Online Reporter
Abigirl Tembo
A PEER-led initiative is transforming HIV prevention among adolescent girls and young women in Mashonaland Central, with young mothers playing a central role in improving access to critical health services.
The Young Mentor Mothers programme, supported by UNICEF and implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Child Care, the National AIDS Council and Zvandiri, is equipping women aged between 18 and 24 with skills to support their peers navigating pregnancy, motherhood and HIV-related challenges.
The initiative comes amid persistent vulnerabilities among adolescent girls and young women, who remain disproportionately affected by HIV due to factors such as poverty, early marriages and limited access to youth-friendly health services.
Under the programme, trained young mothers provide HIV prevention education, psychosocial support and facilitate access to essential services, including testing, treatment and care.
National AIDS Council Shamva District AIDS Coordinator, Shepherd Zanamwe said the intervention targets a highly vulnerable group often affected by stigma.
“These are young girls who are often stigmatised because of early pregnancies, but through this programme, we are empowering them socially and psychologically so that they can move forward and even return to school,” he said.
Early outcomes from the programme indicate significant progress, with more than 80 percent of participants accessing HIV prevention services, while male partner involvement in HIV testing is also on the rise.
Mashonaland Central has an estimated 103 263 people living with HIV, including approximately 97 000 adults. However, sustained interventions have enabled the province to surpass the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets, currently standing at 96-97-96.
Health experts say community-driven models such as the Young Mentor Mothers programme are critical in sustaining gains in the national HIV response while ensuring no vulnerable group is left behind -ZBC Online.
Mathew Masinge