Messages of Hope: Reaching Boys and Men with HIV and AIDS Information
January 13, 2022
8:00 - 9:00 am EST | 3:00 - 4:00 pm Lilongwe
Malawi's HIV epidemic affects women and girls at nearly double the rate it affects men and boys, but due to stigma and cultural norms, men and boys are much less likely to know their HIV status or be on lifesaving antiretroviral therapy. In a country where ninety-seven percent of people belong to a faith community, HP+ collaborated with Malawi's six religious mother bodies to implement PEPFAR's Faith and Community Initiative (FCI) in eight of Malawi's districts. Through FCI, religous leaders are incorporating Messages of Hope—accurate HIV messages that correspond with religious texts from the Bible or Qu'ran—into their day-to-day work and community engagement activities to help dispel HIV myths and misconceptions, fight stigma, and increase acceptance of HIV services and treatment.
On January 13, 2022, HP+ held a special watch party of our new short film, "Messages of Hope: Reaching Boys and Men with HIV and AIDS Information," followed by an interactive panel discussion with representatives from government, civil society, and faith leaders.
So to invest in the faith sector, to make sure that the faith leaders understand the right science around this disease intervention—it's a gift that will keep on giving back to us because it will strengthen, and it won't undo all the work we're doing in the hospitals.
Tione Chilambe, Malawi National AIDS Commission
Speakers:
- Ashley Gibbs, HP+/Palladium
- Erick Mlanga, USAID Malawi
- Tione Chilambe, National AIDS Commission
- Howard Kasiya, Evangelical Association of Malawi
- Saiti Jambo, Qadria Muslim Association of Malawi
- Dr. Stalin Zinkanda, Chikwawa District Health Office
