A Review of SAfAIDS 2016 Materials

In 2016 SAfAIDS revamped its website and updated its strategic plan.

This kept us all busy, but we did continue to produce some amazing publications.

Here is a summary of the main new materials that were finalised and launched by SAfAIDS under our national and regional programmes. All materials, together with more information on the programmes that SAfAIDS runs are available on our new look website: www.safaids.net

The YPISA Dialogue Guide is part of the broad set of toolkits used by our regional SRHR Youth Movement, spearheaded by the amazing SRHR training, dialogue platforms and mentorship of the SAfAIDS Young People Leadership Academy.

It is a step by step guide for new SRHR ambassadors on how to introduce sensitive but important topics around sexual and reproductive health, as well as talk to the stakeholders and gatekeepers, as young people, in a culturally sensitive way that helps them accentuate their voice and the important needs of adolescents and young people. Health For All!



The Sex Workers Advocacy Guide (SWAG for short) first arrived in a glossy glitter and leopard skin reversible bag and launched in both South Africa and Zimbabwe. The aim was to support a cadre of trained sex workers to reach out, support and encourage other sex workers to improve their health seeking behaviour and collectively tackle the barriers they face to staying safe and healthy. The programmes key message is 'Give Us a Voice and We Will Do it Ourselves'.

It has since been reprinted for all the Key Population programmes that SAfAIDS operates in-country and regionally. The booklet is a pocket-friendly information guide for sex workers that have undergone SAfAIDS SRHR training and have signed-up to protect themselves, and each other, as well as advocating to overcome the barriers they face in achieving their sexual and reproductive health rights. The package comes with five take-home flyers to the wider sex worker community.


SAfAIDS Youth Changing The Rivers Flow Toolkit was also launched in 2016, rolling out Gender Transformative Approaches as a pilot across four districts, focusing on young people (catching them young) and their circle of care (enabling environment). It has been in such demand by the community, that includes young people, teachers, parents and community leaders, that it has been reprinted under other SAfAIDS GBV and HIV Prevention programmes in Zimbabwe.

SAfAIDS also produced an exciting in-school package through the Health 4 Life 360 programme titled 'Thandie DREAMS' as part of the Zimbabwe DREAMS initiative. Thandie Talks About HIV was a groundbreaking comic-book first published by SAfAIDS in Zimbabwe in 2009. In this new resource, Thandie's has grown from a pre-teen to a full-fledged teenager, with all the issues teenagers face today. Packaged as a 'Teachers Classroom Resource' guide for Guidance and Counselling lessons with references, information and teaching plans for 18 HIV and GBV risk reduction classroom sessions (adaptable for clubs and out of school initiatives).

SAfAIDS also expanded its Regional Rock 90 Leadership Programme and added a Village 2 Village Guidebook for Community Leaders to support the 90:90:90 agenda and build on the 'I know my HIV status, do you?' campaign that saw many leaders across our operational communities and countries lead by example and get tested themselves.

Finally, Ashikulume/Ngatitaure/Let's Talk kick-started its outreach in Zimbabwe at the end of the year with an exciting package of IEC to get young people engaging on their constitution, with SAfAIDS focus on health rights and youth advocacy.