I am Rumbidzai Matilda Chidora from Zimbabwe. I advocate for healthcare solutions focused on youth, with advocacy central to my career. In my role as a Technical Assistant at Zvandiri, I assist South Sudan in expanding the Zvandiri model, promoting peer-led, evidence-based interventions to enhance health outcomes for children, adolescents, and young people living with HIV throughout Africa. My journey started as a peer provider, and I take pride in being part of a movement that empowers young voices and addresses their unique healthcare needs.
Recently, I had the incredible opportunity to attend the Youth Connekt Africa Summit 2024 in Kigali from 8-10 November 2024, Rwanda—a defining moment in my advocacy work. With over 3,000 young leaders, innovators, and policymakers in attendance, the summit explored pressing challenges facing our continent under the theme ‘Jobs for Youth through Innovative Skilling.’ It was the perfect platform for me to showcase the Zvandiri model and engage in transformative discussions on how peer-led healthcare can truly empower our communities.
The summit resonated deeply with me, especially the Youth Gold Presentation, which showcased innovative solutions young people are implementing to combat unemployment and health issues through community-led approaches. This aligns perfectly with our mission at Zvandiri, where Community Adolescent Treatment Supporters (CATS) are crucial in delivering treatment adherence support, mental health care, and counselling.
Seeing how peer-driven initiatives are at the forefront of addressing barriers to treatment and care was inspiring. With these insights from the summit, I’m more determined than ever to expand the reach of peer-led interventions in underserved regions. By collaborating with local and global stakeholders, I plan to develop tailored training programs for CATS to enhance their ability to cater to the holistic needs of their peers. One of the most exciting ideas I encountered was from the Hanga Pitch Festival, which advocated the use of mobile applications. These apps can enable virtual counselling, track health progress, and strengthen connections between peer providers and clients, offering scalable solutions to healthcare access. Additionally, the summit emphasised the need for robust collaboration, which is essential for the success of peer-led models like Zvandiri.
As we progress, engaging policymakers will be a priority to ensure peer providers are embedded within national HIV response frameworks. One key initiative I aim to champion is the establishment of youth advisory boards in health programs, which would ensure that young voices are central to decision-making processes.
As I reflect on my experiences, I envision mentorship initiatives that support the professional growth of peer providers and empower them to sustain their contributions to healthcare systems. The summit was a powerful reminder that today's youth are not just the leaders of tomorrow; we are driving change in real-time.
With this momentum, I am committed to advocating for inclusive policies that prioritise youth leadership in health programs, particularly HIV care and mental health services. To achieve this, I plan to organise workshops designed to equip peer providers with advanced skills in counselling, mental health support, and treatment adherence. Furthermore, I aim to promote digital health innovations to enhance the effectiveness of peer-led interventions while expanding access to care for young people in remote and underserved areas.
We must ensure consistent, high-quality service delivery to those most in need. This includes pursuing partnerships to pilot digital platforms that will bridge gaps in healthcare access and strengthen peer support networks. In collaboration with the UNITED! Movement and the Zvandiri team, I am wholeheartedly dedicated to creating sustainable change focused on the health and well-being of adolescents and young adults living with HIV. This journey is not just professional for me; it is deeply personal. I dream of a future where every young person has the tools, resources, and support they need to thrive.
I am deeply thankful to the UNITED! Movement, spearheaded by Y+ Global and AfriYAN, with the unwavering support of UNICEF, UNFPA, and the UNAIDS East and Southern Africa Regional Offices, for this amazing opportunity. Collectively, we are actively changing Africa’s future generations, and I wish to be involved in every phase of that journey. Thank you for the chance to participate in Youth Connekt, and let’s work together to transform HIV care for young people!