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Spotlight

A selection of stories from across the Federation

2024 trends
Story

What does the year 2024 hold for us?

As the new year begins, we take a look at the trends and challenges ahead for sexual and reproductive health and rights.
Youth volunteers
story

| 10 October 2018

In pictures: The Benin community working together to tackle abortion stigma

Geneviève Head of Youth and Stigma project and fundraising at the Association Beninoise pour la promotion de la famille (ABPF) Since joining ABPF in 1995, Geneviève has worked closely with community leaders to reduce stigma around abortion. Talking about the importance of young women having choice and access to abortion care, Geneviève says, “the law only applies in three circumstances, meanwhile everyday people need to access these services. Reproductive rights do exist, but that is something many people choose to ignore.” Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share via WhatsApp Share via Email Hélène ABPF youth champion with the Young People’s Action Movement  27-year-old Hélène acts as a link between young people’s activities and the ABPF board. She has advocated for abortion rights at conferences locally and internationally.  “In my school there were a fair number of pregnant girls so I was already looking for a way to help. Every week I went to different classes to educate them about abortion and stigma. When my mother found out, she told me this was a movement of depravity! But after a while my mum became a member of the association and came with me, and even my dad. Now they say they are proud of what I’ve achieved.” Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share via WhatsApp Share via Email Simon Gnansounou Community leader In the small town of Cocotomey-La Paix, Simon works closely with ABPF supporting their work to reduce abortion stigma within local communities. “It’s a project for social development, and I am all for that. It’s going to limit harm done to these girls. Parents don’t talk about this with their children. It’s taboo. This project helps us negotiate this difficult parent-child question. There is no development without health, and the politics of health are very complex.” Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share via WhatsApp Share via Email Kader Youth champion 26-year-old Kader says his first youth meeting at ABPF was a positive experience. “They told me that there was a jam session at the event. What I liked is that it was run by young people. Everything that I know about reproductive health I learnt at the centre. A lot of young women I know got pregnant very early. I know people who have died because of unsafe abortion. We can avoid so much of it if people have the right information.” Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share via WhatsApp Share via Email Souliya Mevo Tairou Midwife “Stigmatization complicates our work. Fourteen and 15-year olds come here without their parents and it’s hard to work with them. The girls are so scared that they can’t really explain what’s happening to them. They come here after going to the traditional healers when that hasn’t worked and they are bleeding or have an infection. Here, with the Youth and Abortion Stigma Project, we have awareness sessions. The young people and those supervising give out their numbers and tell them to call if they have a problem.” Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share via WhatsApp Share via Email Amour University student “Her friends told her to take laxatives and other products, to put things in her vagina, to wash with hot water, to move about a lot.” 21-year-old Amour talks about a friend who confided in him when she discovered she was pregnant. “When we talk about abortion in Benin, it’s something people don’t want to hear about. It’s not well seen. Talking about sex is a problem. It’s still taboo. Thanks to the Youth and Abortion Stigma Project, I had benefited from training on how to talk to girls if they came to ask about abortion.” Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share via WhatsApp Share via Email Flore Literature teacher Flore says some of her students go to her for support and advice: “They are quite shy because at home the subject of sex is always taboo. They are reticent; they think it’s a shame. We will only correct this problem over time. There is chatting and whispering in class ‘you know what she did?’ Can’t we support these children instead of stigmatizing them?” Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share via WhatsApp Share via Email Ida University student 19-year-old Ida attended a workshop on abortion and stigma for teachers and students at the Fiyegnon collège d’enseignement général. “It really helped. If we take our own decisions we will make it to the end, we will get what is right for us.” Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share via WhatsApp Share via Email

Youth volunteers
story

| 28 March 2024

In pictures: The Benin community working together to tackle abortion stigma

Geneviève Head of Youth and Stigma project and fundraising at the Association Beninoise pour la promotion de la famille (ABPF) Since joining ABPF in 1995, Geneviève has worked closely with community leaders to reduce stigma around abortion. Talking about the importance of young women having choice and access to abortion care, Geneviève says, “the law only applies in three circumstances, meanwhile everyday people need to access these services. Reproductive rights do exist, but that is something many people choose to ignore.” Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share via WhatsApp Share via Email Hélène ABPF youth champion with the Young People’s Action Movement  27-year-old Hélène acts as a link between young people’s activities and the ABPF board. She has advocated for abortion rights at conferences locally and internationally.  “In my school there were a fair number of pregnant girls so I was already looking for a way to help. Every week I went to different classes to educate them about abortion and stigma. When my mother found out, she told me this was a movement of depravity! But after a while my mum became a member of the association and came with me, and even my dad. Now they say they are proud of what I’ve achieved.” Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share via WhatsApp Share via Email Simon Gnansounou Community leader In the small town of Cocotomey-La Paix, Simon works closely with ABPF supporting their work to reduce abortion stigma within local communities. “It’s a project for social development, and I am all for that. It’s going to limit harm done to these girls. Parents don’t talk about this with their children. It’s taboo. This project helps us negotiate this difficult parent-child question. There is no development without health, and the politics of health are very complex.” Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share via WhatsApp Share via Email Kader Youth champion 26-year-old Kader says his first youth meeting at ABPF was a positive experience. “They told me that there was a jam session at the event. What I liked is that it was run by young people. Everything that I know about reproductive health I learnt at the centre. A lot of young women I know got pregnant very early. I know people who have died because of unsafe abortion. We can avoid so much of it if people have the right information.” Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share via WhatsApp Share via Email Souliya Mevo Tairou Midwife “Stigmatization complicates our work. Fourteen and 15-year olds come here without their parents and it’s hard to work with them. The girls are so scared that they can’t really explain what’s happening to them. They come here after going to the traditional healers when that hasn’t worked and they are bleeding or have an infection. Here, with the Youth and Abortion Stigma Project, we have awareness sessions. The young people and those supervising give out their numbers and tell them to call if they have a problem.” Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share via WhatsApp Share via Email Amour University student “Her friends told her to take laxatives and other products, to put things in her vagina, to wash with hot water, to move about a lot.” 21-year-old Amour talks about a friend who confided in him when she discovered she was pregnant. “When we talk about abortion in Benin, it’s something people don’t want to hear about. It’s not well seen. Talking about sex is a problem. It’s still taboo. Thanks to the Youth and Abortion Stigma Project, I had benefited from training on how to talk to girls if they came to ask about abortion.” Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share via WhatsApp Share via Email Flore Literature teacher Flore says some of her students go to her for support and advice: “They are quite shy because at home the subject of sex is always taboo. They are reticent; they think it’s a shame. We will only correct this problem over time. There is chatting and whispering in class ‘you know what she did?’ Can’t we support these children instead of stigmatizing them?” Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share via WhatsApp Share via Email Ida University student 19-year-old Ida attended a workshop on abortion and stigma for teachers and students at the Fiyegnon collège d’enseignement général. “It really helped. If we take our own decisions we will make it to the end, we will get what is right for us.” Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share via WhatsApp Share via Email

チピリ・ムレムフウェさん。資金が途絶えるまで、IPPFザンビア(PPAZ)が実施するUSAIDオープンドア・プロジェクトのサービスデリバリー・マネージャーを務めていた
story

| 08 August 2018

“We are losing precious time"

In November 2017,  Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia (PPAZ) received the news that they must cease all USAID funded programmes. The stop order was a result of the 'Global Gag Rule' (GGR), also referred to as the Mexico City Policy. The reinstatement of the policy has resulted in Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia losing 46% of its funding. You can learn more about the Global Gag Rule here. “When I lost my job as service delivery manager [at PPAZ USAID's Open Doors project], I felt like a part of me had died, I’m very passionate about this. I look forward to seeing a day where everybody will be free to access health services without stigma and discrimination, especially public health facilities. That’s what I’d like to see, [I] want to see integrated services, being provided to key populations, without stigma and discrimination, and fear of being arrested." The Global Gag Rule The reinstatement of the ‘Global Gag Rule’ resulted in the termination of Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia grant for the USAID Open Doors being terminated.  Chipili says “We didn’t expect its implementation to come with the termination of the grants suddenly. We thought that we were going to be given time, a year, one year to work and complete the project and hand over to the partner that was going to take over the responsibilities that Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia handled.” The termination of the project means progress that has been made, especially the work done to help reduce the number of HIV and STIs cases among the key populations will be undone. Progress, that is desperately needed to meet Zambia’s targets on HIV reduction. “We are losing precious time. We have got targets to meet as a nation, we need to ensure that by 2020 we reach the 90/90 goals, set by UNAIDS, and also the country has a broader vision of eliminating the threat of HIV, HIV as a public threat by 2030. So if we have such stumbling blocks, then the targets might not be met.  And then these key populations are also linked with the general population, we have men who sex with men, they also have partners, some of them are married, and if we don’t get into their networks, HIV and STIs will end up in the general population, therefore putting everybody at risk." Other impacts have been the increased vulnerability and the lost investment of peer promoters from the key populations and loss of safety and security that was provided by the organization.  Loss of safety and security “For safety and security, key populations cannot freely go to facilities they don’t know very well. The clinic setup was the most ideal set up for them. No one would question them, because this is open to everybody. But now what the project is doing, they are renting houses, the USAID is renting houses where they are providing services, so a house is very different from a clinic, that also affects the element of sustainability. The element of sustainability has also been lost because PPAZ has been here for a long time, since 1972, so we were hoping that the project was going to build the capacity for PPAZ to continue providing services to key populations that are free from stigma and discrimination. That has been lost. To me it’s a lost opportunity.” The Zambia National AIDS/HIV Strategic Framework for 2017 to 2021, bears a strong emphasis on leaving no one behind when it comes to stopping the HIV/AIDS epidemic. “No one should be left behind, if we are to reduce HIV infections to zero, if this is not done, the dream, the vision will not be achieved, we cannot afford to start pointing fingers, we have to use the public health approach and eliminate the risk of HIV infection amidst our people”.

チピリ・ムレムフウェさん。資金が途絶えるまで、IPPFザンビア(PPAZ)が実施するUSAIDオープンドア・プロジェクトのサービスデリバリー・マネージャーを務めていた
story

| 28 March 2024

“We are losing precious time"

In November 2017,  Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia (PPAZ) received the news that they must cease all USAID funded programmes. The stop order was a result of the 'Global Gag Rule' (GGR), also referred to as the Mexico City Policy. The reinstatement of the policy has resulted in Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia losing 46% of its funding. You can learn more about the Global Gag Rule here. “When I lost my job as service delivery manager [at PPAZ USAID's Open Doors project], I felt like a part of me had died, I’m very passionate about this. I look forward to seeing a day where everybody will be free to access health services without stigma and discrimination, especially public health facilities. That’s what I’d like to see, [I] want to see integrated services, being provided to key populations, without stigma and discrimination, and fear of being arrested." The Global Gag Rule The reinstatement of the ‘Global Gag Rule’ resulted in the termination of Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia grant for the USAID Open Doors being terminated.  Chipili says “We didn’t expect its implementation to come with the termination of the grants suddenly. We thought that we were going to be given time, a year, one year to work and complete the project and hand over to the partner that was going to take over the responsibilities that Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia handled.” The termination of the project means progress that has been made, especially the work done to help reduce the number of HIV and STIs cases among the key populations will be undone. Progress, that is desperately needed to meet Zambia’s targets on HIV reduction. “We are losing precious time. We have got targets to meet as a nation, we need to ensure that by 2020 we reach the 90/90 goals, set by UNAIDS, and also the country has a broader vision of eliminating the threat of HIV, HIV as a public threat by 2030. So if we have such stumbling blocks, then the targets might not be met.  And then these key populations are also linked with the general population, we have men who sex with men, they also have partners, some of them are married, and if we don’t get into their networks, HIV and STIs will end up in the general population, therefore putting everybody at risk." Other impacts have been the increased vulnerability and the lost investment of peer promoters from the key populations and loss of safety and security that was provided by the organization.  Loss of safety and security “For safety and security, key populations cannot freely go to facilities they don’t know very well. The clinic setup was the most ideal set up for them. No one would question them, because this is open to everybody. But now what the project is doing, they are renting houses, the USAID is renting houses where they are providing services, so a house is very different from a clinic, that also affects the element of sustainability. The element of sustainability has also been lost because PPAZ has been here for a long time, since 1972, so we were hoping that the project was going to build the capacity for PPAZ to continue providing services to key populations that are free from stigma and discrimination. That has been lost. To me it’s a lost opportunity.” The Zambia National AIDS/HIV Strategic Framework for 2017 to 2021, bears a strong emphasis on leaving no one behind when it comes to stopping the HIV/AIDS epidemic. “No one should be left behind, if we are to reduce HIV infections to zero, if this is not done, the dream, the vision will not be achieved, we cannot afford to start pointing fingers, we have to use the public health approach and eliminate the risk of HIV infection amidst our people”.

Thomas, 34 years old, former PPAZ peer educator and counsellor
story

| 08 August 2018

"The community really appreciated the services we were offering"

In November 2017,  Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia (PPAZ) received the news that they must cease all USAID funded programmes. The stop order was a result of the 'Global Gag Rule' (GGR), also referred to as the Mexico City Policy. The reinstatement of the policy has resulted in Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia losing 46% of its funding. You can learn more about the Global Gag Rule here. "My name is Thomas, I’m 34 years old. At PPAZ I worked as a peer educator and counsellor, I used to work on the outreach programmes in the community to offer access to health services like voluntary counselling and testing, we also used to sensitize women on the importance of family planning. We also used to refer women we would find had different problems, to the facilities so they can access health services. We also used to help by giving information on things like HIV prevention and signs and symptoms to look out for.  At other times, since the places were very far, we would take the services from the facilities to where the people were, so PPAZ used to help us do that.  I was at the clinic when they came to tell us that PPAZ would no longer be involved in the project because the funding had been stopped. It was a challenge for us because the services that people had become accustomed to in the communities, HIV counselling and testing services levels reduced because we couldn’t manage to go and take these services to them in the places where they live.  When we worked with PPAZ we used to put condoms in these places for them, in the bars and taverns, and even pool tables. Now that PPAZ is gone, the government cannot meet the supply of condoms needed in these places, even the services can’t be offered on the same scale. Unable to meet needs in rural areas Like you can see here, I look after my grandmother and other family members and that money [peer educators' allowance] used to go a long way in helping us look after our children and buy food, and other things. At the moment it is very difficult. Nyangwena is a very big place, it also includes 14 villages, so there are many people in this area. With the money that we were given through PPAZ, my friend and I would manage to get tyres for a bicycle and go to these places, we’d cycle distances as far as 14Km away. It was very helpful; the community really appreciated the services we were offering because we used to take them to the people. We would be very happy if PPAZ were to start them again because we would really help our communities a great deal with these services. Even school children would go and access them, at the youth-friendly corner twice a week. Information is really needed amongst these school children."

Thomas, 34 years old, former PPAZ peer educator and counsellor
story

| 28 March 2024

"The community really appreciated the services we were offering"

In November 2017,  Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia (PPAZ) received the news that they must cease all USAID funded programmes. The stop order was a result of the 'Global Gag Rule' (GGR), also referred to as the Mexico City Policy. The reinstatement of the policy has resulted in Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia losing 46% of its funding. You can learn more about the Global Gag Rule here. "My name is Thomas, I’m 34 years old. At PPAZ I worked as a peer educator and counsellor, I used to work on the outreach programmes in the community to offer access to health services like voluntary counselling and testing, we also used to sensitize women on the importance of family planning. We also used to refer women we would find had different problems, to the facilities so they can access health services. We also used to help by giving information on things like HIV prevention and signs and symptoms to look out for.  At other times, since the places were very far, we would take the services from the facilities to where the people were, so PPAZ used to help us do that.  I was at the clinic when they came to tell us that PPAZ would no longer be involved in the project because the funding had been stopped. It was a challenge for us because the services that people had become accustomed to in the communities, HIV counselling and testing services levels reduced because we couldn’t manage to go and take these services to them in the places where they live.  When we worked with PPAZ we used to put condoms in these places for them, in the bars and taverns, and even pool tables. Now that PPAZ is gone, the government cannot meet the supply of condoms needed in these places, even the services can’t be offered on the same scale. Unable to meet needs in rural areas Like you can see here, I look after my grandmother and other family members and that money [peer educators' allowance] used to go a long way in helping us look after our children and buy food, and other things. At the moment it is very difficult. Nyangwena is a very big place, it also includes 14 villages, so there are many people in this area. With the money that we were given through PPAZ, my friend and I would manage to get tyres for a bicycle and go to these places, we’d cycle distances as far as 14Km away. It was very helpful; the community really appreciated the services we were offering because we used to take them to the people. We would be very happy if PPAZ were to start them again because we would really help our communities a great deal with these services. Even school children would go and access them, at the youth-friendly corner twice a week. Information is really needed amongst these school children."

Joyce, HIV positive and PPAZ client
story

| 08 August 2018

"If I hadn’t come at that time to get help I would have been seriously ill"

In November 2017,  Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia (PPAZ) received the news that they must cease all USAID funded programmes. The stop order was a result of the 'Global Gag Rule' (GGR), also referred to as the Mexico City Policy. The reinstatement of the policy has resulted in Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia losing 46% of its funding. You can learn more about the Global Gag Rule here. “My name is Joyce. I live in Sopoloyi with my grandmother. I tested positive for HIV, around November, but was doubtful about starting treatment. I stayed away for three months and came back in January, to retest, when they asked if I wanted to start treatment right away, I refused, because I wasn’t ready.  I told my sister what happened and explained that I had tested positive for HIV, so she advised me to go back and start treatment as soon as possible, because the longer I waited the more I was wasting away.   I returned to the clinic and I was given medication for two weeks. I was changed and put on another course for a month. I would go back every two weeks to get medication, then gradually I was given a course for two months. From the time I commenced treatment till now, there’s a clear difference, my body is slowly coming back to normal. I felt very safe, I was happy that they protected me, if I hadn’t come at that time to get help I would have been seriously ill, the medication wouldn’t have helped me at all, but now I have been on medication I feel much better and my body is also getting better. They are still giving me medication. They need to continue giving us the medicines and the information, because at least they tell us that once we start we are not supposed to skip any dose, even when you feel fit, you can’t stop because the virus multiplies everyday by a thousand, so the more you take your medication it keeps the virus levels low, so I would say they need to continue. All I am asking is that they don’t stop giving us this treatment because a lot of people will suffer or even die without these medicines.”

Joyce, HIV positive and PPAZ client
story

| 28 March 2024

"If I hadn’t come at that time to get help I would have been seriously ill"

In November 2017,  Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia (PPAZ) received the news that they must cease all USAID funded programmes. The stop order was a result of the 'Global Gag Rule' (GGR), also referred to as the Mexico City Policy. The reinstatement of the policy has resulted in Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia losing 46% of its funding. You can learn more about the Global Gag Rule here. “My name is Joyce. I live in Sopoloyi with my grandmother. I tested positive for HIV, around November, but was doubtful about starting treatment. I stayed away for three months and came back in January, to retest, when they asked if I wanted to start treatment right away, I refused, because I wasn’t ready.  I told my sister what happened and explained that I had tested positive for HIV, so she advised me to go back and start treatment as soon as possible, because the longer I waited the more I was wasting away.   I returned to the clinic and I was given medication for two weeks. I was changed and put on another course for a month. I would go back every two weeks to get medication, then gradually I was given a course for two months. From the time I commenced treatment till now, there’s a clear difference, my body is slowly coming back to normal. I felt very safe, I was happy that they protected me, if I hadn’t come at that time to get help I would have been seriously ill, the medication wouldn’t have helped me at all, but now I have been on medication I feel much better and my body is also getting better. They are still giving me medication. They need to continue giving us the medicines and the information, because at least they tell us that once we start we are not supposed to skip any dose, even when you feel fit, you can’t stop because the virus multiplies everyday by a thousand, so the more you take your medication it keeps the virus levels low, so I would say they need to continue. All I am asking is that they don’t stop giving us this treatment because a lot of people will suffer or even die without these medicines.”

Joseph is HIV positive and receives treatment from BOFWA
story

| 24 July 2018

“I feel comfortable here”

19-year-old Joseph Ikatlholeng attends the Botswana Family Welfare Association (BOFWA) clinic in Gaborone every three months to receive antiretroviral treatment for HIV. He’s currently at university, studying for a degree in transport and logistics. “I hope to start my own transport business, maybe in the future an airline,” he says, laughing at the grandeur of his dreams.   Joseph first came to BOFWA when he and his boyfriend decided to start practicing safe sex in March 2017. “I had put myself in risky situations so thought I should get tested for HIV,” he says.   After learning he was HIV positive, Joseph tried out a few clinics to receive his treatment, but found BOFWA to be the most confidential and friendly. Sitting in the clinic behind the doctor’s desk, he says, “I never have any problems coming here. I feel comfortable here. At [the government clinic] there is no privacy; most of my friends are there. Sometimes if you go there you find them suspecting something, and everyone will be knowing your status. That’s why I prefer BOFWA.”     Feeling safe is important to Joseph, who regularly faces discrimination as a man who has sex with other men. “Last week I was walking along, and these guys came past in the car shouting “gay, gay, gay.” I experience that treatment a lot.”    Now, he and some LGBTI friends in Botswana are trying to work with their community to change the status quo about LGBTI people in the country. “We’re trying to tell the elders that we are here, we’re trying to change perceptions that LGBTI people are not just on drugs and having sex,” he says.  

Joseph is HIV positive and receives treatment from BOFWA
story

| 28 March 2024

“I feel comfortable here”

19-year-old Joseph Ikatlholeng attends the Botswana Family Welfare Association (BOFWA) clinic in Gaborone every three months to receive antiretroviral treatment for HIV. He’s currently at university, studying for a degree in transport and logistics. “I hope to start my own transport business, maybe in the future an airline,” he says, laughing at the grandeur of his dreams.   Joseph first came to BOFWA when he and his boyfriend decided to start practicing safe sex in March 2017. “I had put myself in risky situations so thought I should get tested for HIV,” he says.   After learning he was HIV positive, Joseph tried out a few clinics to receive his treatment, but found BOFWA to be the most confidential and friendly. Sitting in the clinic behind the doctor’s desk, he says, “I never have any problems coming here. I feel comfortable here. At [the government clinic] there is no privacy; most of my friends are there. Sometimes if you go there you find them suspecting something, and everyone will be knowing your status. That’s why I prefer BOFWA.”     Feeling safe is important to Joseph, who regularly faces discrimination as a man who has sex with other men. “Last week I was walking along, and these guys came past in the car shouting “gay, gay, gay.” I experience that treatment a lot.”    Now, he and some LGBTI friends in Botswana are trying to work with their community to change the status quo about LGBTI people in the country. “We’re trying to tell the elders that we are here, we’re trying to change perceptions that LGBTI people are not just on drugs and having sex,” he says.  

Jackie, 34, sex worker and peer outreach worker
story

| 24 July 2018

“We were dying in large numbers because we were afraid of those clinics”

“I’m a sex worker and peer outreach worker for the Nkaikela Youth Group. We reach the other sex workers because we are the ones that know them. We go to their houses, we go to the hotspots like clubs and the street; we reach them and encourage them to come here [to the Youth Group],” says Jackie Selelo, 34, sitting in one of the temporary office buildings at the Nkaikela Youth Group in Gaborone.   With the support of BOFWA nurses, the Nkaikela Youth Group provides a range of sexual health care to sex workers: “They need health services for STIs, smear tests, HIV tests, and to be enrolling onto antiretroviral treatment for HIV,” Jackie explains.   Female sex workers are in a particularly high-risk group for contracting HIV – the prevalence rate is 61.9% among the community – so having access to testing and treatment is vital. However, Jackie says many women don’t feel safe going to the government clinic. “They don’t accept us. It’s like we’re doing this because we want to, and just bringing disease. We’re not comfortable there and so sex workers are not [being tested and treated] in large numbers. Before BOFWA we were dying in large numbers because we were afraid of those clinics.”     The difference between being treated by the staff at BOFWA is huge, according to Jackie. “We get a good service with BOFWA, they’re helping us to come for tests and they’re treating us good. With BOFWA if you come for HIV testing and were positive they would initiate you on to treatment the same day. Any problem you could discuss with them without fear, like they are your brothers and sisters.”   She’s concerned that if funding continues to be cut, BOFWA nurses will stop coming to the Youth Group completely. “If they stop it will be difficult for us. We will die, we will be infected,” she says.  

Jackie, 34, sex worker and peer outreach worker
story

| 28 March 2024

“We were dying in large numbers because we were afraid of those clinics”

“I’m a sex worker and peer outreach worker for the Nkaikela Youth Group. We reach the other sex workers because we are the ones that know them. We go to their houses, we go to the hotspots like clubs and the street; we reach them and encourage them to come here [to the Youth Group],” says Jackie Selelo, 34, sitting in one of the temporary office buildings at the Nkaikela Youth Group in Gaborone.   With the support of BOFWA nurses, the Nkaikela Youth Group provides a range of sexual health care to sex workers: “They need health services for STIs, smear tests, HIV tests, and to be enrolling onto antiretroviral treatment for HIV,” Jackie explains.   Female sex workers are in a particularly high-risk group for contracting HIV – the prevalence rate is 61.9% among the community – so having access to testing and treatment is vital. However, Jackie says many women don’t feel safe going to the government clinic. “They don’t accept us. It’s like we’re doing this because we want to, and just bringing disease. We’re not comfortable there and so sex workers are not [being tested and treated] in large numbers. Before BOFWA we were dying in large numbers because we were afraid of those clinics.”     The difference between being treated by the staff at BOFWA is huge, according to Jackie. “We get a good service with BOFWA, they’re helping us to come for tests and they’re treating us good. With BOFWA if you come for HIV testing and were positive they would initiate you on to treatment the same day. Any problem you could discuss with them without fear, like they are your brothers and sisters.”   She’s concerned that if funding continues to be cut, BOFWA nurses will stop coming to the Youth Group completely. “If they stop it will be difficult for us. We will die, we will be infected,” she says.  

Youth volunteers
story

| 10 October 2018

In pictures: The Benin community working together to tackle abortion stigma

Geneviève Head of Youth and Stigma project and fundraising at the Association Beninoise pour la promotion de la famille (ABPF) Since joining ABPF in 1995, Geneviève has worked closely with community leaders to reduce stigma around abortion. Talking about the importance of young women having choice and access to abortion care, Geneviève says, “the law only applies in three circumstances, meanwhile everyday people need to access these services. Reproductive rights do exist, but that is something many people choose to ignore.” Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share via WhatsApp Share via Email Hélène ABPF youth champion with the Young People’s Action Movement  27-year-old Hélène acts as a link between young people’s activities and the ABPF board. She has advocated for abortion rights at conferences locally and internationally.  “In my school there were a fair number of pregnant girls so I was already looking for a way to help. Every week I went to different classes to educate them about abortion and stigma. When my mother found out, she told me this was a movement of depravity! But after a while my mum became a member of the association and came with me, and even my dad. Now they say they are proud of what I’ve achieved.” Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share via WhatsApp Share via Email Simon Gnansounou Community leader In the small town of Cocotomey-La Paix, Simon works closely with ABPF supporting their work to reduce abortion stigma within local communities. “It’s a project for social development, and I am all for that. It’s going to limit harm done to these girls. Parents don’t talk about this with their children. It’s taboo. This project helps us negotiate this difficult parent-child question. There is no development without health, and the politics of health are very complex.” Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share via WhatsApp Share via Email Kader Youth champion 26-year-old Kader says his first youth meeting at ABPF was a positive experience. “They told me that there was a jam session at the event. What I liked is that it was run by young people. Everything that I know about reproductive health I learnt at the centre. A lot of young women I know got pregnant very early. I know people who have died because of unsafe abortion. We can avoid so much of it if people have the right information.” Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share via WhatsApp Share via Email Souliya Mevo Tairou Midwife “Stigmatization complicates our work. Fourteen and 15-year olds come here without their parents and it’s hard to work with them. The girls are so scared that they can’t really explain what’s happening to them. They come here after going to the traditional healers when that hasn’t worked and they are bleeding or have an infection. Here, with the Youth and Abortion Stigma Project, we have awareness sessions. The young people and those supervising give out their numbers and tell them to call if they have a problem.” Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share via WhatsApp Share via Email Amour University student “Her friends told her to take laxatives and other products, to put things in her vagina, to wash with hot water, to move about a lot.” 21-year-old Amour talks about a friend who confided in him when she discovered she was pregnant. “When we talk about abortion in Benin, it’s something people don’t want to hear about. It’s not well seen. Talking about sex is a problem. It’s still taboo. Thanks to the Youth and Abortion Stigma Project, I had benefited from training on how to talk to girls if they came to ask about abortion.” Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share via WhatsApp Share via Email Flore Literature teacher Flore says some of her students go to her for support and advice: “They are quite shy because at home the subject of sex is always taboo. They are reticent; they think it’s a shame. We will only correct this problem over time. There is chatting and whispering in class ‘you know what she did?’ Can’t we support these children instead of stigmatizing them?” Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share via WhatsApp Share via Email Ida University student 19-year-old Ida attended a workshop on abortion and stigma for teachers and students at the Fiyegnon collège d’enseignement général. “It really helped. If we take our own decisions we will make it to the end, we will get what is right for us.” Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share via WhatsApp Share via Email

Youth volunteers
story

| 28 March 2024

In pictures: The Benin community working together to tackle abortion stigma

Geneviève Head of Youth and Stigma project and fundraising at the Association Beninoise pour la promotion de la famille (ABPF) Since joining ABPF in 1995, Geneviève has worked closely with community leaders to reduce stigma around abortion. Talking about the importance of young women having choice and access to abortion care, Geneviève says, “the law only applies in three circumstances, meanwhile everyday people need to access these services. Reproductive rights do exist, but that is something many people choose to ignore.” Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share via WhatsApp Share via Email Hélène ABPF youth champion with the Young People’s Action Movement  27-year-old Hélène acts as a link between young people’s activities and the ABPF board. She has advocated for abortion rights at conferences locally and internationally.  “In my school there were a fair number of pregnant girls so I was already looking for a way to help. Every week I went to different classes to educate them about abortion and stigma. When my mother found out, she told me this was a movement of depravity! But after a while my mum became a member of the association and came with me, and even my dad. Now they say they are proud of what I’ve achieved.” Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share via WhatsApp Share via Email Simon Gnansounou Community leader In the small town of Cocotomey-La Paix, Simon works closely with ABPF supporting their work to reduce abortion stigma within local communities. “It’s a project for social development, and I am all for that. It’s going to limit harm done to these girls. Parents don’t talk about this with their children. It’s taboo. This project helps us negotiate this difficult parent-child question. There is no development without health, and the politics of health are very complex.” Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share via WhatsApp Share via Email Kader Youth champion 26-year-old Kader says his first youth meeting at ABPF was a positive experience. “They told me that there was a jam session at the event. What I liked is that it was run by young people. Everything that I know about reproductive health I learnt at the centre. A lot of young women I know got pregnant very early. I know people who have died because of unsafe abortion. We can avoid so much of it if people have the right information.” Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share via WhatsApp Share via Email Souliya Mevo Tairou Midwife “Stigmatization complicates our work. Fourteen and 15-year olds come here without their parents and it’s hard to work with them. The girls are so scared that they can’t really explain what’s happening to them. They come here after going to the traditional healers when that hasn’t worked and they are bleeding or have an infection. Here, with the Youth and Abortion Stigma Project, we have awareness sessions. The young people and those supervising give out their numbers and tell them to call if they have a problem.” Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share via WhatsApp Share via Email Amour University student “Her friends told her to take laxatives and other products, to put things in her vagina, to wash with hot water, to move about a lot.” 21-year-old Amour talks about a friend who confided in him when she discovered she was pregnant. “When we talk about abortion in Benin, it’s something people don’t want to hear about. It’s not well seen. Talking about sex is a problem. It’s still taboo. Thanks to the Youth and Abortion Stigma Project, I had benefited from training on how to talk to girls if they came to ask about abortion.” Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share via WhatsApp Share via Email Flore Literature teacher Flore says some of her students go to her for support and advice: “They are quite shy because at home the subject of sex is always taboo. They are reticent; they think it’s a shame. We will only correct this problem over time. There is chatting and whispering in class ‘you know what she did?’ Can’t we support these children instead of stigmatizing them?” Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share via WhatsApp Share via Email Ida University student 19-year-old Ida attended a workshop on abortion and stigma for teachers and students at the Fiyegnon collège d’enseignement général. “It really helped. If we take our own decisions we will make it to the end, we will get what is right for us.” Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share via WhatsApp Share via Email

チピリ・ムレムフウェさん。資金が途絶えるまで、IPPFザンビア(PPAZ)が実施するUSAIDオープンドア・プロジェクトのサービスデリバリー・マネージャーを務めていた
story

| 08 August 2018

“We are losing precious time"

In November 2017,  Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia (PPAZ) received the news that they must cease all USAID funded programmes. The stop order was a result of the 'Global Gag Rule' (GGR), also referred to as the Mexico City Policy. The reinstatement of the policy has resulted in Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia losing 46% of its funding. You can learn more about the Global Gag Rule here. “When I lost my job as service delivery manager [at PPAZ USAID's Open Doors project], I felt like a part of me had died, I’m very passionate about this. I look forward to seeing a day where everybody will be free to access health services without stigma and discrimination, especially public health facilities. That’s what I’d like to see, [I] want to see integrated services, being provided to key populations, without stigma and discrimination, and fear of being arrested." The Global Gag Rule The reinstatement of the ‘Global Gag Rule’ resulted in the termination of Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia grant for the USAID Open Doors being terminated.  Chipili says “We didn’t expect its implementation to come with the termination of the grants suddenly. We thought that we were going to be given time, a year, one year to work and complete the project and hand over to the partner that was going to take over the responsibilities that Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia handled.” The termination of the project means progress that has been made, especially the work done to help reduce the number of HIV and STIs cases among the key populations will be undone. Progress, that is desperately needed to meet Zambia’s targets on HIV reduction. “We are losing precious time. We have got targets to meet as a nation, we need to ensure that by 2020 we reach the 90/90 goals, set by UNAIDS, and also the country has a broader vision of eliminating the threat of HIV, HIV as a public threat by 2030. So if we have such stumbling blocks, then the targets might not be met.  And then these key populations are also linked with the general population, we have men who sex with men, they also have partners, some of them are married, and if we don’t get into their networks, HIV and STIs will end up in the general population, therefore putting everybody at risk." Other impacts have been the increased vulnerability and the lost investment of peer promoters from the key populations and loss of safety and security that was provided by the organization.  Loss of safety and security “For safety and security, key populations cannot freely go to facilities they don’t know very well. The clinic setup was the most ideal set up for them. No one would question them, because this is open to everybody. But now what the project is doing, they are renting houses, the USAID is renting houses where they are providing services, so a house is very different from a clinic, that also affects the element of sustainability. The element of sustainability has also been lost because PPAZ has been here for a long time, since 1972, so we were hoping that the project was going to build the capacity for PPAZ to continue providing services to key populations that are free from stigma and discrimination. That has been lost. To me it’s a lost opportunity.” The Zambia National AIDS/HIV Strategic Framework for 2017 to 2021, bears a strong emphasis on leaving no one behind when it comes to stopping the HIV/AIDS epidemic. “No one should be left behind, if we are to reduce HIV infections to zero, if this is not done, the dream, the vision will not be achieved, we cannot afford to start pointing fingers, we have to use the public health approach and eliminate the risk of HIV infection amidst our people”.

チピリ・ムレムフウェさん。資金が途絶えるまで、IPPFザンビア(PPAZ)が実施するUSAIDオープンドア・プロジェクトのサービスデリバリー・マネージャーを務めていた
story

| 28 March 2024

“We are losing precious time"

In November 2017,  Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia (PPAZ) received the news that they must cease all USAID funded programmes. The stop order was a result of the 'Global Gag Rule' (GGR), also referred to as the Mexico City Policy. The reinstatement of the policy has resulted in Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia losing 46% of its funding. You can learn more about the Global Gag Rule here. “When I lost my job as service delivery manager [at PPAZ USAID's Open Doors project], I felt like a part of me had died, I’m very passionate about this. I look forward to seeing a day where everybody will be free to access health services without stigma and discrimination, especially public health facilities. That’s what I’d like to see, [I] want to see integrated services, being provided to key populations, without stigma and discrimination, and fear of being arrested." The Global Gag Rule The reinstatement of the ‘Global Gag Rule’ resulted in the termination of Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia grant for the USAID Open Doors being terminated.  Chipili says “We didn’t expect its implementation to come with the termination of the grants suddenly. We thought that we were going to be given time, a year, one year to work and complete the project and hand over to the partner that was going to take over the responsibilities that Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia handled.” The termination of the project means progress that has been made, especially the work done to help reduce the number of HIV and STIs cases among the key populations will be undone. Progress, that is desperately needed to meet Zambia’s targets on HIV reduction. “We are losing precious time. We have got targets to meet as a nation, we need to ensure that by 2020 we reach the 90/90 goals, set by UNAIDS, and also the country has a broader vision of eliminating the threat of HIV, HIV as a public threat by 2030. So if we have such stumbling blocks, then the targets might not be met.  And then these key populations are also linked with the general population, we have men who sex with men, they also have partners, some of them are married, and if we don’t get into their networks, HIV and STIs will end up in the general population, therefore putting everybody at risk." Other impacts have been the increased vulnerability and the lost investment of peer promoters from the key populations and loss of safety and security that was provided by the organization.  Loss of safety and security “For safety and security, key populations cannot freely go to facilities they don’t know very well. The clinic setup was the most ideal set up for them. No one would question them, because this is open to everybody. But now what the project is doing, they are renting houses, the USAID is renting houses where they are providing services, so a house is very different from a clinic, that also affects the element of sustainability. The element of sustainability has also been lost because PPAZ has been here for a long time, since 1972, so we were hoping that the project was going to build the capacity for PPAZ to continue providing services to key populations that are free from stigma and discrimination. That has been lost. To me it’s a lost opportunity.” The Zambia National AIDS/HIV Strategic Framework for 2017 to 2021, bears a strong emphasis on leaving no one behind when it comes to stopping the HIV/AIDS epidemic. “No one should be left behind, if we are to reduce HIV infections to zero, if this is not done, the dream, the vision will not be achieved, we cannot afford to start pointing fingers, we have to use the public health approach and eliminate the risk of HIV infection amidst our people”.

Thomas, 34 years old, former PPAZ peer educator and counsellor
story

| 08 August 2018

"The community really appreciated the services we were offering"

In November 2017,  Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia (PPAZ) received the news that they must cease all USAID funded programmes. The stop order was a result of the 'Global Gag Rule' (GGR), also referred to as the Mexico City Policy. The reinstatement of the policy has resulted in Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia losing 46% of its funding. You can learn more about the Global Gag Rule here. "My name is Thomas, I’m 34 years old. At PPAZ I worked as a peer educator and counsellor, I used to work on the outreach programmes in the community to offer access to health services like voluntary counselling and testing, we also used to sensitize women on the importance of family planning. We also used to refer women we would find had different problems, to the facilities so they can access health services. We also used to help by giving information on things like HIV prevention and signs and symptoms to look out for.  At other times, since the places were very far, we would take the services from the facilities to where the people were, so PPAZ used to help us do that.  I was at the clinic when they came to tell us that PPAZ would no longer be involved in the project because the funding had been stopped. It was a challenge for us because the services that people had become accustomed to in the communities, HIV counselling and testing services levels reduced because we couldn’t manage to go and take these services to them in the places where they live.  When we worked with PPAZ we used to put condoms in these places for them, in the bars and taverns, and even pool tables. Now that PPAZ is gone, the government cannot meet the supply of condoms needed in these places, even the services can’t be offered on the same scale. Unable to meet needs in rural areas Like you can see here, I look after my grandmother and other family members and that money [peer educators' allowance] used to go a long way in helping us look after our children and buy food, and other things. At the moment it is very difficult. Nyangwena is a very big place, it also includes 14 villages, so there are many people in this area. With the money that we were given through PPAZ, my friend and I would manage to get tyres for a bicycle and go to these places, we’d cycle distances as far as 14Km away. It was very helpful; the community really appreciated the services we were offering because we used to take them to the people. We would be very happy if PPAZ were to start them again because we would really help our communities a great deal with these services. Even school children would go and access them, at the youth-friendly corner twice a week. Information is really needed amongst these school children."

Thomas, 34 years old, former PPAZ peer educator and counsellor
story

| 28 March 2024

"The community really appreciated the services we were offering"

In November 2017,  Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia (PPAZ) received the news that they must cease all USAID funded programmes. The stop order was a result of the 'Global Gag Rule' (GGR), also referred to as the Mexico City Policy. The reinstatement of the policy has resulted in Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia losing 46% of its funding. You can learn more about the Global Gag Rule here. "My name is Thomas, I’m 34 years old. At PPAZ I worked as a peer educator and counsellor, I used to work on the outreach programmes in the community to offer access to health services like voluntary counselling and testing, we also used to sensitize women on the importance of family planning. We also used to refer women we would find had different problems, to the facilities so they can access health services. We also used to help by giving information on things like HIV prevention and signs and symptoms to look out for.  At other times, since the places were very far, we would take the services from the facilities to where the people were, so PPAZ used to help us do that.  I was at the clinic when they came to tell us that PPAZ would no longer be involved in the project because the funding had been stopped. It was a challenge for us because the services that people had become accustomed to in the communities, HIV counselling and testing services levels reduced because we couldn’t manage to go and take these services to them in the places where they live.  When we worked with PPAZ we used to put condoms in these places for them, in the bars and taverns, and even pool tables. Now that PPAZ is gone, the government cannot meet the supply of condoms needed in these places, even the services can’t be offered on the same scale. Unable to meet needs in rural areas Like you can see here, I look after my grandmother and other family members and that money [peer educators' allowance] used to go a long way in helping us look after our children and buy food, and other things. At the moment it is very difficult. Nyangwena is a very big place, it also includes 14 villages, so there are many people in this area. With the money that we were given through PPAZ, my friend and I would manage to get tyres for a bicycle and go to these places, we’d cycle distances as far as 14Km away. It was very helpful; the community really appreciated the services we were offering because we used to take them to the people. We would be very happy if PPAZ were to start them again because we would really help our communities a great deal with these services. Even school children would go and access them, at the youth-friendly corner twice a week. Information is really needed amongst these school children."

Joyce, HIV positive and PPAZ client
story

| 08 August 2018

"If I hadn’t come at that time to get help I would have been seriously ill"

In November 2017,  Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia (PPAZ) received the news that they must cease all USAID funded programmes. The stop order was a result of the 'Global Gag Rule' (GGR), also referred to as the Mexico City Policy. The reinstatement of the policy has resulted in Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia losing 46% of its funding. You can learn more about the Global Gag Rule here. “My name is Joyce. I live in Sopoloyi with my grandmother. I tested positive for HIV, around November, but was doubtful about starting treatment. I stayed away for three months and came back in January, to retest, when they asked if I wanted to start treatment right away, I refused, because I wasn’t ready.  I told my sister what happened and explained that I had tested positive for HIV, so she advised me to go back and start treatment as soon as possible, because the longer I waited the more I was wasting away.   I returned to the clinic and I was given medication for two weeks. I was changed and put on another course for a month. I would go back every two weeks to get medication, then gradually I was given a course for two months. From the time I commenced treatment till now, there’s a clear difference, my body is slowly coming back to normal. I felt very safe, I was happy that they protected me, if I hadn’t come at that time to get help I would have been seriously ill, the medication wouldn’t have helped me at all, but now I have been on medication I feel much better and my body is also getting better. They are still giving me medication. They need to continue giving us the medicines and the information, because at least they tell us that once we start we are not supposed to skip any dose, even when you feel fit, you can’t stop because the virus multiplies everyday by a thousand, so the more you take your medication it keeps the virus levels low, so I would say they need to continue. All I am asking is that they don’t stop giving us this treatment because a lot of people will suffer or even die without these medicines.”

Joyce, HIV positive and PPAZ client
story

| 28 March 2024

"If I hadn’t come at that time to get help I would have been seriously ill"

In November 2017,  Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia (PPAZ) received the news that they must cease all USAID funded programmes. The stop order was a result of the 'Global Gag Rule' (GGR), also referred to as the Mexico City Policy. The reinstatement of the policy has resulted in Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia losing 46% of its funding. You can learn more about the Global Gag Rule here. “My name is Joyce. I live in Sopoloyi with my grandmother. I tested positive for HIV, around November, but was doubtful about starting treatment. I stayed away for three months and came back in January, to retest, when they asked if I wanted to start treatment right away, I refused, because I wasn’t ready.  I told my sister what happened and explained that I had tested positive for HIV, so she advised me to go back and start treatment as soon as possible, because the longer I waited the more I was wasting away.   I returned to the clinic and I was given medication for two weeks. I was changed and put on another course for a month. I would go back every two weeks to get medication, then gradually I was given a course for two months. From the time I commenced treatment till now, there’s a clear difference, my body is slowly coming back to normal. I felt very safe, I was happy that they protected me, if I hadn’t come at that time to get help I would have been seriously ill, the medication wouldn’t have helped me at all, but now I have been on medication I feel much better and my body is also getting better. They are still giving me medication. They need to continue giving us the medicines and the information, because at least they tell us that once we start we are not supposed to skip any dose, even when you feel fit, you can’t stop because the virus multiplies everyday by a thousand, so the more you take your medication it keeps the virus levels low, so I would say they need to continue. All I am asking is that they don’t stop giving us this treatment because a lot of people will suffer or even die without these medicines.”

Joseph is HIV positive and receives treatment from BOFWA
story

| 24 July 2018

“I feel comfortable here”

19-year-old Joseph Ikatlholeng attends the Botswana Family Welfare Association (BOFWA) clinic in Gaborone every three months to receive antiretroviral treatment for HIV. He’s currently at university, studying for a degree in transport and logistics. “I hope to start my own transport business, maybe in the future an airline,” he says, laughing at the grandeur of his dreams.   Joseph first came to BOFWA when he and his boyfriend decided to start practicing safe sex in March 2017. “I had put myself in risky situations so thought I should get tested for HIV,” he says.   After learning he was HIV positive, Joseph tried out a few clinics to receive his treatment, but found BOFWA to be the most confidential and friendly. Sitting in the clinic behind the doctor’s desk, he says, “I never have any problems coming here. I feel comfortable here. At [the government clinic] there is no privacy; most of my friends are there. Sometimes if you go there you find them suspecting something, and everyone will be knowing your status. That’s why I prefer BOFWA.”     Feeling safe is important to Joseph, who regularly faces discrimination as a man who has sex with other men. “Last week I was walking along, and these guys came past in the car shouting “gay, gay, gay.” I experience that treatment a lot.”    Now, he and some LGBTI friends in Botswana are trying to work with their community to change the status quo about LGBTI people in the country. “We’re trying to tell the elders that we are here, we’re trying to change perceptions that LGBTI people are not just on drugs and having sex,” he says.  

Joseph is HIV positive and receives treatment from BOFWA
story

| 28 March 2024

“I feel comfortable here”

19-year-old Joseph Ikatlholeng attends the Botswana Family Welfare Association (BOFWA) clinic in Gaborone every three months to receive antiretroviral treatment for HIV. He’s currently at university, studying for a degree in transport and logistics. “I hope to start my own transport business, maybe in the future an airline,” he says, laughing at the grandeur of his dreams.   Joseph first came to BOFWA when he and his boyfriend decided to start practicing safe sex in March 2017. “I had put myself in risky situations so thought I should get tested for HIV,” he says.   After learning he was HIV positive, Joseph tried out a few clinics to receive his treatment, but found BOFWA to be the most confidential and friendly. Sitting in the clinic behind the doctor’s desk, he says, “I never have any problems coming here. I feel comfortable here. At [the government clinic] there is no privacy; most of my friends are there. Sometimes if you go there you find them suspecting something, and everyone will be knowing your status. That’s why I prefer BOFWA.”     Feeling safe is important to Joseph, who regularly faces discrimination as a man who has sex with other men. “Last week I was walking along, and these guys came past in the car shouting “gay, gay, gay.” I experience that treatment a lot.”    Now, he and some LGBTI friends in Botswana are trying to work with their community to change the status quo about LGBTI people in the country. “We’re trying to tell the elders that we are here, we’re trying to change perceptions that LGBTI people are not just on drugs and having sex,” he says.  

Jackie, 34, sex worker and peer outreach worker
story

| 24 July 2018

“We were dying in large numbers because we were afraid of those clinics”

“I’m a sex worker and peer outreach worker for the Nkaikela Youth Group. We reach the other sex workers because we are the ones that know them. We go to their houses, we go to the hotspots like clubs and the street; we reach them and encourage them to come here [to the Youth Group],” says Jackie Selelo, 34, sitting in one of the temporary office buildings at the Nkaikela Youth Group in Gaborone.   With the support of BOFWA nurses, the Nkaikela Youth Group provides a range of sexual health care to sex workers: “They need health services for STIs, smear tests, HIV tests, and to be enrolling onto antiretroviral treatment for HIV,” Jackie explains.   Female sex workers are in a particularly high-risk group for contracting HIV – the prevalence rate is 61.9% among the community – so having access to testing and treatment is vital. However, Jackie says many women don’t feel safe going to the government clinic. “They don’t accept us. It’s like we’re doing this because we want to, and just bringing disease. We’re not comfortable there and so sex workers are not [being tested and treated] in large numbers. Before BOFWA we were dying in large numbers because we were afraid of those clinics.”     The difference between being treated by the staff at BOFWA is huge, according to Jackie. “We get a good service with BOFWA, they’re helping us to come for tests and they’re treating us good. With BOFWA if you come for HIV testing and were positive they would initiate you on to treatment the same day. Any problem you could discuss with them without fear, like they are your brothers and sisters.”   She’s concerned that if funding continues to be cut, BOFWA nurses will stop coming to the Youth Group completely. “If they stop it will be difficult for us. We will die, we will be infected,” she says.  

Jackie, 34, sex worker and peer outreach worker
story

| 28 March 2024

“We were dying in large numbers because we were afraid of those clinics”

“I’m a sex worker and peer outreach worker for the Nkaikela Youth Group. We reach the other sex workers because we are the ones that know them. We go to their houses, we go to the hotspots like clubs and the street; we reach them and encourage them to come here [to the Youth Group],” says Jackie Selelo, 34, sitting in one of the temporary office buildings at the Nkaikela Youth Group in Gaborone.   With the support of BOFWA nurses, the Nkaikela Youth Group provides a range of sexual health care to sex workers: “They need health services for STIs, smear tests, HIV tests, and to be enrolling onto antiretroviral treatment for HIV,” Jackie explains.   Female sex workers are in a particularly high-risk group for contracting HIV – the prevalence rate is 61.9% among the community – so having access to testing and treatment is vital. However, Jackie says many women don’t feel safe going to the government clinic. “They don’t accept us. It’s like we’re doing this because we want to, and just bringing disease. We’re not comfortable there and so sex workers are not [being tested and treated] in large numbers. Before BOFWA we were dying in large numbers because we were afraid of those clinics.”     The difference between being treated by the staff at BOFWA is huge, according to Jackie. “We get a good service with BOFWA, they’re helping us to come for tests and they’re treating us good. With BOFWA if you come for HIV testing and were positive they would initiate you on to treatment the same day. Any problem you could discuss with them without fear, like they are your brothers and sisters.”   She’s concerned that if funding continues to be cut, BOFWA nurses will stop coming to the Youth Group completely. “If they stop it will be difficult for us. We will die, we will be infected,” she says.