680 000 young women change the HIV conversation

CHOMA, HIVSA’s online magazine created 150 000 new conversations about HIV and Aids through its Inspiring Positive Change campaign. Their interaction numbers catapulted the mobile platform to luminary status, with a bigger circulation than South Africa’s number one young woman's magazine brand.

On World Aids Day, the mobile platform reached a record number of adolescents and young women through its innovative communication tools around HIV and Aids. The platform’s approach is designed to let women’s voices be heard by engaging and learning, rather than campaigning.Interactive content focused on love, relationships, inspiration, health, fashion and beauty keeps readers coming back on a regular basis, while community engagement initiatives and competitions have ensured immense continuous growth.It provides reliable health information through content that educates, entertains, engages and empowers South Africa’s next generation.“79% of people still do not believe they are at risk of HIV, yet South Africa is the country most affected by HIV and Aids in the world,” says Thulani Machere, HIVSA mobile health community and stakeholder liaison. “It shows us that people are detached from the HIV and Aids message, because traditional conversations around this epidemic have become stale.”In a bid to create the next HIV free generation and change the plight of young South African women,CHOMA is empowering their readers to protect themselves, by taking hands around this social concern and inspiring positive change. “Every new interaction and connection means that there is one more person that does not need to make sense of health, love and life on her own,” says Machere. “These women have a resource that is dedicated to their well-being and is ready to interact with them in a meaningful way.”In the lead-up to World Aids Day, CHOMA and HIVSA partnered with an up and coming curator, Zama Phakathi, to create an art experience that communicates critical HIV and Aids issues through an interactive fun-filled art instillation, where visitors were invited to shape the conversation about HIV and Aids.The Pop-up Experiential Art Exhibition that took place from Tuesday, 25 November to Monday, 1 December at Southgate Mall in Johannesburg, generated over 2000 pledges from visitors to keep themselves and others safe from HIV.Visitors contributed to the discussion that aims to inspire real and positive change by completing the sentence: “I keep safe by ____,” on a large chalk board. Contributions included using condoms, having one partner, being faithful and getting tested.“CHOMA’s main goal is to engage with young women through Facebook, Mxit, Mobi, and Twitter in a way that inspires and empowers them to own their health and protect the well-being of others,” Machere explains. “We are excited about the discussions we have started and look forward to see how young women take ownership of their lives.” World Aids Day is held on 1 December each year and is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV and Aids, show their support for people living with HIV and to commemorate people who have died.For more information about HIVSA, phone 011 494 1900 or visit www.hivsa.com. Alternatively, connect with CHOMA Magazine, here; on Facebook; and on Twitter, here.