Mbire

SASA; a programme designed by a Ugandan-based non-governmental organisation, Raising Voices, has proved its worth in Zimbabwe, as it had helped to reduce violence against women and HIV infections.

And to add it onto its benefit, the SASA (Start, Awareness, Support and Action) programme has also managed to change some people who revealed they used to be perpetrators of violence against their fellow community members.

These people revealed their appreciation of the SASA programme during a National AIDS Council Media Tour of Mashonaland Central.

According to The HIV/AIDS Network; SASA is a methodology and approach designed by the Uganda-based Raising Voices, which works with women and children to explore the gender aspects of power and to address the link between violence against women (VAW) and HIV/AIDS.

“SASA is a Kiswahili word for “now” and also serves as an acronym for the key components of the programme: Start, Awareness, Support and Action.

“The programme seeks to prevent VAW and HIV by changing the attitudes and behaviours that perpetuate power imbalances in relationships between men and women.”

Gladness Mwale, aged 23, from Mbire District in Ward 3 was full of praises for the SASA programme, as she was honest enough to reveal that she used to be violent.

“Ini SASA yakatondibatsira nekuti ndaitombovawo munhu wacho aitokonzeresa mhirizhonga.

“Ndaingoti kugumburiswa ndaibva ndatoita mhirizhonga. “Ndaingoti kungokanganiswa chete, ndaisazvitora zvakanaka, asi pavakanditora, vachindidzidzisa kuti unochinja; hunhu hwangu hwakabva hwachinja.

“Ndaiva munhu wekuti ndaiti ndikanzwa zvataurwa nezvangu ndainobvunza, asi pakubvunza ndipo paikonzereseka dzimwe nyaya dzaizonetsa. (SASA programme helped me personally because I used to be violent. Whenever I got angry, I would engage in violence but it took me to be trained that I saw that what I was doing was wrong.)

Mwale revealed that when she was introduced to the SASA programme she didn’t understand it before she got hooked, in a good way.

“As a member of this programme, we were taught that before you expect to change other people, you have to change first.

“So I’m happy I did that, I did self-introspection and knew what I had to change about my behaviour.

“We were taught about things to do with gender based violence and all its key drivers. So we started going to villages and spreading this word on SASA.

“I started in 2019 and this year in December I will be completing this programme. We go into villages teaching people so that they know all that is to know about GBV. Many people did not even know what SASA was all about, but it all changed and many people got to know about SASA and it impacted them positively.

“Many also got to be serious about getting tested for HIV and also to book pregnancies early and it also helped in many other aspects of maternal health,” said Mwale.

She added: “cases of GBV have lessened because SASA speaks against such issues, it really helped us. We also got to engage in many other income generating projects, this really helped us a lot.

“SASA also helped us especially as young women because we got to learn about many projects because we used to have issues with financial management.

“Before SASA, we really used to have issues in our marriages, like our husbands would just use all the money on things which they wanted not considering the family but we have been empowered also such that we now have our own income generating projects.

“We have goat projects which has really helped.”

She also revealed that as a result of SASA, women can now stand for their rights, they now understand that they can report either to the police or other women’s organisations.

Cases of young women who used to be abused and the perpetrators getting away with such crimes have also lessened said Mwale.

Holiday Banda, a 37-year-old man who is also helping to spread the SASA ‘gospel’ said the programme had also helped him in his marriage because they used to have numerous misunderstandings with his wife, but that had since changed.

Banda said at first he didn’t understand what this programme was all about till they were trained.

“There are groups and in each group there are 25 people and in a month we meet three times, first month we discuss about GBV.

“Then second month we discuss about power dynamics in the house, then lastly we talk about HIV and AIDS,” said Banda.

Chipo Jongoro, Katswe Sistahood Field Officer, revealed that the programme had four phases and along with NAC, they are implementing it in Mbire District five Wards 2, 3, 4, 11 and 12.

“In Ward 2 and 3, it is in the Action Phase, which is the last phase of the project where we are looking to say when the project is done, what shall happen, who will remain to see that the project continues.

“So we are working with several government departments, like Ministry of Youth, Ministry of Women Affairs, Ministry of Health and we are also working with traditional leaders, church leaders and youths and women who have influence in the community so that when the project they will continue to talk about GBV and HIV issues.

“Our main aim as SASA is we are looking at women and young women who are facing abuse, linking them to get health services or getting help when they want to get report issues,” said Jongoro.

Edgar Muzulu, Provincial Manager for NAC in Mashonaland Central, said GBV was one of our key drivers of HIV so they were making use of the SASA approach, which is a model meant to bring about transformation in terms of how people relate, how people view their own norms and values.

“So it is transformative in nature in terms of how people look at what is valuable and in terms of traditional practices.

“You will find out that traditionally in a setting like Shamva, there was actually valuing those traditions like chiramu, kugara nhaka and so forth, which were some of the causes how HIV spreads.

“So you will find that because of the education, it actually focuses on traditional leaders, influential leaders, religious leaders and the approach seeks to make people introspect and relook at how they are living and see which are the practices which are wrong, which are in the negative, which need to be addressed,” said Muzulu.

He added that with the SASA model, people are equipped with skills of trying to raise awareness amongst themselves and they are also given skills of how to respond, how to encourage each other to avoid such practices.

Muzulu further added that they had noticed some positive outcomes as a result of the SASA model which is currently being employed in Shamva, in Bindura District under the Global Fund and in Mbire District under a Social Contracting Arrangement.

And during the week long NAC Media Tour, journalists managed to see and hear how SASA had changed lives, testament that this Uganda borrowed initiative, can also work well in Zimbabwe.

Combination Prevention Approach proves effective in Mash Central

BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA in Mazowe

The Combination Prevention Approach being employed by the National AIDS Council (NAC) and other partners, has gone a long way in terms of reducing new HIV infections in Mashonaland Central Province.

The Province has a total burden of 111 000 people living with HIV, which translates to a 10,35 percent HIV prevalence and is currently on number five nationally.

It was also revealed that new infections used to be very high, but they have since reduced thanks to the Combination Prevention Approach.

According to the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), UNAIDS defines combination HIV prevention as rights-, evidence-, and community-based programs that promote a combination of biomedical, behavioural, and structural interventions designed to meet the HIV prevention needs of specific people and communities.

Speaking during a NAC media tour, Edgar Muzulu, Provincial Manager for NAC in Mashonaland Central said the province has eight districts, namely Mazowe, Bindura, Shamva, Mount Darwin, Rushinga, Muzarabani, Guruve and Mbire, where various responses to key drivers of HIV are being carried out.

Some of the key drivers in the province include gender based violence, traditional and religious practices, people with low risk perceptions about themselves and multi concurrent partnerships where there is low condom use.

“In response to these key drivers as a province; we have come up with interventions that are primarily preventative in nature, because our focus is more on prevention so we make use of what we call the Combination Prevention Approach.

“This is a cocktail of interventions or strategies that include Elimination of Mother to Child Transmission.

“Mother to child transmission is one of the major ways that transmission is taking place in our province because most women when they are pregnant, they miss out on getting on ART (anti-retroviral treatment) or in terms of taking the medication that prevents their unborn babies not to get infected.

“Then another intervention that we have when it comes to preventing these problems is the HIV Testing and Counselling Services; that is the entry point of everyone.

“Then we also have Behaviour Change Communication so that people are aware of risks and what ways they can use in terms of reducing risks in terms of new infections,” said Muzulu.

He added that another Combination Prevention Approach is the condom, which is a way of preventing new infections, a way of preventing of unwanted pregnancies and prevention of STIs.

“STIs are one of the major avenues through which people get HIV because if a person gets STIs, they have some wounds which become openings and become easier highways for HIV.

“Then as we do this Combination Prevention Approach; we make use of what we call models, these are community based interventions that are driven by what we call the peer led approach.

“Within each community, they identify each problem and come up with a model suitable to address those problems.

“For example we have gender based violence as one of our key drivers so you see that we make use of what we call the SASA (Start, Awareness, Support and Action) approach which is a model meant to bring about transformation in terms of how people relate, how people view their own norms and values.

“So it is transformative in nature in terms of how people look at what is valuable and in terms of traditional practices.

Muzulu further added that they had noticed some positive outcomes as result of the SASA model which is currently being employed in Shamva, in Bindura District under the Global Fund and in Mbire District under a Social Contracting Arrangement.

He also revealed that the Sista-2-Sista Model which is being implemented in Rushinga District under the Global Fund Grant and also from domestic resources, focuses on the adolescent girls and young women, mostly the 15 to 24 year olds.

“With the objective of equipping these young girls with skills of determination, with skills of resilience, skills of financial management, skills of knowing how to manage their own reproductive sexual health.

“In terms of other skills which will prevent them from getting pregnancies early in their lives and prolong getting married and empower them in terms of their livelihoods.

“So it’s a total package that empowers the young girls so that they are able to live and be able to avoid risk behaviours that can lead to them being infected.

“Then the DREAMS (Determined, Resilient, Empowered AIDS-free) Model, we learnt it from our partners, Zimbabwe Health Interventions (ZHI).

“This model also focuses on adolescent girls and young women to inculcate those virtues of determination, resilience, giving the girl child that confidence, so that they are able to realise their dreams. Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, mentored and safe girls.

“If they are mentored, if they are safe, if they are determined, if they are resilient, then they will realise their dreams.”

Muzulu further revealed that for all the models or strategies, they focus on people centeredness, which is why it is community rooted.

He also revealed that train selected volunteers who are known by their own peers so that they are given the skills and once they are given the skills through a trainer of trainers, they then come back to their communities and drive programmes.

Every year a cohort is recruited and they go through trainings from January to December and once they graduate they go back into the communities, while NAC then make follow ups to see if they are using the skills they would have acquired.

Some of the skills that we give them are economic generation programmes, which they are taught to be self-reliant, some do soap making, basket making, while some form groups and lend money to each other.

The Male Engagement is also another strategy whereby boys are engaged at an early stage so as to inculcate a sense of responsibility and a sense of working hard and sense of caring for others and a sense of not being reckless.

Asked why they carry out different interventions in different districts, Muzulu said: “the epidemic is not homogenous, what drives the epidemic in Mazowe is not what drives the epidemic in Muzarabani, so we do what we call problem identification together with stakeholders.

“And we do what we call ranking of problems and we do what we call prioritization. So when you come to Mazowe when they rank their problems, they can tell you that no, we want to focus on adolescents because this is our big problem.

“If you go to Mbire, they can tell you that focus on men because they are causing GBV (Gender Based Violence). So those are the issues now, so the epidemic is dynamic, it differs from one area to another accordingly.”

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Our HIV programmes should be led by science-Dr Madzima

**NAC CEO, Dr Bernard Madzima, addressing Parliamentarians at the New Parliament** **Building**

BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA

Zimbabwe’s HIV programmes should be guided by science if we are to attain the goal of ending AIDS by 2030, National AIDS Council (NAC) Chief Executive Officer, Dr Bernard Madzima has said.

Dr Madzima said that it would be most appreciated if the evidence and data gathered in local.

He said this while speaking at the Parliamentarians HIV and AIDS Sensitization Workshop organised by NAC at the New Parliament Building on Friday.

Dr Madzima was updating legislators on the International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA) 2023 which the country hosted, as he added that it was a great success.

Dr Madzima also said the ICASA 2023 report which is now out, spoke to several issues.

“The outcomes of ICASA 2023 spoke also to issues of leadership; that we need a strong leadership if we are going to have success in the HIV space, but also to have our programmes in Zimbabwe being led by science, being led by evidence.

“We want to ensure that we implement programmes where we have evidence and data to show us and this data will be most appreciated if its local data.

“So we want to encourage our scientists to research and also the other issue which came out was that communities should take charge of HIV programmes.

“So all this is now guiding the HIV and AIDS programme as we go towards the 2030 targets,” said Dr Madzima.

He also applauded President Emmerson Mnangagwa for his commitment for the country to host ICASA 2023.

“I know some of you really attended the events which took place in Victoria Falls and in Harare.

“The report for ICASA 2023 is out and I would like to say that it was a great success and I would really want to thank all Zimbabweans, starting with his Excellency, the President DR E.D. Mnangagwa for his commitment to hosting the event.

“The country showcased its excellency in various aspects including tourism and indeed it showed that Zimbabwe was open for business,” added Dr Madzima.

The ICASA 2023 report shows that 8 118 participants from 105 countries convened for the conference and women were 45 percent of that number.

Last year was the second time the country has hosted ICASA, after initially hosting it in 2015.

Advocate Mudenda salutes Community and Village Health Workers

**Speaker of Parliament, Advocate Jacob Mudenda**

BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA

The success which the country enjoys in its HIV and AIDS response is greatly attributed to the dedication of Community and Village Health Workers, who tirelessly to deliver various services to the people, Speaker of Parliament, Advocate Jacob Mudenda has said.

Advocate Mudenda said Community and Village Health Workers confidently deliver health policies with regards to HIV, hence the country enjoys the results of such dedication.

He said this on Friday in his key note address during the National AIDS Council (NAC), Parliamentarians HIV and AIDS Sensitization Workshop which was held at the New Parliament Building.

“We have seen how these workers are dedicated, dedicated walking on foot, walking on foot from village to village.

“How I wish many of us would be inspired, the majority of us want to be supervised but these men and women are on their own, carrying out government policies, trying to uplift the communities among whom they work as far as healthcare is concerned.

“I don’t know how they were trained, but what I can I tell you from those I have met is that they have confidence in their implementation of the health policies regarding HIV,” said Advocate Mudenda.

He also revealed that the country’s HIV response has been a huge success, showing resilience in the face of numerous challenges.

Advocate Mudenda said Zimbabwe had managed to achieve the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) 95-95-95 targets.

The targets aim to ensure that 95 percent of people living with HIV know their status, 95 percent of those diagnosed with HIV are on antiretroviral therapy (ART) and 95 percent of those on ART achieve viral suppression.

Advocate Mudenda further revealed that these milestones speak to leadership commitment, the dedication of health professionals, the effectiveness of public health policies, and the strong partnerships the country has forged with civil society, international donors and development partners.

“It is critical to note that these successes were anchored on a robust legislative, policy and institutional framework. “At the heart of this health response was the robust primary healthcare system which has been the cornerstone of delivering HIV-related services to communities across the country.

“It is through this network of clinics, health centres, and importantly, Community and Village Health Workers that who have been able to expand access to HIV testing, treatment and care.

“These workers are the frontline soldiers for many Zimbabweans seeking healthcare delivery, particularly in rural areas where access to medical facilities is constrained.

“Community Health Workers have played a pivotal role in demystifying HIV, promoting voluntary counselling and testing (VCT), providing treatment adherence support and acting as a bridge between the healthcare system and the community.

“Without them, many of the most vulnerable populations would have been left behind.

“Yet, despite their critical role, we are faced with the worrying challenge of high staff attrition rates among healthcare professionals.

“Nurses, doctors and community health workers are increasingly leaving the country in search of the perceived greener pastures,” he said.

The Speaker of Parliament revealed that there is a deficit of 16 000 Village Health Workers, against a national target of 30,000.

He also revealed that according to the Zimbabwe Health Workforce Investment Compact, (2024 – 2026), Zimbabwe faces a need-based shortage of 57,573 health professionals and specialists.

“This attrition threatens the sustainability of the HIV programmes and other related healthcare imperatives. “However, it is encouraging that the Second Republic led by the visionary President Cde. Dr. E.D. Mnangagwa is putting in place effective skills retention measures to contain the situation.

“As such, health personnel that continue to shoulder on must be celebrated for their dedicated patriotism,” added Advocate Mudenda.

Media has critical role in the HIV response

…as NewsSpace writer wins NAC award

Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr Douglas Mombeshora (far left) congratulates NewsSpace Reporter, Munyaradzi Doma, while NAC CEO Dr Bernard Madzima (second from right) and AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Country Program Manager, Dr Enerst Chikwati **look on**

BY NEWSSPACE REPORTER

The media has a critical role in the HIV response, as it has the important mandate of giving the public the correct information, Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr Douglas Mombeshora has said.

Minister Mombeshora revealed this on Wednesday at the 8^th National AIDS Council Media Awards Prize Giving Ceremony which was held in Harare.

And at the awards ceremony whose purpose is to celebrate journalists who consistently and accurately report on HIV and AIDS issues; NewsSpace Reporter, Munyaradzi Doma was awarded 2^nd Position in the Online Category.

Minister Mombeshora revealed that the awards have now “become the most consistent and prestigious recognition of media excellence in reporting and covering HIV and related diseases.”

He added: “Zimbabwe adopted the multi-sectoral approach to HIV, which has enabled various sectors to participate and contribute to national efforts in taming the pandemic.

“The media has therefore always been part of the response to HIV from when the virus was first identified.

“It was the media that first raised awareness and educated people about HIV. Even though initial reports were fear inducing, they did what they were expected to achieve and our people became aware of HIV.”

Dr Mombeshora further revealed that, “the media remains a critical enabler of development and in particular a healthy nation.

“We need vibrant media that purvey correct information to the public for better health outcomes.

“I am very pleased that the National AIDS Council took this bold step to introduce the awards, which will without a doubt, create a healthy competition, which in turn will result in improved coverage in terms of both quality and quantity of coverage.

“I have been informed that coverage of HIV and health reporting in general have improved since the introduction of these awards eight years ago.”

Dr Mombeshora also revealed that the country had achieved tremendous successes in the response to HIV as we stand at a critical juncture towards epidemic control and sustaining it.

He also revealed that latest global evidence has indicated that Zimbabwe achieved the highest HIV decline between 2010 and 2023 than any other country.

“We have also achieved the 95-95-95 targets and our people living with HIV are living longer improved lives.

“These achievements must be sustained. You will agree with me it’s not an easy task as we continue to be diverted by various other health challenges, including emergences such as COVID-19 and M-pox.

“These emergencies are providing us with critical lessons going forward, particularly the need to build a robust and broad-based health system that emphasizes universal health coverage and anchored on a sustainable primary health care system.

“An all-inclusive public funded health insurance is therefore imperative as we strengthen our health system to adequately respond to regular conditions and emergencies.

“Ladies and gentlemen, this shows that HIV does not occur in isolation as there are several social, economic and health factors that affect it. Already we are faced with rising cases of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), most of which are associated with HIV, especially cervical cancer.

“We therefore need to scale up interventions in this regard, keeping our people informed and how they can prevent the NCDs as well as creating pathways to care,” said Dr Mombeshora.

**Minister Mombeshora (front row, second from left) and other dignitaries, pose for picture with the winners**

Minister Mombeshora said the media hence a critical role of informing the people as well as highlighting both successes and deficiencies of our response.

“Robust policies and programmes result from broad-based engagement that is influenced by awareness and access to information.

“There are areas in our response in which such vibrant engagement is required to address attendant gaps.

“While our 95-95-95 coverage is commendable among adults, we are still lagging behind among children.

“We are also witnessing more cases of HIV among adolescent girls and young women and key populations.

“We therefore need multi-stakeholder engagement to identify and address challenges that cause bottle necks in these areas.

“We are counting on the media to report such gaps and amplify voices of those affected so that together we can find lasting solutions to the challenges.

“While there are thousands of reporters doing the same work, there are some among them who are going an extra mile.

“They do it better because they are driven by a passion for quality and for social change, towards a better society.

“They invest that passion together with time and creativity to produce socially impacting news and feature articles. Today, ladies and gentlemen, is about celebrating those who go an extra mile – who do not wait for news but seek news and creatively report it to create social change,” he added.

He applauded all editors and journalists who are dedicated to keep the nation informed about HIV and AIDS and all other health issues surrounding the people.

**NewsSpace Reporter, Munyaradzi Doma poses with his certificate and shield**

In his welcome remarks at the awards, NAC Chief Executive Officer, Dr Bernard Madzima said the media awards are predicated on the need to keep the HIV story alive in the face of competing stories from other sectors and the general belief that HIV is no longer an interesting topic given our progress in preventing new cases and scaling up Anti-Retroviral Therapy coverage.

“We therefore started the media awards to revitalise coverage and promote excellence among reporters and media houses.

“Apart from the ordinary competition from economic, political and societal stories, the HIV story has faced competition from emerging epidemics such as COVID-19 and Mpox and non-communicable diseases.

“We do not seek to create competition for media coverage between HIV and other health issues but to promote integrated health reporting cognizant of the link between HIV and these issues.

“These awards are an addition to the already functional partnership that we have with the media. Our partnership includes taking both editors and journalists on media tours to some hard-to-reach communities to facilitate coverage of key interventions and media workshops.

“We also regularly support top winners of these awards to attend various international HIV conference, resources permitting,” he said.

He added that for them, the media awards are more than just about giving prizes, as they are also about making an impact in people’s lives.

“Well-wishers have responded to some of the stories journalists have covered during NAC media tours and workshops and paid school fees for a number of girls in various Sista2Sista Clubs.

“The latest in this case is a girl based in Hurungwe who received a scholarship for her university education, financed by a UK based well-wisher.

“Following stories on SASA, which is a community mobilization approach to prevent violence against women, three perpetrators of gender-based violence came forward and openly spoke to the community leaders in Shamva about how radio stories on gender-based violence in their area had led them to change their ways.

“We also have a case of one girl from a Sista2Sista Club who has been invited for on the job training at a media house to develop her interest as a journalist, after field interviews by reporters in Mhangura.

“I would also like to applaud some journalists, who I won’t mention but they pooled resources to pay school fees for needy and vulnerable girls identified during a media tour,” added Dr Madzima.

He also revealed that in line with the rules of the awards, winners were selected through media monitoring so as not to promote prize driven reporters.

“Our awards are anchored on recognition of passion, consistency and correctness.”

Journalists were awarded in the Online, Print, Electronic and Most Promising Categories, while others got certificates of appreciation for consistent reporting on HIV and AIDS issues.

Bluetoothing floods the ghetto

**Tendai Phillip Daka, Mubatirapamwe Programmes Manager**

BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA recently in Chinhoyi

While the country has been praised for successful HIV interventions, a scourge is threatening to derail such efforts as people looking for a quick way to get intoxicated, have resorted to injecting themselves with blood from other drug users.

Known as bluetoothing or flash-blooding, the dangerous practice which according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information is when “blood is withdrawn from one individual who has recently injected a drug and directly injected intravenously unto another person.”

While this practice was said to have been more common in neighbouring South Africa, a recent media workshop organised by the National Aids Council (NAC) heard that our own people have joined the bandwagon, with the trend now in most ghettos.

Speaking on the sidelines of the workshop, Tendai Phillip Daka, Programmes Manager at Mubatirapamwe, revealed that it was sad that while the country was striving towards epidemic control, practices like bluetoothing are hampering efforts being made.

“Now we have a practice of drug use which is common in South Africa and it is characterized by the use of nyaope drug which is a mixture of heroin, marijuana, ARVs (anti retrovirals) and rat poison.

“So this bluetoothing came about because some people will be facing difficulties to buy drugs so from our understanding, they draw blood from someone who would have injected themselves with drugs.

“It can even be from someone who would have taken crystal meth, so they draw blood from that person so as to also get intoxicated.

“Sadly some people are now seeing it as a business avenue because when they inject the drugs, they then withdraw their blood and package into small plastics or sachets and sell,” revealed Daka.

He revealed that several parents have revealed to them that they are finding sachets of blood in their children’s rooms.

“What we are really not sure yet about is how they (drug users) preserve the blood, but many parents have been revealing seeing this.

“Some parents reveal finding sachets with strong smells and even syringes in their children’s rooms.

“Also known as hotspoting, this practice is increasing the spread of diseases through these transfusions, leading to the transmission of diseases like hepatitis B, C as well as HIV.

“So while efforts are being made to fight HIV, we need to have other interventions to help with the scourge of drug use, failure of which, will lead to losing the HIV fight,” added Daka.

In a separate interview with this reporter, a drug activist who preferred anonymity said sadly bluetoothing has led to increasing cases of new HIV infections and hepatitis B, because of the sharing of needles.

“The first person to inject themselves could be HIV negative but then from the time the syringe gets to be used by the last person, who knows. Maybe someone in between could be HIV positive.

“The worst scenario is if the first person who injects themselves with drugs is HIV positive, then all the other users get the blood from him or her.

“In Zimbabwe it seems the measures to contain this are really difficult because the only thing that people can do is go for an HIV test or if you say someone should take PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), but then it (PrEP) will only block HIV, it doesn’t stop other infections or complications.

“So now there is something called Harm Reduction which has a programme called Needle and Syringe Programme (NSP), but from last I checked, that programme has not yet started here in Zimbabwe.

“This is a programme whereby people who inject drugs will be coming in to get clean equipment to use, like needles, syringes, alcohol swabs and other items, so there is a whole bunch of things provided in NSP,” added the source.

The source further added, “then there are also needle disposal sites so that people don’t just get rid of their needles or syringes willy nilly.”

While a total of 1,3 million people are living with HIV in Zimbabwe, it was revealed that the country is recording a decline in the prevalence and incidence owing to several interventions.

However one hopes that the emergence of practices like bluetoothing, will not hamper the successes which the country is registering in fighting HIV.

When grace locates you

…the story of Kensington Marufu

BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA

“I want you to believe that God exists, I want you to appreciate life from an angle of grace; that there is a certain thing called grace.”

The above were the words of 34-year-old Kensington Marufu, who was diagnosed with HIV when he was just aged 10 and the doctor who attended to his family said they only had five years to live.

Despite facing huge setbacks, including losing family members to the HIV virus, stigma, discrimination, missing out on precious school time and working at various farms to earn a living, Marufu triumphed to become a legal practitioner and author.

Marufu was one of the key speakers at a recent media workshop organised by the National AIDS Council (NAC) in Chinhoyi.

And his presentation titled, “Testimony-Positively HIV positive,” touched many attendees, including the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Dr Jenfan Muswere, who said Marufu’s testimony was “proof that living with HIV is not the end of life.”

Marufu revealed that along with his parents and brother, they tested HIV positive in the year 2000 and the doctor said they would all not live beyond five years.

“When we got tested on the 23^rd of March 2000, the doctor who attended to us estimated that we were not likely to live more than five years.

“It meant that I had about five years to live. Those days there was no medication, there were no ARVs (anti retrovirals), we were just taking cotrimoxazole and when I was in Grade 5, I knew most of those pills.

“So stereotypes unfortunately got affirmed, my brother passed on in 2003, my mother passed on in 2004 but my dad went beyond five years, actually he passed on in 2006,” revealed Marufu.

For some time, Marufu went into hiding, because of the labeling that was common during that time.

“I then realized that I was actually hiding from myself and it took me years to appreciate that there are certain things in life that we can never change and we will not go forward in life until we appreciate who we are.”

He revealed that he was called names such as “Go Slow”, and when he sat for his O-Level exams, he only managed to pass one subject, English with a B; and it meant that he had to go stay with his grandmother in Shackleton, Chinhoyi.

And there life was tough; as people were judged by how they could perform hard labour.

“So we were working in farms, not that I had the strength but I had no choice, I had friends who would assist me, those were the days when I also had a tattoo, a mohawk and I was smoking marijuana because I wanted to fit in.

“I had lost faith in life, I stopped believing in myself, I stopped believing in life, I stopped believing in a lot of things, you know losing parents who loved you and appreciated you and then growing up in an environment where you are unfairly judged really affected me, so I started taking some drugs,” narrated Marufu.

He further revealed that how the HIV messages were packaged in those days also affected him as some of the phrases in use included, “AIDS kills”, “mukondombera” and “chakatikuuya chiya”, as this brought fear.

“When I was in Shackleton, things were really tough and I did not expect to live until now, but God was with me throughout the time.

“When I’m telling my story, I want you to believe that God exists, I want you to appreciate life from an angle of grace; that there is a certain thing called grace,” he said.

Kensington also revealed that in 2010 when he was now 20 years-old; he went to his late father’s bank and he was notified that he (father) had left US$1000 in his account.

He revealed that when all due processes were done, he wanted to use the money to buy a Mazda 323; but he was warned against and was advised that going back to school was the best option.

And he went back to school and rewrote his O-Levels but that also had its own challenges because of his advanced age as the name calling started again.

“Because I was very old, I was called many names like kadhara, but one thing that my mum told me before she died was that when people laugh at you, laugh with them, they will feel embarrassed.

“So when people called me kadhara, I would correct them to say no, call me mudhara because I was actually the eldest at the school.

“Then I rewrote my O-Levels in 2011 and passed eight subjects, I had 4As, 3Bs and a C,” revealed Marufu.

While he thought he would easily get a job maybe as a cop or soldier, it was not to be; as “some of the things that hindered me had something to do with my health, my age, there were a lot of things involved.”

Despite passing his O-Levels; in 2012 he was just at home, the same with 2013 and at one time he was herding some old lady’s cattle.

“The old lady would brag that her herd boy had passed Mathematics and English.

“I didn’t have any problems with that because I had passed the two subjects and I was also a herd boy; that’s life.

“In 2014, a certain guy called Kuda approached me to say if I assist you to go for A-Level, would you take the opportunity.

“I was now 24; but then there is a verse in the Bible that says; I know the plans I have for you, so because I was desperate, I accepted.

“And I started my Form 5 at St Pauls Musami; and as always, teachers would ask for our ages and then people would know.

“You would get nicknames and being at a boarding school I would share hostels, so I had my medication but then I didn’t want people to know, but it was really difficult,” he narrated.

He went on to reveal to NAC that taking medication is one of the challenges for children living with HIV who learn at boarding schools because they get to share hostels.

Despite the challenges he faced, Marufu revealed that it didn’t affect him academically as he went on to ace, first becoming a class monitor, then Deputy Headboy, before later scoring 15 point when he sat for his A-Level exams in 2015.

Marufu then enrolled into Law School and today he is a Legal Officer at a company in the capital.

**Minister Jenfan Muswere receives the novel titled “Touched by Grace”, from author and lawyer, Kensington Marufu**

He then wrote a book titled “Touched by Grace”, which is about his life with HIV.

He said of the book; “because I understand that there is another Kensington out there, I’m not alone like what I’m saying, there is another Kensington going through similar challenges but that Kensington does not have role models.

“Because most of the people like Kensington are in hiding, they will never expose themselves, they will hide, they will succeed but in hiding. “So that Kensington is just where he is and he doesn’t know if there is anything in life.

“So I have written a book, maybe one day that Kensington will read the story of Kensington and appreciate life; that life can change, God can make things possible.

“The title of the book is called Touched by Grace; because grace touched me. I would not have achieved this without God, because the life was actually too complicated,” he added.

And Marufu took the opportunity to hand over his book to Minister Muswere, describing it as a special moment for him, considering his journey to success.

Journalists play critical role in ensuring a healthy nation-Minister Muswere

BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA recently in CHINHOYI

Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Dr Jenfan Muswere has said journalists play a critical role in ensuring a healthy nation as they disseminate the much needed information to combat the spread of diseases.
Minister Muswere said the media’s role on the dissemination of information on diseases like HIV and AIDS, cholera and Covid-19 can never underestimated.
He was speaking at a media workshop organised by the National AIDS Council (NAC) in Chinhoyi last week.
The workshop was meant to update the media on the response to HIV and related conditions and also to discuss how the media can contribute towards ending AIDS by 2030.
“Journalists have a role to play in national development, journalists have a role to play in health matters and in nation building because the health of the population defines the past, defines the current circumstances, the challenges, opportunities and the resilience, the dedication and commitment of Zimbabweans.
“The health of the nation also defines the future of our country and journalists have a role to play as we journey towards an upper middle income society by the year 2030,” he said.
He added that he was advised that the country had done extremely well to reduce the HIV prevalence and NAC attributes part of that success to the role of the media in raising awareness, in educating the population of Zimbabwe, in informing the nation of Zimbabwe.
“The role of the journalists, the media in articulating critical issues whether its transmission of HIV and AIDS, or the most important aspect in terms of stigmatization and the same time the role of the media in ensuring that drug provision, in ensuring that we leave no one behind, that all the people in the four corners of our country are knowledgeable on the issues of HIV and AIDS.
“Knowledge is power and education is the key and education is being supported through a deliberate segmented approach in English and other important local languages.
“The media is in a position to articulate with ease the challenges, the behaviours that are expected, the health solutions that are available in our country for us to be able to achieve the success story in terms of the HIV prevalence in our country and Zimbabwe has managed and achieved and score significant gains as we combat epidemics and pandemics in our country.
“All successes stories are attributed to the role of the media, the role of the media teams who have worked with the members of the Fourth Estate,” added Minister Muswere.
Similar sentiments were also echoed by NAC Chief Executive Officer, Dr Bernard Madzima in a speech read on his behalf by Amon Mpofu, Monitoring Evaluation Director, who said creating mutual partnerships with the media was important in telling the HIV and AIDS story.
“In convening this workshop, we are convinced that the proper flow of information on HIV and AIDS requires a mutual partnership between the media and ourselves,” he said.
He added that the partnership has led to the sharing of information, accurate and responsible reporting which in-turn contributes to the development agenda as enshrined in the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1).
“Our strong belief in the role of the role of the media which already has been instrumental in improving our response.
“Workshops such as this one compliments our other efforts which include media tours, media awards and our regular dissemination of our diaries to the media,” added Dr Madzima.
NAC Board Member, Tatenda Chipungudzanye, added that journalists can contribute effectively to the national efforts to tame the HIV pandemic through their work.

SADC Helpline Project; a ray of hope for adolescents and young people

**Tatenda Songore, Youth Advocates Executive Director**

BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA

A SADC helpline project which is being implemented in Zimbabwe, Botswana and Malawi has reached over 22 000 adolescents and young people to access integrated HIV services.

The projected which was piloted in three districts in the three countries, Zvishavane (Zimbabwe), Francistown (Botswana) and Zomba (Malawi) has been famed for improving the wellbeing of youths.

Tatenda Songore, Executive Director of Youth Advocates who are spearheading the project also revealed that they have gone beyond issues to do with HIV prevention or treatment, to include other social support services.

“All of the 22 000 youths have been actually tested for HIV and we have managed to get at least 4 percent of them who were diagnosed HIV positive and they were put on treatment.

“We are very excited also on the fact that 94 percent of young people who were diagnosed HIV positive are on treatment, actually the figure is 96 percent, which means we have surpassed the 95 percent target for the UNAIDS.

“So these are the key achievements and we are looking at scaling up this project.

“The impact of this project has been seen beyond HIV prevention, to address issues of drug and substance, gender based violence to also helping young people to return back to school after they were out of school because of different problems.

“We know that when young people are out of school, they are more vulnerable to risky behaviour and HIV so we have been able to return young people using 393 helpline within the three countries,” said Songore.

Both Malawi and Zimbabwe use 393 toll free helplines while for Botswana it’s 16658, which youths can access and get help on various issues affecting them.

When the youths call the toll free lines, they are helped through ongoing counselling services, information dissemination and referral to services and follow-up on the uptake of such services.

Songore further revealed that those youths who were having challenges with drug and substance abuse, were given mental health support.

“Some of the most interesting achievements of this project also look at how we were also able to look beyond the fact that when young people are on drug and substance abuse, they are more vulnerable to GBV.

“They are more vulnerable to risky behaviour and we have been able to support about 7 000 young people who were showing symptoms of drug and substance use and we have also been able to put them on mental health support beyond the project,” he revealed.

He also revealed that since drug and substance abuse is now a pandemic in the region, they had been able to leverage on the HIV fund from SADC which has seen them addressing several issues that put young people at risk.

Further commenting on the 393 toll free youth helpline, Songore said when any young person in the country uses it, they can make a call or whatsapp or use chat box where they can be educated using written formats, video and audio formats.

He also revealed that the platform has registered tremendous success because over 90 percent of users complete their courses unlike the traditional way of communicating with young people.

“They (youths) are more concentrated, they are more focused, they do it at their own pace and we are able to address multiple issues from HIV.

“We are also able to address mental health, we are also able to address emerging issues like cholera and we also able to respond and educate young people on measles as well,” added Songore.

He also revealed that in Zimbabwe they had piloted the SADC Youth Help Line in Zvishavane “because of high activity of artisanal miners, issues of drug and substance abuse, issues of young people who were dropping out of school and going to do artisanal mining.

“Child marriages are also very rampant, so we explored Zvishavane to try and explore those issues using mobile technology and we have been very effective because in Zvishavane alone, we reached 8 600 young people in a period of two years and in a rural community, this is very much a significant figure.”

Speaking at the same function, Jeremia Manyika, UNAIDS Zimbabwe: Adviser: Equality and Rights for all; said it was commendable to see young people showing leadership, adding that it was resonating well with the last year’s International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA) theme, “let communities lead”.

“We are really emphasizing the theme of let communities lead, we are very delighted that we see the communities actually leading and when we say communities we are actually talking about the actual people that are affected and infected by HIV.

“And in this case we talking about young people and they are there in their numbers leading the project and we are very elated and happy about that development,” he said.

He added that it was good that partners had collaborated to make this a success for the benefit of young people.

“Again to reiterate our theme let communities lead, the UNAIDS Global AIDS strategy provides guidance to countries towards ending AIDS by 2030 and we are talking about what we call the 30-60-80 and these are targets that are really important if we are to meet them we will be able to end AIDS by 2030.

“We are saying 30 percent of HIV treatment services should be led by communities and when we say communities of young people it is young people who should be leading the services.

“Then 60 percent of programmes to address barriers to HIV care and support should also be led by communities and when we talk of communities, communities of young people should be leading the programmes to end stigma, to end discrimination to address barriers to HIV care and support and 80 percentage of programmes for women, young people and key populations must be led and coordinated by women, young people and the key populations themselves for us to be able to end AIDS within those communities let communities lead.

“So the 30-60-80 targets are a reality when we witness communities taking leadership and ownership of programmes as we see in this intervention, the call line 393.

“Am happy to note that the intervention has contributed significantly to achieving the 95-95-95 targets by increasing uptake of…HIV testing services by young people.

“As we move towards sustainability approaches to the HIV epidemic, we are excited to see communities lead and we are excited to see communities lead initiatives that demonstrate effective engagement of young people in their diversity to ensure that no-one and no place is left behind.

“It is noteworthy that the youth helpline goes beyond HIV prevention and treatment to address broader issues of social protection, mental health, gender based violence substance abuse among other challenges being faced by young people,” added Manyika.

Freeman Dube, Research and Documentation Coordinator at National Aids Council (NAC) said they had endorsed the project which had not only improved the lives of young people but also adults.

“We should celebrate those achievements and we as NAC have even said what is good as the way forward, is we integrate the work of the call centre within existing programmes.

“And by the way the capacity of the line is not only for Zvishavane District although it was the focus of the SADC project, the capacity is national, so our districts as NAC is to integrate promotional activities for the call centre to be utilized across the country,” said Dube.

Thando Madondo, who is one of the beneficiaries of the Youth Advocates project said he was supported in his passion for music, recording three songs.

He also revealed that the empowerment by Youth Advocates had been a good escape for him as some of his peers in his community have fallen to drugs.

“On the issue of drug and substance abuse, I know for a fact that they will ruin one’s life, you won’t make any progress.

“If I look at the community where I live, many youths have fallen to drugs, you will see young people smoking weed, but because of the guidance I get here at Youth Advocates, I just made a I vow that I won’t partake in drug and substance abuse, it destroys my life, so I rather just empower my life.

“I recorded three songs under Youth Advocates, namely, Youth Advocate, which showcases the brand of the organisation as a whole, then there is another one called Zvinodhaka, I sang it after some youths died during the Covid-19 pandemic. Those who died were under the wrong influence, like I remember some would say if they take whiskey, they would not contract covid, but this was wrong. Then I also did a song called Child marriage which really touched on this growing scourge in the country,” added Madondo whose stage name is Firemaster.

Guests from Malawi, Botswana, government ministries, students among others, attended the event which was held at Youth Advocates head office in Chitungwiza.

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