Equality Talks 1 - Africa Edition

Our first Equality Talk - "Empowering Futures through Healthcare and Skills" - featured Jimmy Harare, Associate Community Health Director at Partners in Health/APZU in Malawi. Hosted by Nathalie Jean-Baptiste, Head of Programmes at the Julius Baer Foundation, the discussion delved into Partners in Health/APZU's goals to improve the health outcomes and socio- economic conditions of adolescents living with HIV in Neno District.

In Malawi, it’s not easy for these adolescents to be economically independent due to a number of factors, including stigma and poor educational background.

Jimmy highlighted statistics about adolescents with HIV, revealing infection rates of 8.9%, 10.5% among women  and 7.1% among men aged 15 and over. Girls and young women face higher risks due to their early sexual debut and sex with older men.

In partnership with the Julius Baer Foundation, Partners in Health/APZU developed the ASPIRE project. This initiative aims to enhance the long-term health and socio-economic outcomes for adolescents living with HIV in Neno through the Teen Clubs.

Jimmy shared Patrick's inspiring story – how ASPIRE helped him develop tailoring skills, enabling him to support his family and grandmother. Today, Patrick’s goal is to buy a motorcycle, which he will use to gather materials for his tailoring business.

Partners in Health also emphasises the importance of education for young people. 

We encourage you to relive this inspiring talk and let's continue to work together to drive positive change and empower communities worldwide.

Together, we can make a difference!