Strengthen Youth voices in Tanzania’s HIV and SRH response

The Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U) Advocacy Program is an initiative by DARE Organization aimed at raising awareness, reducing stigma, and promoting access and adherance to HIV treatment. This program is built on the scientific evidence that people living with HIV who maintain an undetectable viral load through antiretroviral therapy (ART) cannot transmit the virus sexually. Through strategic engagement with civil society organizations, implementing and development partners, policymakers, and communities, the program works to:

• Increase awareness of U=U as a game-changing message in HIV prevention and treatment.
• Advocate for approval and dissemination of updated care and treatment guidelines.
• Advocate for an ideal turn around time and communication of Viral load results.
• Build a U=U civil society and community movement in the country

The U=U Advocacy Program is part of DARE’s broader commitment to ending HIV-related stigma and ensuring equitable healthcare access. By working with partners and communities, we strive to create an environment where everyone living with HIV can achieve viral suppression and lead healthy, stigma-free lives.

Uthubutu Mentorship is DARE’s flagship program dedicated to equipping adolescents, young people, and youth-led organizations with the skills and knowledge they need to drive meaningful change in their communities. Through this program, we cultivate a new generation of leaders committed to building a healthier, more equitable, and sustainable Tanzanian community.

We empower young changemakers with the tools to; strengthen organizations and amplify their impact; innovate and lead transformative solutions in health, and disease prevention; and improve access to essential health services for their communities.

At the heart of Uthubutu Mentorship is the power of youth- unleashing their potential to lead, innovate, and shape a healthier, more sustainable future for themselves and their communities.

The HIVST Innovation Project pilots innovative approaches to increase access to HIV prevention products for adolescent girls and young women and improve HIV self-testing (HIVST) for adolescents and young people across Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. In Tanzania, we partnered with NYP+ to increase the demand and uptake of HIVST among students in higher learning institutions (HLIs) in Dar es Salaam, Morogoro, Dodoma, Arusha, and Iringa. Despite the availability of HIVST kits, awareness and usage remained low. Through a youth-friendly, creative media approach and the #Jipime social media campaign, we reached 4.5 million people from May to August 2024, engaging 29% men and 71% women, with 490 direct interactions. University Health Centers reported a significant rise in students seeking HIVST services, improving early detection and linkage to care. We urge young people to take charge of their health. #Jipime and know your status today!

Prevention Sisters is DARE’s flagship program, launched in 2019 to strengthen HIV prevention efforts among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in Tanzania. As an ongoing initiative, this program equips young women with the knowledge and skills to advocate for better access to HIV prevention, care, and treatment services. Through intensive training, participants begin as HIV Prevention Ambassadors, engaging in community outreach, awareness campaigns, and policy advocacy, before graduating as Prevention Sisters leaders in driving grassroots solutions.
The program has reached over 1,000+ AGYW and adolescent boys and young men (ABYM) through HIV prevention literacy sessions in higher learning institutions and collaborations with different initiatives. Actively participating in the global #Condomize campaign, Prevention Sisters has increased the uptake of essential HIV prevention tools such as PEP, PrEP, and condom use through media platforms and in-person engagements.

By strengthening community-driven initiatives and building a network of empowered young advocates, Prevention Sisters is creating lasting change in the HIV response.

United For Prevention Tanzania is a civil society-led initiative dedicated to strengthening political and financial commitments for key HIV prevention milestones supported by Frontline AIDS. Through a coalition of nine civil society organizations, with DARE as the national lead, U4P worked closely with the government to ensure accountability in implementing the Global HIV Prevention 2025 Roadmap. Our advocacy efforts led to the development and launch of the National HIV Prevention Roadmap 2024-2027 in Tanzania, integrating civil society needs and priorities. Additionally, U4P Tanzania successfully influenced approval of long-acting CAB-LA in Tanzania as an additional HIV prevention option in April 2024. By amplifying the voices of communities most affected by HIV, U4P ensures inclusive and impactful policy discussions. While the project ended in September 2024, U4P Tanzania continues to drive advocacy that influences implementation of the national HIV prevention roadmap including calling for implementation of innovative HIV prevention strategies in Tanzania.

A civil society coalition comprising nine CSOs funded by Pangaea Zimbabwe. This coalition is driving impactful change in the HIV response through robust advocacy campaigns. DARE Organization, a member of COMPASS Tanzania, focuses its efforts on Adolescent and Young People (AYP), particularly Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW), by identifying and addressing key barriers to their access to HIV and Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) services while ensuring their meaningful engagement in leadership. DARE has played a pivotal role in influencing significant policy advancements, including; Lowering the age of consent for adolescent HIV testing services, Advocating for the introduction and scale-up of oral PrEP services, Promoting the adoption of Treatment as Prevention (TasP) strategies and Successfully advocating for the approval of Long-Acting Injectable PrEP in Tanzania. These achievements position DARE as a leader in driving innovative and people-centered HIV prevention, care, and treatment strategies in Tanzania.