"Receiving this news at such a young age was a life-challenging experience that has shaped my life since. This was a harsh reality which I had to start dealing with from a young age," says Tafadzwa Mapininga.
Mapininga uses her own inspiring story to advocate for young people living with HIV.
"In Zimbabwe, like countries across the region, children, adolescents, and young people continue to inherit the weight of HIV," she said. "But with Zvandiri on my side, I feel empowered and have found the means to pave a positive path for my life."
Zvandiri trains young people living with HIV as peer counselors and connects them with children and adolescents also living with HIV. When these young, lay counselors provide this counseling and support for their peers, it supports them in managing the complex challenges they face growing up and ensures that they survive and thrive. This peer-led approach works – young people in Zvandiri are much more likely to have a suppressed viral load and have a 60% reduction in symptoms of depression and anxiety. Zimbabwe has scaled the model nationwide and directly funds these peer counselors, known as Community Adolescent Treatment Supporters (CATS) and Young Mentor Mothers (YMM).
I am now an overcomer, survivor, and fighter
"The care, counseling, and psychosocial support I received from Zvandiri enabled me to take care of my own health. I am now an overcomer, survivor, and fighter," said Mapininga.
"The support I received and open discussions with young people like me are powerful enough to make a difference in our lives," she said. "Now I am driven by a desire to help others find the same hope and resilience within themselves." Mapininga is now a CATS, providing counseling and support for her peers, just like she received herself. All the children and adolescents in her care have a suppressed viral load, meaning HIV is controlled, they live well, and the virus can't be transmitted.
But she's gone further: "I have also discovered my passion for advocacy, using my experiences to educate and inspire others," she said, having just returned from speaking at the international AIDS 2024 conference in Munich, Germany.
Why HIV Talks Need Young Voices
The HIV/AIDS epidemic is still a major global health challenge, with an estimated 40 million people living with HIV globally. Tragically, since the beginning of the epidemic, millions have died due to AIDS-related illnesses. Young people aged 15–24 years in Africa are still among the most vulnerable groups to HIV infection. However, despite significant improvements in recent decades through comprehensive global efforts against the pandemic, a lot more is yet to be done. The ambitious global target is to end pediatric AIDS by 2030, and it is now widely recognized that peer counsellors like Mapininga have a critical role to play in making this happen.
"I have realized that most children, adolescents, and young adults living and affected by HIV share a rich bond that is not often considered in the HIV community response," says Mapininga. "We may all come from diverse groups and backgrounds, but we share common values and beliefs that facilitate healing, positive meaning, and confidence in the future of our health."
"We are the future leaders and changemakers, and our involvement ensures sustainable solutions and continued progress. I don't want to see my peers go through the same journey. I have pledged to speak out and be an advocate. I will be the voice of the voiceless. We need more knowledge surrounding HIV because stigma kills. Not everyone living with HIV has fully accepted their status - it's not ignorance but stigma and discrimination. I don't care what people say about my HIV status, but more about those who still find it difficult to accept. That's why I fight against stigma and discrimination towards people living with HIV (PLHIV)," she said.
Do not sideline us; include us in the HIV dialogue!
"Participation of young people in decisions that affect our health can strengthen national accountability by ensuring that programs are effectively responding to our needs, and by engaging young people directly in HIV conversations, we leverage our energy, creativity, and perspectives to drive meaningful change and fight the epidemic more effectively. As young people we need to tell our own stories and take part in initiatives that affect our lives, we want to be at the center of these initiatives and programmes. We do not want to be perceived as children who should just stay quiet while other stakeholders do things for us. We are experts in our own lives, with clear ideas of what we need, and we know our lived experiences better. We also deserve to live in a society free from stigma and discrimination. One in which we receive all the support and resources we need to live our lives to the fullest."
"Organizations such as Zvandiri have and continue to facilitate and support our leadership as young people, they believe in us and mentor us, provide spaces and platforms for us that enable us to be creative and deliver for our peers and our communities. Young people play a critical role in the HIV response ensuring access to child and adolescent-focused information, counseling, and services for HIV, SRH, mental health, and protection. But we're also involved as youth advocates, research assistants, trainers, and developing literacy materials for children and young people. We use our lived experiences and skills to push change at community, national, regional, and global levels. Do not sideline us, include us in the HIV dialogue! We're ready to support global change" said Mapininga.
Bridging the HIV Gap
Despite remarkable advances achieved within the HIV response, certain factors present serious challenges that hamper progress. There is still a huge gap for young people in accessing HIV prevention, treatment, and care services. However, a growing number of youth advocates are coming forward to fight HIV stigma, and experts are praising social media as a crucial tool for raising awareness of the disease, encouraging testing, encouraging medication adherence, and challenging the stigma prevailing today.
"We know the barriers and solutions to accessing health services," said Mapingana.
"Young people understand the barriers and solutions to accessing health services. They play a crucial role in ensuring that HIV prevention and treatment advancements reach communities that need them most.
"Recognizing youth sexual and reproductive health and rights and continuing the conversation on HIV and mental health will get us closer to ending AIDS by 2030," she said.
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Young people are at high risk of contracting HIV as they face significant obstacles in accessing sexual reproductive health information and services. Most young people seeking sexual and reproductive healthcare often face discrimination, judgment, and stigma, which in turn leads to shame and internal stigma.
I wish people understood how deeply stigma hurts
"Despite the many groundbreaking innovations in the treatment and prevention of HIV, young people living with HIV still deal with social stigma and discrimination and limited access to services. I also encourage self-care and empowerment to build resilience against stigma and discrimination."
Mapininga spoke of the profound impact of stigma, saying, "I wish people understood how deeply stigma hurts - it makes it so much harder for young people to seek help and directly affects our mental health and well-being. HIV is a manageable chronic health condition with the right care and support."
She described her journey as an HIV youth advocate: "I've had to work extra hard to overcome stigma in my life. Not only have I learned to navigate my life, family, school, and social aspects, but I also use my story to educate fellow young people about HIV, the benefits of HIV testing, the importance of medication adherence, and the importance of being open about their HIV status in relationships."
"My story showcases the power of peer-to-peer support in improving the lives of children and young people living with HIV and the importance of access to services that are responsive to our needs," she said.
