Transforming Lives in Tembisa
By Tintswalo Home Based Care Mpho from Phomolong had been using injectable drugs for years. She avoided clinics because of past experiences where staff judged her harshly and refused care.
TB HIV Care is playing a key role in improving the health and wellbeing of girls and young women. As one of the partners implementing the My Journey Youth Programme funded by the Global Fund, the organisation is working in the OR Tambo district in Eastern Cape.
Founded in 1929, TB HIV Care has nearly a century of experience supporting vulnerable communities in Eastern Cape and Western Cape. The organisation focuses on tackling interconnected health challenges such as tuberculosis (TB), HIV, and mental health through targeted, people-centred interventions. And still remains a key partner in South Africa’s public health response.
In the Eastern Cape, TB HIV Care is working closely with community-based organisations, health facilities, and schools to provide free and confidential services to girls and young women aged 15-24. These services include HIV prevention, sexual and reproductive health support, and access to human rights information all designed to empower young women to make informed decisions about their health.
“My Journey is designed to meet young women exactly where they are, without judgement, and to walk alongside them as they make choices about their health,” said Prof. Harry Hausler, from TB HIV Care.
As an implementing partner for NACOSA, TB HIV Care is leading the rollout of the My Journey programme in the OR Tambo District. This forms part of a national effort the largest of its kind aiming to reach more than 380,000 young women between December 2025 and March 2028.
A cording to research published on the Health SA Gesondheid many young people in Nyandeni Local Municipality in the OR Tambo District are still at risk of HIV due to limited knowledge. It also show the importance of programme like My Journey, focus on prevention efforts including HIV awareness, condom distribution, PrEP enrolment, and testing services can significantly reduce new infections among youth.
“We are proud to anchor this programme in the Eastern Cape, and we are committed to ensuring that it is delivered with the quality, dignity, and respect that every young woman deserves.” Ads Prof Hausler
The programme also comes at a time of major progress in HIV prevention. “We are entering a genuinely transformative period in HIV prevention,” said Jennifer McLoughlin, Programme Director: Prevention in Priority Populations at TB HIV Care. She pointed to new HIV prevention options like lenacapavir, A long-acting injectable medicine that provides protection against HIV with two injections a year.
Through My Journey, TB HIV Care is expanding access to services and also helping to create a future where young women are informed, supported, and able to take control of their health.
Find out more: TBHIVCare.org
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