Power in the Press: AHF, Media and Partners Tackle HIV with Fierce Unity
The Aids Health Foundation (AHF) held a Friends and Partners Media Breakfast on July 10, where the organization unpacked its mandate, shared their recent successes, and outline our focus areas in their fight against the pandemic.
The event brought together journalists, healthcare professionals, and civil society partners, emphasizing that the media is not just a platform for communications— it is also force for change. The message? “Together, we can break the silence, shift the stigma, and save lives.”
Dr. Nombuso Madonsela, Country Program Director for AHF South Africa, opened with a heartfelt welcome, stressing the media’s critical role. “Your role as media professionals is not peripheral. It is pivotal,” she said. “You are the storytellers who can humanize statistics and influence action.”
A video showcasing AHF’s global footprint across 48 countries — serving over 2.3 million people and saving over two million lives — reminded the audience of the scale and urgency of this work. The emotional clip featured voices and congratulations from around the world, all saluting AHF’s powerful mission and global reach.
Some of their flagship initiatives include – Food for Health: Addressing nutritional needs to support health outcomes, and, Girls Act and Boys2Men: Empowering young people in HIV prevention and awareness through education and health initiatives.
South Africa, home to the world’s largest HIV epidemic, continues to battle alarmingly high infection rates, particularly among young people.
The panel discussion featured Dr. Madonsela, Comrade Mfundisi Masabane of the SANAC Civil Society Forum, Mr. Themba Ngwenya from the Department of Health, and Ibanomonde Ngema, an HIV/AIDS activist and ambassador for Her Voice Fund South Africa. Throughout the discussion, Ms. Ngabetcwe Nrumobenzi guided the conversation with deep, intentional questions that encouraged panelists to reflect meaningfully on where the gaps still exist — and what bold steps are needed to close them.
One of the most impactful voices was that of Ngema, who has been living with HIV since she was nine. She shared her personal journey with this writer, explaining that she found out her status through her parents — and that her grandmother, who is a nurse, helped her understand it.
She described the pain of growing up under the heavy cloud of stigma, losing friends, and being treated as a threat.
Her message was clear: HIV does not define you — and taking your treatment gives you the power to live fully and fiercely.
The panel also addressed key developments in public health strategy, such as efforts to decentralize HIV treatment from hospitals to clinics, making it more accessible to communities.
The Department of Health also spoke of digital innovations that track treatment, community education around TB and HIV, and partnerships designed to reconnect patients who have disengaged from care.
In 2024 alone, AHF South Africa conducted more than 561,000 HIV tests, distributed 3.7 million free condoms, and linked thousands to treatment. These achievements go beyond numbers — they represent hope, survival, and progress.
As the event closed with a networking session over brunch, the message to the media was unmissable: Your voice saves lives.
By telling stories like Ibanomonde’s, holding systems accountable, and shifting narratives from fear to empowerment, the media stands as one of the strongest tools we have in ending the HIV epidemic — for good.