RUVUMA: THE USAID Kizazi Hodari (Brave Generation) Northeastern Zone project has proven success in deploying faithbased initiatives in combating HIV and stigma in the country.
During the recent commemorations of the World AIDS Day 2024 in Ruvuma, the project showcased its innovative approaches and tangible results in addressing HIV/AIDS and gender-based violence (GBV).
The project is implemented by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT) with support from PEPFAR through USAID/Tanzania.
At the heart of the commemoration was a symposium where the project shared three groundbreaking studies, underscoring how faith leaders and community-driven strategies are transforming HIV prevention, care and stigma reduction.
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The presentation ‘Bridging Faith and Health to Address Stigma and Support HIV Prevention Towards 95-95-95 Goals’ spotlighted the role of faith leaders in promoting awareness and reducing stigma.
Dr Mussa Ndile, Monitoring, Evaluation Research and Learning Director for the project noted that through training and advocacy, over 57,700 individuals were reached and hundreds were linked to critical HIV services.
Dr Ndile said the faith leaders also mobilised resources to support treatment adherence for orphaned and vulnerable children and their caregivers.
Another study, “Deploying Multi-Method Interventions Towards Sustaining Paediatric HVL Suppression in Mara,” focused on tailored interventions for children with high viral loads. Strategies such as ART adherence calendars, psychosocial counselling and familybased support achieved a 93 per cent viral load suppression rate, demonstrating the effectiveness of combining clinical and community care.
The final presentation, “Tracing Back to Care After Interruption in Treatment,” told the inspiring story of a 14-yearold boy in Tanga.
With help from a community worker and enhanced adherence counselling, he returned to care after treatment interruption and achieved viral load suppression, showcasing the power of community support in overcoming barriers to care.
