Newsletter, Publications | 13 Oct 2021
Taking vaccines to the people, young women as social media Influencers, practical advice for combatting GBV and more in our October email newsletter. OCTOBER 2021
News | 6 Oct 2021
Sex workers and people who inject drugs, who are considered ‘key populations’ in terms of HIV, face huge barriers in accessing health services, even in the best of times. During a global pandemic, this issue is even more acute. These groups are not only more at risk of contracting Covid-19, but many are also more likely to become seriously ill if they do contract Covid-19 (a high proportion of key populations are living with HIV, TB and other co-morbidities that make them vulnerable to Covid). Despite this, they are struggling to access the national vaccination programme. Many key populations are…
News | 6 Oct 2021
There is a painful story behind many of the people you see sleeping on the pavements, under bus shelters and on concrete floors in cities around the country. There were once dreams and aspirations behind those weary eyes. Most people walk past blindly, not seeing their humanity. But if one sits closely and listens to their stories, one picks up a human story: of people who long to return to society and accomplish their dreams. Werner Beukers is a 42-year-old man who has been homeless for the last 10 years due to drug use, attitudes towards people who inject drugs…
August, the Minister of Police announced a staggering 74% increase in reported sexual offences in the first quarter of 2021 compared to the previous year. This is on top of already very high levels of violence in the country. NACOSA works closely with donors, government, organisations and communities across South Africa to try to turn the tide on gender based violence (GBV). Our Community Based Violence Prevention and Linkages to Response programme, funded by PEPFAR and USAID, has produced a series of short videos that unpack what GBV is, how to spot it and what to do about it. Our…
News | 6 Oct 2021
When COVID-19 arrived in South Africa in 2020, NACOSA’s My Journey programme for adolescent girls and young women had to swiftly adapt to continue reaching young women and girls with health messaging and support. And so the My Journey Influencer project was born. Thirty young women between 15 and 24 from the My Journey Programme were recruited and trained in health messaging, digital storytelling and social media content creation with the aim of reaching other young women isolated by COVID restrictions and to raise their voices online. According to research conducted by UNICEF in 2015, young people seek advice from…
