Adolescents and young people face some of the highest risks when it comes to HIV. Peer pressure, gender discrimination and sexuality all have an impact on the possibility of exposure to the virus. So much so that AIDS is the leading cause of death among 10-19 year olds in sub-Saharan Africa and the second most common cause of death globally.

Also, of the 4,500 new HIV infections every day, 31% are among young people aged 15-24.

We want to change that.

our approach

We start by asking adolescents and young people what they need most and work with them to create programmes and services that support them. For example, we provide:

  • Information on HIV prevention and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).
  • Linked up HIV and SRHR services, which includes HIV testing, care and support, psychosocial support and SRHR services.
  • Mentorship and accompaniment to support young people to be on the frontline of service delivery within health facilities, in the community and to advocate for their SRHR.

Our programmes offer comprehensive services that help protect young people’s general sexual health and wellbeing, such as family planning, sexually transmitted infection (STI) diagnosis, cervical cancer screening and post-violence care.

OUR IMPACT

We’re proud of the support we offer for and with adolescents and young people. In 2019 our partners:

  • Helped connect more than 1.4 million young people aged 10-24 to comprehensive sexuality education and/or lifeskills based HIV education.
  • Reached 680,000 adolescent girls and young women with HIV prevention programmes.
  • Enabled 245,000 adolescent girls and young women to take a HIV test and receive their results.

HOW OUR WORK HELPS NTSIKI

This is Ntsiki. She is a young woman living with HIV in Eswatini. Like so many her age, Ntsiki felt angry and alone when she first discovered she was living with HIV.

But with the help of a Frontline AIDS partner, she was able to get the information, counselling and support she needed, learning how to take her treatment correctly and consistently. Today, Ntsiki provides that same support to other young people living with HIV.

“My role is to empower and encourage [others] that even if you’re HIV-positive you can still fulfil that dream,” says Ntsiki. “My dream is to become a full-time counsellor.”

Watch Ntsiki’s story

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