New Zealand
Zimbabwe
Combating HIV/AIDS
In Zimbabwe, 25% of young people and adults (15 to 49 years old) have HIV/AIDS. This puts Zimbabwe among the worst affected countries in Africa.
Save the Children is helping to reduce the vulnerability of young people to HIV and sexually transmitted infection by setting up youth friendly centres, where young people can access information about HIV/AIDS and safer sex practice and make informed choices about sex and sexuality.
We're supporting five youth centres in rural parts of Binga and two in rural Kariba. Each centre is managed by a youth co-ordinator and equipped with easy to read HIV/AIDS and sex information. The centres also provide some reproductive health services, run recreational activities for young people, and hold awareness raising activities as part of a broader Save the Children UK-led HIV/AIDS programme.
Save the Children New Zealand also supports the involvement of a female project officer who works with communities to develop their own ‘action plans’ to address the HIV/AIDS problem. The project officer works with girls to promote their involvement in the programme. Girls, whether in or out of school, are subjected to early marriages and inferior status, making it harder to assert their rights and stay safe.