World YWCA Women Leading Change Award recipients announced

July 5, 2007

The World YWCA’s Women Leading Change Awards honour the outstanding leadership of community women in response to HIV and AIDS. A 12 member international review panel, chaired by Sandra Thurman, President of the International AIDS Trust, has selected the 14 award recipients, among many worthy nominations.The Recipients are: Providing Access to treatment, care and support Rose Auma, 35 years old, Kenya Mathare Mother’s Development Centre For reaching out to vulnerable children in the Mathare slums with much needed care and support; for strengthening support groups for people living with HIV (PLWH) in rural communities in Kenya and providing home based care; and for her courage to speak out, promote positive living and be compassionate to others. Anita Isaacs, 48, Namibia YWCA of Namibia For initiating support groups and networks of PLWH and advocating for their increased access to treatment and services; for bringing much needed attention to the links between HIV and AIDS and violence against women and children; and for actively promoting the sexual and reproductive rights of positive women. Addressing Gender Inequality Gracia Violeta Ross, 30, Bolivia REDBOL, Bolivian Network of PLWHA For promoting the leadership of women living with HIV in Bolivia and Latin America, within PLWH networks that have been traditionally led by men; and for being the first woman to chair a network of PLWH in Latin America and using this opportunity to open space for other women to follow in her footsteps and raise their voices. Madeleine Lubuya Mbuji, 26, Democratic of Congo YWCA of the Democratic Republic of Congo For uncovering the attitudes and behaviours that put young women at risk of HIV infection in Kinshasa, for establishing youth clubs that provide space for young women to explore HIV and AIDS and other challenges, and for training her peers to provide effective leadership on HIV and AIDS. Addressing Stigma and Discrimination Kousalya Periasamy, 32, India Positive Women Network For her leadership and inspiration in establishing the only registered organisation for women living with HIV in India, which has reached over 5000 women and works actively to promote an environment free from stigma and discrimination while providing positive women with psychosocial support services, training and a safe space to meet. Anne Ntombela, 35, South Africa Springs of Hope For restoring dignity to people living with HIV, challenging stigma and discrimination and ensuring people infected and affected have access to the necessary information and support through her organisation, Springs of Hope, which reaches over 2000 people monthly through work in seven clinics. Innovative Leadership Tashinga Matindike, 25, Zimbabwe YWCA of Zimbabwe For being a source of positive change and inspiration through her innovative website, Enveloped Emotions, which centres around HIV and AIDS and promotes the difference individuals can make; and for her efforts to educate peers about attitudes and behaviours that put them at risk of HIV infection. Alice Welbourn, 48, United Kingdom International Community of Women Living with HIV and AIDS For her vision, courage and advocacy that have transformed the global women and AIDS movement and promoted shared power and collaboration; her wisdom, thoughtfulness and generosity epitomise what leadership should be and have touched thousands of lives through the strengthening and expanding of the International Community of Women living with HIV and AIDS. Policy and Advocacy Irina Borushek, 43, Ukraine All Ukraine Network of People Living with HIV For her continued advocacy for access to ARV treatment, the effective involvement of PLWH in decision making, and promoting increased transparency of HIV funding; her personal motivation and leadership have ensured that over 4000 people were reached by ARVs in 2006 and over 500 patients received institutional treatment. Veronica Kini Morfaw, 47, Cameroon Ntankah Village Women Common Initiative Group For reducing the stigma and taboo associated with HIV and AIDS by sensitising communities and engaging traditional leaders in the response; for raising awareness of the socio cultural practices that contribute to the spread of HIV in a province where polygamy is widely practiced; and for mobilising PLHIV to speak out on issues of concern. HIV and AIDS Prevention Programmes Dawn Averitt Bridge, 38, USA The Well Project For her leadership in working to change the course of the AIDS pandemic through the Well Project, which promotes a comprehensive focus on treatment and prevention for women, and includes a multilingual web portal that provides accessible information on HIV and AIDS for women and their caregivers with over 60,000 visitors a month. Neema Mgana, 32, Tanzania African Regional Youth Initiative For her leadership and vision in establishing the African Regional Youth Initiative, which serves over 400 community based organisations and has implemented cross regional programmes in 20 countries. She is recognised as a leader in international development, and represents a new generation of women who seek to reach out beyond their immediate surroundings. Trail Blazers Professor Miriam Were, 67, Kenya National AIDS Control Council For her lifelong commitment to working with disadvantaged people to improve the quality of their lives and her innovative approaches to community based empowerment; and for her current leadership in driving the national HIV and AIDS response in Kenya. Dr. Shiela Tlou, 53, Botswana Minister of Health For more than two and half decades of leadership in health and gender equality that has included founding the Society for Women and AIDS in Africa and successfully lobbying for Botswana to become the first country to start a programme to prevent mother to child HIV transmission. Through her current role as Minister of Health, she has rolled out.