World AIDS Day Outreach: Bringing Awareness, Testing, and Hope to Wadata Community

As part of the commemoration of World AIDS Day, marked globally on December 1st, our team visited the Wadata community in Makurdi, Benue State, to reinforce a message that saves lives: knowing your HIV status is power.

During the outreach, we engaged women and girls in open, honest discussions about HIV—breaking down myths, addressing fears, and emphasizing that early detection, proper care, and continuous treatment can help individuals live long, healthy, and fulfilled lives.

We conducted Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT), ensuring every participant received pre-test and post-test counseling, understood the meaning of their results, and was guided on next steps. For those who needed further support, we provided referrals to trusted health facilities and linked them with community health workers.

Beyond testing, we also:
✔️ Educated participants on HIV prevention, including safe sex practices, PrEP, PEP, and eliminating stigma.
✔️ Encouraged regular testing, especially for sexually active women and adolescent girls.
✔️ Created awareness about mother-to-child transmission, highlighting the importance of antenatal care (ANC).
✔️ Promoted adherence to treatment for those on ARVs, reminding them that HIV is now a manageable condition.
✔️ Spoke about the power of community support, urging families and community members to stand against discrimination.

The outreach was not just an event—it was a meaningful step toward building healthier, safer, and more informed communities. Every woman and girl who participated left with renewed confidence, knowledge, and a sense of empowerment over their health.