Protect Yourself poster

This poster is part of the New Zealand AIDS Foundation’s Pamoja programme.

Pamoja is an HIV response and support programme for Africans, run by Africans living with HIV in Aotearoa New Zealand. The programme has been championed by community ambassadors, including: Amanuel Yilma (featured in this poster), Dunni Ruth and Asya Mohammed Abeid, all of whom have worked closely with the NZAF team to ensure the messages and programmes of Pamoja are delivered in a culturally appropriate manner that best serves the African communities in Aotearoa.

Between 1996 and 2012, many Africans emigrated to Aotearoa and formed communities here. As many came from countries with a high prevalence of HIV, there was an increased number of people living with HIV in these communities. This saw African communities becoming the second-most impacted by HIV in Aotearoa, behind men who have sex with men (MSM).

In order to better support these communities and raise awareness of HIV, stigma and safer sex, the New Zealand AIDS Foundation (NZAF) created a programme in 2011 in partnership with African communities called Love Cover Protect. In 2018, the programme was rebranded to Pamoja, which means ‘together’ in the Swahili language.

Pamoja focuses on three key areas: ‘Protect Yourself’, ‘Test Often’ and ‘Start Treatment’ which covers tools for safer sex, the need for regular testing, and the importance of early treatment and supporting people living with HIV.

The aim of Pamoja is to end new HIV transmissions in Aotearoa by 2025. In recent years, HIV transmissions within African communities have continued to decline.