According to the Global Alliance to End AIDS in Children, Zambia has continued to grapple with a high prevalence of HIV, which currently stands at 11.1%. New HIV infections are exceptionally high among adolescents and young people, constituting roughly 50% of the new infections.

In response to this challenge, USAID CHEKUP I, in collaboration with its partners, has continuously delivered impactful HIV prevention services to foster preventive behaviours and increase service utilisation. In 2023, a total of 49,213 individuals from priority populations accessed HIV prevention services through evidence-based interventions. Among them, 4,262 individuals commenced Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a medicine taken to prevent getting HIV, highly effective when taken as prescribed.

Judy Mulenga (not her real name), a 22-year-old resident of Minsundu township in Ndola, Copperbelt Province, is one such person who commenced PrEP as her preferred method of HIV prevention. At 18 years old, she faced an unexpected pregnancy that led her to dropping out of school. Abandoned by the father of her child, she bravely confronted the trials of single parenthood alone. With limited financial resources, Judy resorted to hairdressing as her primary source of income.

“Despite my efforts, making ends meet remained a significant challenge. I hardly made enough earnings to cover my rent. In the absence of a stable partner, I often engaged in casual relationships without knowledge of my partners’ HIV statuses, “she explained.

Judy says her life took a positive turn when she crossed paths with a peer educator from the USAID CHEKUP I DREAMS project during a community sensitisation in her area.

“I was deeply moved by the topics discussed, particularly the focus on HIV prevention, which prompted me to introspect. I was so intrigued. I wanted to learn more about the program,” Judy recalls. 

She decided to visit the offices of the DREAMS Centre the following week, where she received more information about the DREAMS program and her subject of interest, and eventually became a part of the team.

Judy added that after undergoing an HIV test and receiving negative results, she proactively sought out information about HIV prevention options that aligned with her needs and settled for PrEP as her preferred method. She said until then, she had been sceptical about the existence and accessibility of PrEP. 

Considering her circumstances, Judy had assumed that such interventions would be financially out of reach for someone like her who solely focused on meeting her child’s basic needs. She says that the encounter with the DREAMS peer educator opened new possibilities in her life and a chance to protect herself from acquiring HIV through using PrEP.

“I am grateful to the CHEKUP I DREAMS program for empowering me with the knowledge to help me prioritise my health and well-being,” she concluded.