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Precious Manomano and Ivan Zhakata
The National AIDS Council (NAC) has donated 100 bicycles to its Brotha 2 Brotha mentors from Harare Province as an empowerment tool for young boys in sexual and reproductive health issues.
The bicycles will enhance preparedness to address health emergencies in the communities they serve.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, Minister of State for Harare Metropolitan Provincial Affairs, Oliver Chidau, said the programme will greatly expand the HIV and AIDS response in the province.
Minister Chidau said young people were lagging behind as compared to other population groups in terms of HIV knowledge.
He said 610 000 new HIV infections were recorded among youths (15 to 24 years) and 41 percent of these were young men according to the Zimbabwe Demographic Health Survey (ZDHS 2016).
“An estimated 60 percent of youths in Zimbabwe use illicit drugs, with 66 percent of them being male users. Most interventions in the current response are targeting adolescent girls and young women, for example, Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored and Safe (DREAMS) and Sista 2 Sista.
“HIV infection among young women predominantly comes from young men, according to ZIMPHIA (Zimbabwe Population-based HIV Impact Assessment) 2016.”
Minister Chidau said Zimbabwe has adopted the United Nations’ mantra of leaving “no-one-behind”.
He said boys seemed to have been overlooked by various interventions, hence the adoption of the Brotha 2 Brotha prevention model which is being implemented alongside the Sista 2 Sista prevention model in the HIV and AIDS response.
“The Brotha 2 Brotha mentors lead the mentorship groups for adolescent boys aged 10 to 24 years, who are usually left out of most sexual and reproductive health (SRH) programs. “The clubs offer safe, youth friendly comprehensive HIV, sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) information through a sport centred intervention.
“The goal is to groom the adolescent boys into responsible men and reduce HIV incidences and gender-based violence (GBV) as well as foster leadership, and create capable young men who are gender sensitive and contribute towards creating a better Zimbabwe,” said Minister Chidau.
The programme outcomes resulted in having boys returning to school, stopping use of drugs, speaking against GBV and knowing their HIV status.
“It is therefore with sincere gratitude and appreciation that I thank the National AIDS Council Harare Province for their continuous unwavering support to community programmes.
“Through the provision of these bicycles, it eases mobility within their areas of operation as we are moving towards ending AIDS by 2030.
“Since we are still in the Covid-19 situation, the Brotha 2 Brotha mentors will be crucial in spreading Covid-19 messages within their communities using the bicycles.
“I appeal to the mentors to look after the bicycles with good care. Let me also take this opportunity to express my sincere appreciation to the Brotha 2 Brotha mentors for their continuous commitment in community work,” said Minister Chidau.
Brotha 2 Brotha is a mentorship group for adolescent boys aged between 10 and 24, who are usually left out of most SRHR programmes.
Online Reporter