In South Africa, men are less likely than women to start and stay on HIV treatment. Coach Mpilo, founded by a former football goalkeeper and funded by the Gates Foundation, pairs HIV-positive “coaches” with “players” to turn that around.
In South Africa’s Eastern Cape, mentor mothers — HIV-positive women turned health workers — are transforming rural maternal care, proving that peer support can bridge critical healthcare gaps.
Zane Wilson transformed her experience with panic disorder into South Africa’s largest mental health support network, creating the South African Depression and Anxiety Group, which now operates 30 helplines and supports over 180 support groups nationwide.
The NIH 5-year, $2.8m grant to Wits University and Vanderbilt University will advance traditional health practitioner-initiated HIV testing.