Amandla Development
Young women and girls are disproportionately affected by HIV. Now, under the threat of COVID-19, these critical HIV health services can be harder to access, allowing one pandemic to thrive as another takes a new hold on an already vulnerable population.
Recognizing this threat, (RED)-funded programs like Amandla Development in Cape Town, South Africa have implemented social distancing and other COVID-19 preventative measures so that lifesaving HIV education, sexual reproductive health services, and mental health counseling remain open and accessible to young women in need.
16-year-old Asive Molose is a student and participates in a variety of Amandla’s empowerment programs, including self-defense workshops, which teach young women to protect themselves from gender-based violence. In addition to equipping Asive with the confidence and tools to stand up for herself, Amandla has also provided her with a safe space to talk about the difficult circumstances facing many young women in South Africa.
What’s Asive’s message to other young women in her community? “Be you! Do you for you! And if ever you feel uncomfortable or if ever you feel that you need someone to talk to, you can always call Amandla.”
During the current COVID-19 outbreak in South Africa, Amandla Development continues to connect young people and their families with support and care services, to provide accurate health information, and to promote learning while students are out of classrooms. By providing critical health services at this time, Amandla is helping to ensure that young women and girls can thrive and avoid the threat of both HIV and COVID-19.