Cecilia Lwiindi Nedziwe

HIV / AIDS - Zimbabwe (South Africa)

Cecilia Nedziwe is from Zimbabwe and her action plan for OIYP is related to HIV / AIDS and health education in her home country.

“While so much has been done to address the problem of HIV/AIDS, the challenge to prevent HIV transmission in Zimbabwe still remains significant and complex both in the urban and rural areas", she states. "In spite of near universal levels of awareness having been achieved, knowledge gaps, negative attitudes, debt crisis, inappropriate decision-making and negative behaviour still characterize the AIDS arena affecting large numbers of youth."

Cecilia's action plan aims at conducting research and documenting youth-friendly approaches to sexual health and HIV / AIDS education. She also aims for better dissemination of information to youth organizations and groups on HIV / AIDS, increased awareness on effective strategies in the fight and prevention of HIV / AIDS and more prominent advocacy campaigns on debt as one of the causes of increase in HIV / AIDS cases. These aims will work to increase the level of awareness, decrease in the number of young people infected with HIV / AIDS and increase active participation of youths combating HIV / AIDS.

In 2004, Cecilia spent time in Zambia were she worked with a Quaker organisation called the American Friends Service Committee under the Southern Africa Quaker International Affairs Peace and Economic Justice Programme. She is now back in Zimbabwe working as research officer for the Centre for Peace Initiatives in Africa. In her present job, Cecilia does research work on various issues in the organization on the programmes on national dialogue, reconciliation and culture of peace programme

The recently published "Zimbabwe: The Next 25 Years" proposes a road map to achieve common visions and values for Zimbabwe which include political, economic and social elements involving youth, women, disabled, sick and marginalised people of the nation. Cecilia’s future work includes organising a seminar to review the HIV / AIDS paper as a major issue in Zimbabwe and considered closely linked to human security. The review workshops aim to involve various stakeholders to draw up strategies and new ideas in response to the recommendations made in the recent publication.