Updated Feb 19, 2021
Carolyn Mcewen
Send MessageFocus Areas:
Health
Implemented In:
South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and 4 MoreSEE ALL
1) There is a shortage of 4.2 million frontline healthcare workers on the African Continent, according to the World Health Organization, making it difficult for women and families to get the health services they need. 2) HIV/AIDS is stigmatized in many communities throughout the world, creating challenges for people living with HIV to access lifesaving treatment. 3) Women face profound gender inequality in the countries where m2m operates. 4) Adolescent girls and young women in sub-Saharan Africa are disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS, accounting for five out of six new infections among adolescents aged 15 to 19.
1) Since our founding, m2m has employed over 11,000 women living with HIV as community health workers. 2) Through this employment, women become role models and leaders in their communities, which helps to reduce stigma associated with HIV. 3) By employing women as frontline health workers, we are shifting the traditional paradigm of men being the primary source of income in families, and providing opportunities for women to empower themselves through education and employment. 4) Services are delivered by Mentor Mothers, who are living with HIV and are from the same communities as their clients—creating empathy and shared experiences that lead to more effective services, and are often underpinned by a deep personal commitment by the Mentor Mother herself.