Zathu band reaches another milestone at AIDS 2018: Wins breakthrough HIV prevention award
Girl Effect’s youth brand in Malawi, Zathu has made another landmark achievement following its recent recognition at the AIDS 2018 pre-conference by winning a Demand Creation Challenge award.
Hosted by the International AIDS Society, the main conference started on 23 to 27 July at the RAI Amsterdam Convention Centre and is expected to welcome around 18,000 participants from around the world.
According to Zathu, the brand has been recognised for combining media, creativity and gender expertise to help tackle the structural and negative social drivers that reinforce gender inequality in Malawi.
Created in collaboration with PEPFAR DREAMS, Zathu’s mission is to unite boys and girls and, in turn, reduce HIV diagnosis among adolescent girls and young women.
“As well as releasing music, Zathu’s message is delivered through a mix of media channels including a twice weekly 30-minute radio drama and a talk show featuring real-life stories and advice from the ‘Gogo’ who provides practical advice for young people including, for example, the importance of platonic friendships, promoting youth self expression and other advice for adolescents,” reads a statement from Zathu.
A panel of judges made up of representatives from USAID, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and others named Zathu in ‘Best Breakthrough Creative’ category.
Established by OPTIONS consortium, the Demand Creation Challenge award showcase best-in-class innovative, high-impact communication-based approaches to HIV prevention.
Meanwhile, Zathu Band is attending AIDS2018 in Netherlands where they will also be performing.
The band also performs live at schools, youth clubs, and in public spaces. In their first year, Zathu performed at 25 roadshows across Malawi and already has more than 2.6 million regular consumers.
Season 3 of Zathu Pa Wailesi is currently airing and gaining an even wider audience as the characters in the band traverse various challenges including Gender Based Violence, bullying and HIV.
Congratulations Zathu