Chikwawa based organization operating under the name Community Focus (COFO) has set aside funds in excess of millions to help in disseminating messages about HIV/AIDS via innovative platforms such as social media, Radio and community outreach.
The organization says it will start implementing the project in November this year to September 2025.
Through the project, dubbed “Kusamala project”, COFO will award K1,500 credit per month to any youth across the country who will post or disseminate information regarding HIV/AIDS via social media, Radio or community outreach.
COFO Chief Executive Officer Joshua Malunga has told ProjectM in an interview that the organization has opted to use this innovative approach in a bid to reach out to more people with messages about HIV/AIDS.
“We want eligible youth to participate in project activities by among others, sharing preventive messages about HIV/AIDS,” Malunga said.
He said the organization believes the initiative will also empower youth leaders to drive heath awareness in Chikwawa and other districts across Malawi.
“Social media has become a major tool of information dissemination among the youths and we believe empowering some of them with knowledge will also help in flooding these social media platforms with relevant messages about HIV prevention,” said Malunga.
The project, which is being implemented with support from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) is expected to help in slowing down the spread of HIV/AIDS in Chikwawa and other areas across Malawi.
Health expert and youth and children’s rights activist Rabson Woodwell has commended COFO for coming up with the initiative, saying it is more appealing to the youths.
“Time has come for organizations to use the social media effectively in tackling HIV and I believe the approach taken by COFO is a step in the right direction,” said Woodwell.
For a youth to be recognized as an active participant in the project, he or she must post HIV/AIDS prevention related message and tag COFO social media platforms.
