HIV/AIDS pioneer celebrated

Our main goal is to help Zimbabwe’s children be the last generation born with HIV and AIDS, Africaid Director, Nicola Willis, announced at the 2013 Auxillia Chimusoro awards.

Africaid Director, Nicola Willis, accepting the grant money.
Africaid Director, Nicola Willis, accepting the grant money.

The awards celebrate the life of Auxillia Chimusoro, the first person in Zimbabwe to publicly disclose her HIV positive status in 1989 at a time when stigma and discrimination was common.

She founded the Batanai HIV/AIDS Support Group in 1992 and was one of the founders of the Zimbabwe National Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS. She also worked with several support groups before her death in June 1998.

Africaid, a community-based organisation in Harare, received a grant of $ 5,000 from the United States embassy and the money will go towards supporting young people living with HIV to produce an HIV/AIDS-themed musical DVD to ensure that Chimusoro’s legacy lives on.

“We are going to create an HIV/AIDS-themed DVD which will be produced by adolescents living with HIV. We have always targeted young people but we want to intensify our campaign because recently NAC said universities and college were carrying new HIV infections,” said Willis. “We are committed to helping HIV positive children and young people develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to cope with their HIV status and to live happy and healthy fulfilled lives.”

The Chimusoro HIV and AIDS Award recognises individuals and organizations that demonstrate commitment and courage in reducing stigma and discrimination, thereby mitigating the effects and impact of HIV/AIDS in Zimbabwe.

“ We were asked to write any essay detailing how we would spend a single $5,000 award. We submitted our proposals with the aim of making a difference in the society. We are confident that the project will help to make Zimbabwe’s current children and adolescents the last generation to be born with HIV,” she said.

Africaid had been implementing its “Zvandiri” programme since 2004.

“Six HIV positive adolescents asked Africaid to help them establish a support group. They named their group “Zvandiri” as they wanted to say, I am a child with HIV, but accept me as I am.

“This support group has since evolved in to a model which provides holistic care for HIV positive children and young people through a combination of health services, psychosocial support and care, training and advocacy,” said Willis.

The Auxillia Chimusora Awards celebrated 12 years since inception and have been organized by the US embassy yearly. Since 2005, the US government has invested over $390 million in Zimbabwe toward the response to HIV/AIDS.

Post published in: News
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