Contributor:
Stella Chinyonga, Public Health Nurse and Health Advocate and Digital Lead, INSPIRE Youth Advisory Board
On 26 April 2025, INSPIRE’s Cross-PATC³H-IN Youth Advisory Board (YAB) hosted a dynamic virtual town hall meeting themed “Our Future, Our Fight: Youth, Resilience, and HIV/AIDS in Africa”. INSPIRE continues to champion youth-led action in health and implementation science. This town hall created a space for open dialogue and collaboration, giving young people the opportunity to share experiences, propose solutions, and lead the conversation around HIV/AIDS in Africa.
Centering Youth Perspectives
In the lead-up to the town hall, young people aged 10 to 30 from various African countries participated in an anonymous survey. This survey captured insights on HIV status, support group affiliations, and personal experiences with stigma, youth-led initiatives, and the impact of funding gaps.
The results clearly reflected a growing demand for inclusive platforms, accessible services, and youth-driven responses to HIV. Participants expressed a strong desire to lead with creativity, compassion, and courage in the face of ongoing challenges.
Framing the Conversation
The event opened with an overview of the work and mission of the Cross-PATC³H- IN Youth Advisory Board. Professor Joseph Tucker provided key reflections on how recent USAID funding cuts have affected youth-centered HIV programs. He emphasized the critical need for adaptability, innovation, and continued youth engagement to sustain momentum in the face of reduced resources.
Breakout Sessions: Shaping Solutions Together
Participants engaged in breakout sessions focused on three major themes: stigma reduction, youth engagement, and innovative financing.
In the stigma reduction session, facilitator Neale Nomujuni led an open discussion on how stigma manifests in the lives of adolescents and young adults. Participants explored the emotional, social, and institutional barriers created by self-stigma, external stigma, and secondary stigma. They highlighted the urgent need to dismantle misconceptions and harmful narratives, and emphasized the power of storytelling, peer support, and open conversation in breaking down stigma.
The youth engagement session, facilitated by Aisha Adedoyin, explored how young people can meaningfully participate in HIV prevention, treatment, and advocacy. Participants emphasized the importance of leveraging digital platforms like TikTok, creating safe spaces for youth leadership, and providing the tools, education, and resources needed to equip young people as advocates. Recognizing and celebrating youth achievements was also seen as a powerful motivator for continued involvement.
Progress Agboola led the session on innovative financing, focusing on sustainable ways to support youth-led HIV initiatives. Discussions highlighted the effectiveness of community savings groups, crowdfunding, and digital fundraising platforms in promoting local ownership and expanding reach. Participants also discussed the need for strategic partnerships with organizations committed to youth health and development.
Reflections and Strategic Directions
The town hall concluded with a strong sense of momentum and a collective vision for the future. Participants agreed on the importance of creative communication to challenge stigma—using radio, social media, and peer education to drive change.
There was also consensus on the need to mobilize local resources to reduce dependency on external funding and to support sustainability. Strengthening communication and advocacy skills among youth leaders was recognized as essential to building visibility and influence. The need for comprehensive, age-appropriate sexual and reproductive health education and consistent funding for youth-led programming was underscored throughout the discussions.
Looking Ahead
This town hall marked a powerful moment in INSPIRE’s ongoing work to center youth in the HIV response. It reaffirmed that young people are not just participants—they are pioneers. By investing in their leadership, ideas, and lived experiences, we build more inclusive, resilient, and impactful responses to HIV/AIDS.
As INSPIRE continues to promote youth leadership across the continent, the outcomes of this town hall will inform our strategies, shape our collaborations, and fuel the next phase of youth-led change.
When youth are given the space and support to lead, they do not just raise their voices—they transform systems.