Conceptualising and launching fun, safe spaces offering adolescent girls and young women HIV prevention and life-skills programmes.
LAUNCHING SAFE SPACES WITH HIVSA
A recent South African Medical Research Council report confirmed that South Africa has “the largest HIV epidemic in the world, and South African adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) aged 15-24 years are disproportionately at risk for HIV infection with a quarter of new infections occurring in this population”.
dotGOOD designed and helped procure solar-powered, WiFi-enabled containers, called Choma Dreams Cafés, to provide girl-friendly, safe and fun meeting spaces for psycho-social support and mentorship to develop life skills, financial capabilities and HIV prevention. The Dreams Café’s all offer access to the internet and other resources to vulnerable girls.
We then planned and executed launches at each of the sites to create brand awareness among young women and adolescent girls that Choma Dreams Cafés were fun spaces where they could also access support and education to enable them to remain HIV free. We got them to sign-up to the mentor programmes, generated exceptional positive regional PR and created connections for further socially responsible examples of community collaboration.
Academy Award winning-actress and UN Messenger of Peace, Charlize Theron welcomed media to an interactive experience at the Choma Dreams Café in Kliptown, Johannesburg. The Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project (CTAOP) had worked with HIVSA to establish the Choma mobile magazine. CTAOP expanded this support to encompass the development of the Choma Dreams Cafés.
WATCH: Charlize Theron visits the Choma Dreams Café at the Ikusasa Lethu Youth Project.
40 Choma Dreams Cafés were established using our design, and more than 12 000 adolescent girls and young women now receive information vital to their health and safety. They can discuss their questions and concerns around sex, love and relationships with a mentor while learning about their right to refuse, proper handling of contraception and prevention of sexual assault.
The Cafés form part of the DREAMS (Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored, and Safe women) Innovation Challenge and are funded by the The U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), Johnson & Johnson, the CTAOP and ViiV Healthcare.
OUR ROLE
- Conceptualisation
- Design
- Partner negotiation
- Execution/Logistics
- Procurement
- Media liaison
- Marketing communication
- Event management
- Reporting
THE CHALLENGE
- Conceptualise and launch the Choma Dreams Cafés to provide a physical safe space for young girls and women at risk of HIV infection.
- Design and procure containers and fit-out necessities.
THE OUTCOME
- 40 safe, fun, adolescent-friendly, internet-connected youth hubs designed to provide young women with HIV prevention and social asset-building programmes.
- More than 12 000 adolescent girls and young women now receive vital information at Choma Dreams Cafés.
“The Choma Dreams Cafés are quickly becoming invaluable spaces in South African communities and for the young women who visit the cafes. The power of having a space that young women and girls feel safe in cannot be underestimated.”
– Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project
LET’S WORK TOGETHER!
CONTACT USWHAT PEOPLE SAY
“I can confidently recommend the professional, creative and accommodating dotGOOD team – they go above and beyond, no matter the task.”
Rehana Moolla
– Silveray CEO
“The dotGOOD team have proven their dedication to innovation, creativity and doing good.”
Jayantha Naidoo
– Nedbank Sponsorship Events Manager
“dotGOOD’s highly motivated and diverse team delivers excellence to make the world a better place.”
Eric Nhlanhla Fologwe
– Project Last Mile Demand Creation Strategic Advisor
“It is an absolute pleasure working with dotGOOD! They are passionate about the campaigns that they run, which makes them even more meaningful.”
Tessa Myburgh
– Premier Brand Manager: Regional Bakeries
“dotGOOD should be renamed to dotGREAT!. The success of my business would not have been without their creative ideas and executional excellence”
Karen de Vos
– Energizer: Brand Manager