Empowering Youth, Enhancing Resilience: Frontline AIDS Reviews Impact of READY+ Project in Malawi

In a significant show of support for youth-led HIV response initiatives, a delegation from Frontline AIDS an international NGO based in the UK, recently conducted a programme support visit to Malawi to assess the implementation and impact of the READY+ project. The visit was carried out under the auspices of the Embassy of the Netherlands in Maputo.

Led by the Malawi AIDS Counselling and Resource Organization (MACRO), the READY+ project focuses on empowering adolescents and young people living with or affected by HIV through peer support, health education, and improved access to services. During their visit, the Frontline AIDS team engaged directly with peer supporters operating at Bwaila/Lighthouse and Mitundu Hospitals, two of the key implementation sites of the initiative.

The visiting team observed firsthand how peer supporters are driving youth-friendly service delivery, offering treatment adherence support, and using innovative tools for client identification and data collection. Through these engagements, they gained valuable insights into the successes, challenges, and innovative strategies shaping the project's impact on the ground.

The visit highlighted the importance of peer-led models in advancing HIV prevention and care, particularly among young people. It also reaffirmed the critical role of youth empowerment in building resilient communities and sustaining national HIV response efforts.

MACRO, through their continued collaboration with Frontline AIDS, and donor partners commit to strengthen youth-focused programming and scale up best practices. The READY+ project is not only building healthier futures for young people in Malawi but also setting a model for peer engagement in HIV response across the region.

As Malawi continues to work toward national and global HIV targets, initiatives like READY+ play a critical role in ensuring that adolescents and young people are at the forefront of the journey to end AIDS.