Each year, the Youth Hub of IAS – the International AIDS Society – supports five Young Leaders with capacity building and seed grants of USD 10,000 to scale up HIV-related innovation projects that respond to a need for young people living with and affected by HIV. Meet a Young Leader who has completed the programme and hear about how it has affected them personally.
“This programme has shown me that I have the potential to create change – that I can make a difference.”
Norman Chong, Malaysia, Class of 2023
My experience with the Youth Hub Seed Grant Programme felt like navigating a dark room in search of a light switch, only to realize that the power to illuminate the space was in my own hands. This programme has shown me that I have the potential to create change – that I can make a difference. It has empowered me to foster a community of young critical thinkers, build lifelong friendships and turn thoughts into action.
After the programme, I continue to mentor young individuals and provide them with a platform to lead. I have also expanded the scope of my work to explore how various social determinants of health impact people living with and affected by HIV across the lifespan, including as people age. I am presently pursuing my PhD at the Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Australia, where my research focuses on health equity, healthcare service delivery and economic evaluations in the context of HIV prevention.