A Year of Progress in Preventing HIV
In partnership with Population Solutions for Health (PSH), Hands of Hope Organization (HoH) made significant strides
in its HIV prevention efforts under the Preventing HIV for Sustained Epidemic Control Program. Operating across five districts Harare, Chitungwiza, Mutare, Gweru, and Masvingo the program aimed to reduce HIV transmission among Men who have Sex with Men (MSM) and Female Sex Workers (FSW), ensuring better access to care, prevention, and treatment services.
Key Achievements
Despite challenges like national stockouts of HIV self-test kits, HoH surpassed many of its annual targets, demonstrating resilience and dedication: MSM Outreach: Reached over 22,000 MSM with HIV prevention messages, achieving 105% of the annual target. FSW Support: Connected 1,337 FSW to care, representing 131% of the annual goal. Training and Empowerment: Trained 37 Enhanced Peer Mobilizers to educate and support their communities Health Services: Ensured 90% linkage to antiretroviral therapy (ART) for newly diagnosed MSM and 111% for FSW.PrEP Uptake: Facilitated access to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for over 6,000 MSM and 4,000 FSW.
Community-led monitoring is a form of public oversight, ideally driven by local information needs and community values, to increase accountability with the main goal of improving the quality of HIV services. The PEPFAR-UNAIDS-funded program sought to put people living with HIV and key population communities at risk at the center. It also sought to identify barriers to achieving the 2025 AIDS targets 95-95-95. The program involved diverse community members as Community Health Advocates (CHA’s) in 2 implemented districts which are Gweru urban and Masvingo urban districts. These community members have been at the forefront of advocacy since the program's inception in October 2022. Under the Gweru urban district, Hands of Hope (HoH) supported 6 facilities which are Totonga Clinic, Monomutapa Clinic, Senga Clinic, Mkoba 1 Clinic, Mkoba Poly Clinic, and New Start Centre. While in the Masvingo district, we supported 6 facilities namely, Mucheke Clinic, Northwest Medical Centre, Bere Clinic, Nemamwa Clinic, Rujeko Clinic, and New Start Centre.
The program monitored the 5A’s (Availability of services, medicines, and commodities; Accessibility of the clinic and services offered for all community members in their diversity; Acceptability of services, which are free from stigma and discrimination; Affordability of services; and Appropriateness of services, which are tailor-made to the specific needs of different key population groups). This was achieved through data collection for data-driven advocacy at the facility, district, and provincial levels. Through support from PEPFAR-UNAIDS, Hands of Hope successfully empowered and capacitated community health advocates through training on identifying barriers and advocacy, and they were also supported with tablets for data collection and bicycles for commuting to all parts of their catchment area.
The organisation believes in the importance of community and family engagement in mental health interventions. Our programs are designed to support the whole family, promoting a holistic approach to mental health care. The importance of caregivers in supporting those in need of care is one of the priorities of the organisation’s mental health and psychosocial program.
While we have made significant strides in supporting 63 individuals and families affected by mental health issues, Hands of Hope faces challenges in mobilizing financial resources to sustain the program and finding rehabilitation places for those requiring institutional care. Despite these challenges, our systematic desensitization and problem-solving therapies have yielded a high success rate. We are proud of our strong linkages with clinical social workers, psychologists, and psychiatrists, who have been instrumental in our success.
In 2024, we have:
As we look to the future, we plan to:
Hands of Hope extends its gratitude to our partners and supporters who have enabled us to continue providing vital mental health services. Your trust and commitment to our mission are invaluable.
If you or someone you know is struggling with...Mental Health
**Hands of Hope Organization**
At Hands of Hope, we empower our community by providing essential support and resources. Our programs inspire resilience and growth. Join us in spreading hope and transforming lives through compassion and education.
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