Malawian youth to champion HIV and Aids global cause
International Aids Society (IAS) has chosen 20-year-old Tanaka Chirombo as a Global Youth Champion on HIV and Aids to promote youth-friendly HIV and Aids service delivery in the country.
In an interview on Friday, Chirombo, whom IAS has given an K8.7 million grant for the cause, said he feels honoured and looks forward to representing young people living with HIV and Aids on a larger platform.
He said he is among five young people competitively selected from sub-Saharan Africa and Eastern Europe to strengthen youth-friendly HIV service delivery for adolescents and youths living with HIV and Aids.
Said Chirombo: “I am happy about my selection because this gives me a chance to represent young people in the fight against HIV and Aids as they strive to contribute towards an HIV and Aids Free Generation by 2030 Initiative.”
He said as a Global Youth Champion, he plans to invest the grant in improving health service delivery for young people living with HIV and Aids at Mapale Health Centre in Mzuzu City with focus on HIV and Aids treatment, care and support, stigma and discrimination, using the grant.
Mzuzu-based Youth and Society (YAS) executive director Charles Kajoloweka said Chirombo’s selection as a Global Youth Champion on HIV and Aids demonstrates the world’s recognition of young people as transformative change agents.
In his remarks, Mzuzu City district Aids coordinator Harvey Limwado said Chirombo, using the grant, would complement different initiatives in the promotion of youth-friendly health, HIV and Aids services delivery in the city and country as a whole.
Chirombo, a bachelor of science and electronics student at the University of Malawi’s Chancellor College in Zomba, is expected to join other youth advocates and global leaders at the 2018 International Aids Conference in Amsterdam in The Netherlands. n
