Organization: Treatment Advocacy and Literacy Campaign
Region: Africa
Nationality: Zambia
Country: Zambia
Interests & expertise: HIV cure
Profession or occupation: Advocate/activist
What inspires you to work in the HIV field?
My primary focus is on HIV prevention and research advocacy, particularly the introduction of biomedical HIV prevention products tailored for adolescent girls and young women in southern Africa. These groups continue to face significant barriers in accessing services that meet their specific health needs and improve their outcomes. I am dedicated to advocating for the revision of laws that hinder health rights, especially for girls and women, and challenging the status quo in Zambia. My advocacy includes promoting comprehensive access to sexual and reproductive health information and services while recognizing the gender-specific challenges faced by girls and young women.
In the realm of HIV prevention advocacy, I am deeply committed to addressing the unique challenges faced by adolescents and young people. Additionally, I am interested in HIV cure and vaccine research and am passionate about promoting youth leadership in health programmes.
What are your goals as an IAS change maker?
Becoming an IAS change maker has been a passion of mine, driven by my work in sexual and reproductive health and rights, HIV prevention and youth engagement in my country. Through the change maker programme, I aim to showcase the impactful work I am doing in Zambia, particularly in these areas. My goal is to gain access to valuable information, expertise and mentorship that will enhance my skills and empower other young people in my country to become change makers, as well.
The skills I have acquired through this programme have enabled me to influence policy and decision making in HIV prevention and research. I focus on advocating for the development of guidelines that ensure that Zambia utilizes all biomedical HIV prevention tools available, both those in the pipeline and those currently on the market. Additionally, I aspire to develop a mentorship programme that will equip young people in my country with the necessary skills to access opportunities offered by the IAS and other international programmes. This will enable them to influence national and global public health programmes effectively.