If I kept it to myself - World YWCA

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If I kept it to myself strong links to community outreach weakens the link between prevention and care. I immediately put into practice what I learnt; I began to refer people to health centres and strongly encouraged people to take their medication as prescribed. I support initiatives by local nongovernmental organisations that distribute food packs to those living with HIV and AIDS and promote positive living through community education. I participated in developing the National Gender Based Violence Strategy with the Ministry of Youth, Gender and Employment Creation, as a YWCA representative, in March 2005. As a young woman, I contributed on how gender based violence affects us and why it is important to implement the strategy proposed. I also recommended stiffer penalties for sexual offenders so as to reduce the incidence of such crimes. Over the years, I have gained exposure to emerging trends, debates and decisions made in relation to HIV and AIDS. I have realised that working with communities on HIV and AIDS is a process that involves good practice, good infrastructure and good skills to strengthen all aspects of organized society. Young women are at a greater risk of being infected and, as long as we continue to take the back seat, the issues that affect us will continue to be ignored. Young women need to influence policy on HIV and AIDS. The emancipation of young women by strengthening participation in social movements, and the integration of gender concerns in creating supportive and enabling environments is key to the fight against HIV and AIDS. 48 Born: 1982 Country: Zimbabwe Organisation: YWCA, Africa Youth Initiative Network Campaigns for: effective ARV treatment support for child headed families and orphans
Young women intervene in a world with AIDS Florence Masuliya We want to change the lives of many more young people engaged in sex work through support, training and care. I am Florence Masuliya, a 26-year-old woman from Uganda. In 2003, I was bedridden and weighed 25kg. After going through HIV and AIDS counselling with a YWCA community worker, I decided to go for an HIV test and the results came back HIV positive. It took three months of continuous counselling, comforting and encouragement to be strong and confident before I came to terms with my status. Even though it was difficult, I was not discouraged but instead decided to join hands with YWCA youth in fighting the spread of HIV and AIDS among our peers. Being born in the Bwaise, Saint Francis, a slum area of Kampala city, with 17,000 inhabitants, and highly burdened by HIV and AIDS, I know the living standards of women and girls. Many young girls join street sex workers in order to meet their material and financial needs. In order to respond to the needs of young people in my community, I founded Tusitukirewamu (united we stand) YWCA youth club. I have good support from the programme officer and the youth coordinator. The YWCA helped to register the club as a CBO according to Ugandan laws. Realising that sex work can place women in situations that leads to HIV and AIDS, Tusitukirewamu started sensitising this group of young girls about HIV and AIDS. Most of them are young mothers between the age of 15-25. Currently, we have a team of about 70 sex workers in the youth club and through the YWCA we offer training in vocational skills to help them identify different avenues of earning an income. As an activist, I have managed to network and link the youth club team with other stakeholders such as The AIDS Support Organisation, 49
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If I kept it to myself - World YWCA

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