Twenty years ago, the situation was a real catastrophe: no ART was available, and so many people died of AIDS, leaving a huge number of orphans and also adults dependent on them behind. Very often those who died were of working age and supported many others, often entire extended families. The orphans were either taken care of by grandparents who often had no means to do it, or were taken in by relatives or went to orphanages. There has been a huge improvement in the past 20 years, although many problems still remain, including stigma and discrimination.
Our work in the community is unique because our program is so comprehensive. In a community, we reach out to orphans and vulnerable children, vulnerable adolescent girls and young women (AGYW), their caregivers, and others most at risk of HIV infection. In addition, through community-led monitoring we support improving the quality of the health services. This comprehensive approach is what is needed to achieve epidemic control.
We are proud to work together with PEPFAR on the mission to save lives, prevent HIV infections, and accelerate progress towards controlling the HIV epidemic. We are part of an amazingly ambitious movement.
We support those who are negative to remain so (especially through DREAMS), testing those at risk of HIV, linking those found to be living with HIV to care and treatment, supporting those who live with HIV through a comprehensive set of services (through OVC case management and previously also through other retention activities). We provide and refer to social services, socio-economic strengthening, and creating demand for and making the facility-based and mobile health services more attractive through referrals and CLM.
The N’weti Zambézia DREAMS project in Gaza trains around 800 girls in vocational courses such as locksmithing, farming, electricity, cooking, and plumbing.
DREAMS as a prevention program is so comprehensive, it addresses all different vulnerabilities of AGYW and through the social economic strengthening component – we really are able to change lives of AGYW sustainably. This is the feedback we receive from beneficiaries in the field.
There is no one achievement we are most proud of, because we are proud of every change we have been able to make for the people in the communities we reach with our project. We are saving and improving lives. We are so glad to work with PEPFAR, a program so bold and ambitious, not afraid to work at significant scale and insist on measurable results to achieve its mission.
We trust that science will continue to be our important ally in the HIV response and are ready to continue bringing relevant innovations to the communities.
What makes us feel really proud is to hear the stories behind the numbers. Each story of change, of each beneficiary, is illustrative of the impact we have in their lives.
Lídia joined a local DREAMS girls' club where she learned about sexual and reproductive health, family planning, HIV prevention, gender-based violence, and how to become an empowered woman.
N’weti, Mozambique
Years as a USAID/PEPFAR Partner: 10 (as a prime partner)