Empowering Women & girls with digital skills to boost awareness on HIV

Taking social media-based HIV knowledge dissemination to a satisfactory level is a task that many stakeholders strive to achieve.  The Rwanda Network of People Living with HIV (RRP+) in collaboration with UN Women in Rwanda and the Ministry of Health have trained a group of 30 women and girls to use YouTube and other social media platforms, to educate people on HIV prevention, care and treatment.

During the 2^nd day event about young women & girls` leadership in digitalization & entrepreneurship held between 6^th and 7^th November, 2023 in Kigali, the Minister of Gender & Family Promotion Dr. Valentine Uwamariya urged young people to uphold the journey in digital transformation & finding solutions. 

“… engaging youth in discussions on entrepreneurship & STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) will accelerate efforts to achieving gender equality in a digitalized world…. Women & girls must walk extra miles… Bridging the gender digital divide with essential skills is imperative.”, the Minister further stressed.

Charlene Byukusenge, one of the beneficiaries, trained by RRP+, through support from UN Women in Rwanda, started a YouTube Channel. ‘Charlene Journey’ and other social media platforms. Her messages have educated and encouraged people to respond to HIV testing, counselling, among other health services.  She now boasts of over 1,000 subscribers, both local and the diaspora, and expresses unshakable hope to win more attention.

https://www.youtube.com/@charlenejourney9100

“Most people shy away from accessing services related to HIV testing and counseling; avoiding stigma, therefore, through my messages, I have managed to influence many to change their mind-set. I implore women and girls to showcase their ability in curbing new HIV infections.” Byukusenge said.

According to the UN Women Country Representative in Rwanda Jennet Kem, empowering young girls ought to be liaised with networking in ICT, entrepreneurship and partnership building skills.

The UN Women Representative noted, “Empowering women and girls through digital technology is fundamental in enabling them to know what is done in different areas. With technology, they get information about businesses, sources of finance for entrepreneurship and other limitless opportunities“.

Women who change’ is another social media platform (twitter/X and YouTube channel), also created by beneficiaries of the RRP+ and UN Women Rwanda supported digital training.  The platforms are used to inform and interact with followers and subscribers on HIV prevention, especially on new infections, use of antivirals and discussing stigma. 

 One of the group members, Ruth Uwimana said, “Some people have less information about HIV, especially on preventive measures. Our messages are meant to intensify knowledge, both to people infected and affected by HIV.  I hope that with these digital training skills, we shall produce more educative messages, and believe that such trainings will strengthen our future entrepreneurship skills.” 

In line with RRP+, this kind of capacity building is expected to have a profound effect on girls’ and women’s ability to pass on different messages about HIV. Another group of women and girls trained under the same program has also created a YouTube channel   ‘Ubuzima bw’ibanga’ https://www.youtube.com/@ubuzimabwibanga98

The channel disseminates messages on sexual reproductive health, safe sex behaviors including condom use, couple communication on HIV, proper use of antiretroviral drugs, among other topics.

This group of women and girls pledge to be a generation that gives youth and health to their country, through health communication.