Dear Advocate,
AVAC is pleased to announce the selection of the 2011 HIV Prevention Research Advocacy Fellows! This update includes information on the program, the new Fellows and links to more information about each of their proposed projects.
The 2011 Fellows were selected from a pool of over 60 applicants from 17 countries in Africa, Asia, North and South America. The applications received were very strong, reflecting a range of interests and perspectives. We send our sincere thanks to all of the applicants for the time and effort put into this rigorous process, as well as to the independent review committee who supported this process.
AVAC is delighted to announce the selection of the following seven individuals (and their host organizations) as 2011 Advocacy Fellows:
- Grace Kamau at the Bar Hostess Empowerment and Support Programme, Kenya
- Brian Kanyemba at the Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation (DTHF), South Africa
- Leader Kanyiki at Sonke Gender Justice Forum, South Africa
- Simon K’Ondiek at the Nyanza Reproductive Health Society (NRHS), Kenya
- Sylvia Nakasi at the Uganda Network of AIDS Service Organisations (UNASO), Uganda
- Victoria Oyier at the International Centre for Reproductive Health (ICRH), Kenya
- Benedict Tembo at the Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ), Zambia
These individuals were selected by an independent review committee of advocates, activists and other HIV prevention research stakeholders from different regions across the world.
Each Advocacy Fellow will receive financial support from AVAC for their 12-month project. AVAC will work closely with the Advocacy Fellows and their host organizations to provide technical support and coordination for the program. Advocacy Fellows will also receive mentorship and capacity building in biomedical HIV prevention research advocacy from AVAC, other partners and alumni from the 2010 Fellows Program. The host organizations, to which the Advocacy Fellows are closely tied, will provide day-to-day supervision, additional support and structure for their work.
The 2011 Advocacy Fellows will focus on a variety of issues including: monitoring the rollout of male circumcision for HIV prevention; journalist and media engagement around prevention research; research literacy with disenfranchised groups; PrEP and microbicide trial results dissemination; building civil society engagement in the research process; and creating linkages between trial communities and policy makers.
In the 2010 round, nine Advocacy Fellowships were awarded to individuals from six sub-Saharan African countries. To learn more about both the inaugural and new Advocacy Fellows, their projects and track their progress, visit the AVAC Advocacy Fellows page.
A Call for Applications for the 2012 Fellowship Program will be announced in May 2011 with an application deadline no later than July 15, 2011. To learn more about the Advocacy Fellowship program and the application process, please look at last year’s Fellowship application materials. Also, if you want to be sure to be notified of the 2012 Call for Applications, please email us at fellows@avac.org, and we will send the application package in May 2011.
If you have any questions about the Fellows or the program, please email us.
Best,
AVAC
