This week, Sarah and Jess head to South Africa for the next episode in our year-long African Voices series. While headlines often focus on funding cuts and system pressures, this episode centres the power of peer support through the Coach Mpilo model, a community-led approach helping men access testing, start treatment, and stay in care. It’s a story of trust, connection, and what happens when support comes from people who truly understand the journey.
A huge thank you to everyone involved in Coach Mpilo who helped us put this episode together!
Sources
HIV/AIDS in South Africa - Wikipedia
African Voices is a year-long series from The HIV Podcast, sharing perspectives from across the African continent.
How to get involved:
We’re inviting people living with or affected by HIV to share short voice notes about what’s happening in their country, what the world needs to understand, and what education they want to share. These voice notes may be played on the podcast as part of the series.
Episodes will be released monthly, on the last Friday of each month
Voice notes may be played on the podcast
Send a voice note (max 5 minutes, no minimum) to: 07727 666791
Each country has a submission deadline, see image for details
If you’re from one of the 12 countries featured, we’d love to hear from you.
How to take part
Please send us a voice note (maximum 5 minutes, no minimum) to:
07727 666791
In your recording, please include:
• Your name (or a preferred name if you would like to remain anonymous)
• Your connection to HIV (for example: person living with HIV, peer educator, counsellor, activist, doctor, community worker, volunteer)
• The country you are in
Then tell us:
What do you want the world to know about HIV in your country?
This could include access to care, stigma, funding cuts, community realities, or anything you feel the world should understand.
What education would you like to share?
A myth to bust, a message for others, or knowledge that could help support your community.
For more information, please contact:
Deadlines for submissions by country 2026
April 17th - Kenya
May 22nd - Uganda
June 19th - Mozambique
July 24th - Malawi
August 21st - Zambia
September 18th - Zimbabwe
October 23rd - Botswana
November 20th - Lesotho & Eswatini
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