Our Work
Towards an HIV Free Generation
HIVSA Projects
HIVSA provides dynamic support to the communities it serves, developing a number of education, training and support programmes which include the following:
A. Projects under Health System Strengthening (HSS)
Stepping Stones is a workshop series designed as a tool to help promote sexual health, improve psychological wellbeing and prevent HIV. The sessions address questions of gender, sexuality, HIV/AIDS, gender violence, communication and relationship skills.
These sessions provide opportunities for participants to examine their values and attitudes towards gender and relationships, to build on their knowledge on aspects of sexuality and HIV/AIDS and to help them develop communication skills. HIVSA group facilitators recruit AGYW and men between the ages of 20 and 49.
Recruitment of participants for the groups will be done at any service point where there are vulnerable AGYW. Stepping stones sessions have a very strong referral linkages component. Individuals that participate in the programme that require referral linkages support will be referred to DREAMS partners within the area for a continuum of care.
The services available are as follows: HIV testing, PEP, PreP, GBV related services, ART, Psychosocial support, SRH, social asset building, VMMC and any other relevant social and health services.
SBI Screening In partnership with AB INBEV Foundation, HIVSA is implementing the Screening and Brief Intervention (SBI) Project in Sub District E (Alexandra).
The SBI project relates to promoting generic responsible alcohol use within communities. In order to implement this project HIVSA partnered with the Health Care facilities (CoJ) and Community Based Organizations based in Alexandra.
Through this initiative, HIVSA promotes responsible alcohol use by mobilizing, screening and upon giving results advice to community members depending on the screening results.
Given that alcohol misuse has a negative impact on general health and wellness, the programme identified 3 different entry points that would be ideal for mobilizing and educating clients.
The 3 entry points identified are:
- Community HTS service points,
- Health Care facilities (waiting areas),
- CBO based services (OVCY).
For the past 5 years, HIVSA has collaborated with the Discovery Fund in relation to the skills development of CHWs within Gauteng.
The capacity-building project entails capacity building initiatives targeting Community Health Workers that are providing Health Care related services.
Through this project, HIVSA has continued to support the Gauteng Department of Health’s capacity building of CHWs stationed at facility and community sites.
CHWs receive training on various modules aimed at increasing their knowledge and enhancing service provision skills. The training is facilitated by Social Workers employed by HIVSA.
The following modules are offered to Community Health Workers:
Basic HAST,
- Pre and Post Test Counselling,
- HIV Rapid Testing,
- Adherence Counselling (National Adherence Strategy),
- Kidz Alive,
- Couples Counselling and index-based HTS services.
Our overall goal is to put an end to the high HIV incidence in girls and young women by providing content that youth can easily relate to and see as ‘about and for me’. Available on various platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, web-based sites and Twitter.
The strategy is ultimately based on the principle of empowerment at the individual and the group level, using innovative online and social media technology as well as offline community engagement as vehicles for this. This initiative, while developed by HIVSA, was the result of a partnership between HIVSA and the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project, who have funded, together with GIZ initially, the development and continued operation.
To date, the Choma platforms have reached over 3 million South African users on the various platforms and provided one on one support to over 30 000 youth.
The platform provides vital information relating to primary health care. We aim to educate and empower people and promote health-seeking behaviour through the use of mobile technology.
Visit hi4LIFE at
B. Projects under Community System Strengthening (CSS)
HIVSA has been implementing OVCA&Y programs with the United States President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) funding since 2012, working in close collaboration with the Provincial Department of Social Development (DSD) and the Provincial Department of Health (DoH) in Gauteng province in the City of Johannesburg (COJ), City of Tshwane (COT) and Sedibeng.
Both OVC and the Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored, and Safe programs (DREAMS) have been key components of the programs HIVSA implemented, with HIVSA working closely with other community and clinical partners to improve layering and sequencing of interventions to address the risk which surrounds Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW) in a holistic manner. Currently, HIVSA and its sub-partners are implementing the Preventing HIV/AIDS in Vulnerable Populations (PHVP) Program that started in 2018.
HIVSA’s implementation model is embedded in capacitating and strengthening DSD funded CBOs (hereafter referred to as Sub-partners) through Technical Assistance (TA) and mentorship so that they can provide holistic service delivery to communities and the OVCA&Y they serve. To date, HIVSA has capacitated 67 CBOs/sub-partners through its programs. Over 100,000 OVCA&Y have benefitted from the program since 2012.
Through the implementation of three program modalities namely, OVC Comprehensive, OVC Preventive and DREAMS Family Strengthening, HIVSA utilizes a robust case management system and structured evidence-based interventions to positively impact the lives of the beneficiaries to ensure that they are healthy, schooled, stable and safe. The three program modalities are explained below.
SBI Screening
SBI Screening In partnership with AB INBEV Foundation, HIVSA is implementing the Screening and Brief Intervention (SBI) Project in Sub District E (Alexandra).
The SBI project relates to promoting generic responsible alcohol use within communities. In order to implement this project HIVSA partnered with the Health Care facilities (CoJ) and Community Based Organizations based in Alexandra.
Through this initiative, HIVSA promotes responsible alcohol use by mobilizing, screening and upon giving results advice to community members depending on the screening results.
Given that alcohol misuse has a negative impact on general health and wellness, the programme identified 3 different entry points that would be ideal for mobilizing and educating clients.
The 3 entry points identified are:
- Community HTS service points,
- Health Care facilities (waiting areas),
- CBO based services (OVCY).
Both OVC and the Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored, and Safe programs (DREAMS) have been key components of the programs HIVSA implemented, with HIVSA working closely with other community and clinical partners to improve layering and sequencing of interventions to address the risk which surrounds Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW) holistically. Currently, HIVSA and its sub-partners are implementing the Preventing HIV/AIDS in Vulnerable Populations (PHVP) Program that started in 2018.
HIVSA’s implementation model is embedded in capacitating and strengthening DSD funded CBOs (hereafter referred to as Sub-partners) through Technical Assistance (TA) and mentorship so that they can provide holistic service delivery to communities and the OVCA&Y they serve. To date, HIVSA has capacitated 67 CBOs/sub-partners through its programs. Over 100,000 OVCA&Y have benefitted from the program since 2012.
Through the implementation of three program modalities namely, OVC Comprehensive, OVC Preventive and DREAMS Family Strengthening, HIVSA utilizes a robust case management system and structured evidence-based interventions to positively impact the lives of the beneficiaries to ensure that they are healthy, schooled, stable and safe. The three program modalities are explained below.
- Employing a family-centred HIV-sensitive case management approach aligned to the four OVC technical pillars (Healthy, Schooled, Stable and Safe), the OVC Comprehensive Program service package targets children and families with known HIV-related risk characteristics such as Children and Adolescents Living with HIV (C/ALHIV), Highly Exposed Infants (HEI), Children of Key Populations (CoKP) and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) survivors.
- Through the development of collaborations, linkages, and interagency partnerships with the DoH, Clinics and health facilities, District Support Partners (DSPs), and other Implementing Partners (IPs).
