Our health team conducts community outreach work anywhere young adults congregate-taverns, backyards, churches etc.

Peer health educators conduct community outreach via informal and formal workshops throughout Ibhayi reaching over 300 people per week. Using innovative community mapping and networking strategies, they work with local leaders to organize workshops in churches, homes, markets, shebeens and hair salons--everywhere community members congregate. We focus on impoverished areas and informal settlements such as Red Location, Joe Slovo, Chris Hani, Soweto-on-Sea and EziNyoka, among others. Covering topics such as HIV prevention, gender roles, domestic violence, child abuse, and HIV stigma, we provide vital health information using creative, interactive techniques that encourage participation and dialogue. Our health educators provide community members with information on how to access a variety of health and service providers, including walk-in counselling and case management services at our headquarters in Zwide.

We distribute over 1.2 million condoms per year during community workshops on correct condom usage, condom negotiation skills, gender issues, HIV/STI prevention, and common myths. Through a partnership with area businesses, we have made free condoms widely available throughout Ibhayi, enabling community members to consistently have access to prevent HIV/STD infection and unplanned pregnancies. Our Mpilo-Lwazi volunteer team stocks the condom dispensers located in hair salons, telephone containers and taverns, and work with the owners to promote their acceptability and usage.

We host four HIV/AIDS awareness events each year on public holidays that promote safe sex, encourage community dialogue on HIV/AIDS issues, and reduce stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS. We recently held a Candlelight Memorial event in Red Location which was attended by over 300 community members to commemorate loved ones lost to AIDS. Last year, over 2,200 people attended our events held in Zwide, Kwa Magaxki, and New Brighton townships. We also conduct HIV/AIDS community radio programmes surrounding the events that reach an audience of approximately 250,000 listeners. We host a weekly health programme on community ­­­­Radio Nkqubela Community Station.