HIV Prevention Research Advocacy Fellowship

About the Advocacy Fellowship
The HIV Prevention Research Advocacy Fellowship pairs emerging leaders in advocacy and activism with existing organizations to develop and execute creative, context-specific projects focused on HIV prevention research.

Fellowship projects focus primarily on advocacy around biomedical HIV prevention research (such as clinical trials of vaccines, microbicides, pre-exposure prophylaxis) or rollout of male circumcision for HIV prevention. Fellowship projects may also focus on “test and treat” or ARV treatment as prevention strategies, which are under active discussion in many contexts. Fellows receive training, financial support, and technical assistance to plan and implement a targeted one-year project within host organizations focused on HIV/AIDS.

AVAC Awards 2012 Advocacy Fellowships
AVAC is pleased to introduce the 2012 HIV Prevention Research Advocacy Fellows. 2012 is the third year of the Advocacy Fellowship. The 2012 Fellows were selected from a pool of 87 applicants from 14 countries. Meet the eight individuals who have been awarded 2012 HIV Prevention Research Advocacy Fellowships:

• Clever Chilende at the Treatment Advocacy and Literacy Campaign (TALC), Zambia
• Lucy Ghati at the National Empowerment Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Kenya (NEPHAK), Kenya
• Alice Kayongo Mutebi at the International HIV/AIDS Alliance Uganda, Uganda
• Memory Makamba at the Zimbabwe AIDS Prevention Project-University of Zimbabwe (ZAPP-UZ), Zimbabwe
• Chamunorwa (Chamu) Jefrey Mashoko at the University of Zimbabwe-University of San Francisco Research Programme, Zimbabwe
• Lydia Mulwanyi Mukombe at the International Community of Women Living with HIV (ICW) East Africa, Uganda
• Bukelwa Sontshatsha at the World AIDS Campaign, South Africa
• Jacqueline Mwangi Wambui at Health Gap/National Empowerment Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Kenya (NEPHAK), Kenya

From top left to right: Clever Chilende, Lucy Ghati, Alice Kayongo Mutebi, Memory Makamba, Chamu Jefrey Mashoko, Lydia Mulwanyi Mukombe, Bukelwa Sontshatsha and Jacqueline Mwangi Wambui.

About the 2011 Advocacy Fellows
2011 is the second year of the Advocacy Fellowship. The 2011 Fellows were selected from a pool of over 60 applicants from 17 countries in Africa, Asia, North and South America. The applications received were very strong, reflecting a range of interests and perspectives. Meet the six individuals who have been selected for AVAC’s 2011 Advocacy Fellowship program:

• Grace Kamau at the Bar Hostess Empowerment and Support Programme, Kenya
• Oliver Kanene at the Center for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ), Zambia
• Brian Kanyemba at the Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation (DTHF), South Africa
• Leader Kanyiki at Sonke Gender Justice Forum, South Africa
• Simon K’Ondiek at the Nyanza Reproductive Health Society (NRHS), Kenya
• Sylvia Nakasi at the Uganda Network of AIDS Service Organisations (UNASO), Uganda

 

From top left to right: Grace Kamau, Oliver Kanene, Brian Kanyemba, Leader Kanyiki, Simon K'Ondiek and Sylvia Nakasi

These Selected Advocacy Fellows Are:

• Individuals living in developing countries where biomedical HIV prevention research (see above) or rollout of male circumcision for HIV prevention is ongoing or planned. The seven Advocacy Fellows come from Kenya (two), South Africa (two), Uganda (one) and Zambia (one).
• Emerging/mid-career community leaders and advocates (the program is not intended for senior staff or researchers).
• Individuals with experience or education in the areas of HIV/AIDS, public health, international development, women's rights, media and communications, or advocacy.

They will focus on a variety of issues including: monitoring the rollout of male circumcision for HIV prevention; journalist and media engagement around prevention research; research literacy with disenfranchised groups; PrEP and Microbicide trial results dissemination; building civil society engagement in the research process; and creating linkages between trial communities and policy makers among other things.

In 2010, the Advocacy Fellowship was launched as a joint partnership of AVAC and the Global Campaign for Microbicides (GCM). AVAC now manages the Advocacy Fellowship independently. However, GCM remains a resource for the Advocacy Fellowship and for all advocates.

About the 2010 Advocacy Fellows 

Nine Advocacy Fellows were selected from a pool of 112 applications from more than 20 countries in Africa, Asia and South America. The pool of applicants was very strong and reflected a range of interests and perspectives.

Download Volume 1, Issue 1 of the AVAC-GCM Advocacy Fellowship Bulletin to read more about their projects.

Click here to learn more about what they are doing today.





Meet the Fellows (from top left to right): Munyaradzi Andeck Chimwara, Nomfundo “Nono” Eland, Richard Hasunira, Victor Frank Lakay, Magret Cynthia Mungofa , Patrick Mwai Muchai, Jauhara Nanyondo, Alliance Nikuze and Gift Trapence