The Zvandiri programme

Credit: The Zvandiri program-  Africaid

Africaid is a community-based organisation in Zimbabwe which, through its Zvandiri programme, seeks to ensure that children, adolescents and young people living with HIV have the knowledge, skills and confidence to live happy, healthy, safe, fulfilled lives.

The Zvandiri (‘As I am’) Trial for ALHIV is the first of its kind in Africa and has shown reductions in death and treatment failure after sustained follow up; findings that will have a profound impact on care for adolescents living with HIV through changes in policy and practice.

Zvandiri provides a package of differentiated services for children, adolescents and young people living with HIV so that they know, understand accept their HIV status; that they start and remain on Antiretroviral treatment with understanding and confidence; that they remain engaged in treatment, care and support services and that they feel cared for, understood, supported and valued. Services are primarily led by trained, mentored adolescents and young people living with HIV, known as Community Adolescent Treatment Supporters or ‘CATS’. CATS provide information, counselling and support for other children, adolescents and young people living with HIV through home visits, clinic visits, support groups and MHealth. Services are fully integrated within national systems and service delivery across the HIV care cascade.