HIV response penetrates apostolic sects
could lose her daughter, Maidei’s mother took her aunt’s advice and both got tested for HIV.
Both Maidei and her mother tested HIV-positive.
“My mother was devastated by the results, she never thought I would survive. However, after counselling from the health care worker, she was encouraged to give me support. Since then, I have been taking my medication and also attending Zvandiri support groups,” she said, looking hopeful.
Since starting treatment, Maidei’s health has improved and she is now using her personal experience to empower other HIV-positive adolescents and young people to be resilient and determined.
According to the 2017 Zimbabwe HIV Estimates and Projections Report (MOHCC, 2018), approximately 77 000 children and 69 000 adolescents are living with HIV.
Despite significant advances in access to treatment and a decline in deaths due to HIV, HIV-related mortality among children and adolescents in Zimbabwe remains high.
Currently, Maidei supports 45 peers by empowering them to cope with disclosing their HIV status to significant others, strictly adhering to treatment, and confidently handling their own psycho-social and sexuality issues in order to prevent secondary infection.
And for most of the time, if Maidei is not at a clinic supporting newly diagnosed HIV-positive peers, she can be found helping peers in the community.
For Maidei, this is more than just work, it is her own way of empowering her peers living with HIV to dare to dream again. Some of the peers she supports live as far away as 10 kilometres from her home, yet for Maidei, as she cycles to their homes, this is her own version of “cycling for hope”.
With support from USAid and the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Africaid has trained CATS like Maidei from four districts (Mutare, Makoni, Buhera and Chipinge) to distribute over 4 200 self-test kits and encourage adolescents and young people to self-test.
Since becoming a CATS, Maidei is on a mission to promote uptake of HIV self-testing among untested adolescents, young people and their sexual partners, particularly in her church community.
“I will never give up on my peers, my wish is to see them live a happy healthy life,” explained Maidei.
Maidei, one of the top students in her class, sees a great future ahead.
“I am studying Advanced Level Mathematics, Business Studies and Economics and my wish is to become an economist.”
Since 2017, USAid has been supporting Africaid to scale up and expand its innovative Zvandiri model over five years in 22 priority districts in Zimbabwe.
USAid-Zimbabwe Mission director, Stephanie Funk said, “USAid is proud to partner with Africaid to help Zimbabwean children and adolescents live longer and healthier lives. The United States stands with the people of Zimbabwe in an effort to end the HIV epidemic.”
HIV is one of the leading causes of mortality in children under five and accounts for 21 percent of children deaths in Zimbabwe. More than 2 400 children and 1 500 adolescents died of HIV-related conditions in 2017.
The US President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (PEPfAR), through USAid and the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has provided nearly $1 billion to Zimbabwe over the last decade for HIV prevention, care, and treatment services.
PEPfAR has contributed to major successes in the fight against HIV in Zimbabwe.
The annual number of HIV-related deaths has declined 83 percent since 2003.
The number of new HIV infections each year has decreased 50 percent since 2003.