Back to Index

US to honour Zimbabwe AIDS activists
ZimOnline
November 27, 2007

http://www.zimonline.co.za/Article.aspx?ArticleId=2379

The United States will on Thursday present the annual Auxillia Chimusoro Awards to individuals and organisations that have excelled in mitigating the stigma surrounding HIV and AIDS in Zimbabwe.

Established by the United States Agency for International Development in 2000, the awards recognise individuals and organisations who have demonstrated commitment and courage in breaking the silence, reducing stigma and discrimination, and caring for infected and affected people.

The awards were named after Auxillia Chimusoro, the first person in Zimbabwe to openly disclose her HIV and AIDS positive status in 1987 at a time when silence shrouded HIV and AIDS.

The US government spends approximately US$30 million on HIV and AIDS programmes in Zimbabwe per year.

"The funds support a range of prevention, treatment, and care interventions. The programme is implemented by USAID, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Defense, and the US embassy's public affairs section," said a statement from the US embassy in Harare yesterday.

The awards presentation is meant to coincide with the commemoration of World AIDS Day, held annually on 1 December.

Awards will be presented in various categories such as media, arts and culture; community work; leadership awards including community empowerment, gender equality, greater involvement of people living with HIV and AIDS, and orphans and vulnerable children and youth; corporate responsibility; and a special recognition award.

Past winners of the Auxillia Chimusoro Awards include journalist Sarah Tikiwa, the parliamentary portfolio committee on health and child welfare, popular musician Oliver Mtukudzi, and medical practitioner Paul Chimedza.

Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.

TOP