Organization: Desmond Tutu Health Foundation
Region: Africa
Nationality: South Africa
Country: South Africa
Interests & expertise: Adolescent girls and young women health
Profession or occupation: Socio-behavioural scientist
What inspires you to work in the HIV field?
I live in Africa and it’s easy to see the interconnectedness of problems. I work with the intention to empower others by helping amplify their voices through my published works. My role has involved working face-to-face with adolescent girls and young women in South Africa to help educate them about their sexual and reproductive health. Part of this is not only focusing on HIV-related outcomes, but also considering who they are as people, working on empowerment and skill development. It is inspiring for me to see the progress of people and projects.
What are your goals as an IAS change maker?
My goal as an IAS change maker is to grow my network to learn from others. There are real-life scenarios that we still have so much to learn from. I look forward to seeing the progress that other researchers are making because only by working together can we help end the HIV epidemic.