During the beginning of June, a team from the American Embassy and the Henry M. Jackson Foundation Medical Research International (HJFMRI) in Tanzania, led by Mark Breda and Sally Chalamila, visited project sites in Mbeya and Songwe regions. They interacted with beneficiaries and regional officials as part of a program funded by the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) focusing on HIV prevention, care, and treatment.
One of the initiatives they visited was peer-driven HIV youth interventions in Mkwajuni, Songwe region. They met Fredrick Mwashimanga, also known as Manyota, who uses his love for music to educate peers about HIV testing and condom use. This creative strategy targets adolescents and young adults, including motorcycle drivers aged 15-24, ensuring that interventions are tailored to the specific needs of young people.
The team also visited a DREAMS group in Nswiswi village, Mbeya region, where adolescent girls and young women receive education on various topics including HIV, reproductive health, and economic empowerment. The aim of the DREAMS program is to reduce HIV rates among AGYW aged 15-24 who are at high risk. DREAMS mentor Janeth Mwakitege, who has overcome her own HIV diagnosis, now supports AGYW in accessing HIV services and forming support groups.
To enhance healthcare infrastructure in the southern highland regions, laboratory items worth Tsh 132,972,500 were handed over. The equipment, including mini refrigerators and power stabilizers, aims to improve sample management efficiency and reduce costs associated with sample transportation. Regional medical officers in Mbeya, Songwe, Rukwa, and Katavi received the donations and were urged to use them effectively to strengthen laboratory services.
These visits and initiatives demonstrate the ongoing efforts to combat HIV in Tanzania, focusing on empowering youth, AGYW, and improving laboratory services. Through a comprehensive approach to prevention, care, and treatment, these activities aim to ensure healthier and longer lives for communities in the Mbeya, Songwe, Rukwa, and Katavi regions.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of U.S. Embassy in Tanzania.