We're really pleased with the results from our latest set of qualitative surveys about Avert.org.
The data was gathered between May and July 2018, with 291 responses.
We’ve recently partnered with Savoo, an online fundraising platform where you can search the web, save money on your shopping AND raise money for your chosen charity - all at the same time! Just set up an account, choose us as your charity and you're good to go.
Tomorrow (1 December) is the 30th World AIDS Day! To mark this we’ve launched a new HIV testing campaign. We asked young people from across southern and eastern Africa to tell us about their experiences testing for HIV. Watch what they had to say!
We’ve brought all our HIV testing resources together in one place, so if you’re looking for resources to use and share this #WorldAIDSDay - we’ve got you covered!
BISO, our partner organisation in Zambia, is working with community leaders to challenge damaging traditional norms that negatively affect the sexual and general health of young people. During a recent community meeting, a village headman shared his thoughts on the work BISO is doing with them.
“It is despicable that for a long time we have turned a blind eye to the wellbeing of our young men and women in this community. It is such a shame that it has taken BISO to come and make us realise that some of the cultural values that we so religiously cherish are detrimental not only to the overall health of our young people but the entire community. I commit to vigorously campaign in my village against all cultural practices that impact on the health of my people.”
Earlier this year we ran a promotional campaign to publicise our new Young Voices educational animations to young people in Southern Africa. We've now evaluated our campaign promotional spend and the cost per 100% view (someone watching an entire animation) was only £0.02!
We hope you agree that's great return on investment.
All the youth coordinators from our partner organisations are taking part in a learning exchange this week in Lesotho, to share ideas and experiences on reaching young people with HIV and SRH information. Here they are discussing Avert's Young Voices materials.
The Digital team at Avert recently took part in a workshop with our web agency to kick start a new project to personalise the information on Avert.org more. We're really excited to be thinking about how we can give you more of what's relevant to you.
We'll be implementing a number of visible and invisible personalisation improvements over the coming months - so stay tuned!
Meet Martha, a 19 years old who is an active member of one of our partner BISO’s safe spaces for youth and adolescents in Zambia. Here she talks about how the project has helped her become more self-aware and confident.
“Before I was a very shy girl and had no information about SRHR. But now I am a responsible young lady who is able to make informed decisions and to negotiate when it comes to the issues of sex. I think that safe spaces have created a very good platform for adolescents and young people to interact, share information and learn from each other’s experience.”
We have added new STI pages. Offering information on the signs, symptoms and treatment of Hepatitis A, Pubic lice and others.
©Shutterstock.com/Sebastian Kaulitzki
Qhoai is a 21 year old boy living with HIV, who attends a youth club run by our partner organisation in Lesotho, Phelisanang Bophelong (PB). Here Qhoai tells us how meeting PB’s volunteer had a really positive impact on his health.
"Meeting her was the greatest blessing of all. Not only did she take care of me, but she educated me on the importance of adherence. She still makes sure that I go to the facility for check-ups and counselling. The knowledge that she gave me will sustain me for as long as I live as well as the information she shares with me when we attend the youth club meetings.”
The popularity of our News pages has continued to grow. There's been a 40% increase in the number of times our news stories were read in the last 3 months. And the number of times our News pages were viewed in September was more than 3 times higher than a year ago.
If you're not getting our news digest each month, sign up here!
Our partner in Zambia, BISO, have started a new activity to promote dialogue between parents/guardians and their children about sex and sexuality. The sessions aim to make parents more open to talking about sexual health issues and to challenging some of the damaging traditional norms that negatively affect young people.
Corrie Wingate
“At first I felt embarrassed to discuss issues of sex before our children. But listening to them, I realised they know so much but lack proper guidance to see them through the period of rapid development. From now on, I will take it as my responsibility to talk to my children and I want to thank BISO for teaching us how to talk to our children on issues we often perceive as taboo.” - Agnes, a mother taking part in the sessions.
We’ve just launched some new functionality on Avert.org to help you share the bits you find most interesting with your friends and colleagues. Just highlight the text on the page and you can share it by email or to Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn. Let us know what you think!
Congratulations to our partner in Malawi, the Umunthu Foundation, who have been certified by the government to deliver HIV treatment to local communities independently. Here are the team celebrating the first assignment of treatment arriving at their clinic!
The Umunthu Foundation
They currently provide treatment to nearly 2,000 people registered at a local government health facility, but the certification will mean they can offer treatment to anyone wanting to enrol. This means that people living nearby will be able to access their treatment closer to home, saving them a long walk to the health facility.
Peter is a youth coordinator from our partner organisation in Malawi, the Umunthu Foundation. He's been trying out some of the Young Voices materials with an out of school youth group.
“The group loved the animations and keep asking to watch the rest of them. They thought cartoons were a good way to show information as they love looking at cartoons in the newspaper. The questions that came with the animations really brought out the issues well.”
Want to know what we got up to last year? Our latest Annual Report for 2017-18 is now out. Why not download a copy and take a read – we hope that our work inspires you!
Our Talking HIV series is back again. This time sharing the voices of young people from across Southern Africa. In the first episode, Lisa and Godknows share their experiences of sex education at school. Check it out!
One of Avert’s priority areas of work is challenging gender inequality that continues to fuel new HIV infections. In Zambia, our partner BISO recently met with community leaders to ask them what they thought was making young girls in their communities more vulnerable to HIV.
Corrie Wingate
This is what they said:
BISO is working with leaders and parents to challenge these damaging traditional and cultural norms.
Patricia is a peer health educator (PHE) as part of our partner BISO’s Adhere youth project in Zambia. Since becoming a PHE, Patricia has made lots of positive changes in her life and is enjoying helping her peers.
BISO
“I have now become a role model in the community and people respect me now. I also encourage other young people and friends to be visiting the health centre whenever they have problems. I can now make informed decisions and am proud to be a Peer Health Educator because I can now influence positive change in young people.”
