Story by Lisa Masuku-Kurira
Every Wednesday, a group of young women gathers in Umguza District with a shared purpose.
Some arrive carrying babies on their backs. Others come with questions, fears and uncertainties about their futures. But they leave armed with knowledge, confidence and a growing determination to protect themselves and their communities from HIV.
In Matabeleland North Province, young mothers are emerging as powerful agents of change in Zimbabwe’s campaign to end AIDS by 2030, leading peer-driven initiatives that are transforming lives one conversation at a time.
At the heart of this movement is 23-year-old Chantel Chigumbu, whose own journey has become a source of hope for many young women facing similar challenges.
Once a participant in the National AIDS Council’s Sister to Sister programme, Chigumbu has since become a peer mentor, using the lessons she learnt to educate and support other young mothers.
“I am a Sister to Sister mentor. I started as a mentee last year,” she said.
“I benefited a lot and ended up becoming a mentor after completing all the programmes. My aim now is to encourage other young girls by sharing the knowledge that I have acquired with them.”
What began as an HIV awareness initiative has evolved into a broader platform for empowerment, with young women helping one another navigate challenges ranging from sexual and reproductive health to self-confidence and personal development.
For Chigumbu, mentoring goes beyond discussions about HIV prevention. She guides young women aged between 15 and 24 on issues such as menstrual hygiene, family planning and healthy lifestyles.
The impact is evident in the voices of those taking part.
“I have learnt about the different ways in which HIV is spread,” said one participant.
Another young woman described the programme as a turning point.
“This programme has empowered me with a lot of knowledge in relation to HIV and how to stay safe so that I do not contract the virus,” she said.
For others, the sessions have helped break down long-held fears surrounding HIV testing.
“I learnt about the importance of knowing my status,” said one participant.
“I was scared to get tested because people used to say it is painful. Last week I got tested after learning that it’s not painful at all.”
The lessons are not confined to the meeting space.
Twenty-two-year-old Sithabile Ncube said the programme has strengthened communication within her marriage.
“I also tell my husband about what we learn here, and he is very supportive,” she said.
In a province that continues to grapple with high rates of teenage pregnancies, community leaders say the Sister to Sister programme is providing young women with both direction and purpose.
Umguza District Ward 6 Councillor Ms Busisiwe Brown said the initiative has become a positive force in the lives of many young people.
“We do realise that most of our children are lying idle, but this programme has brought activities that have helped keep them busy,” she said.
“They meet every Wednesday, and they say this programme has really transformed their lives. It has given them something to look forward to in life.”
Partnerships between community organisations and health advocates are also helping to strengthen the programme’s reach.
“We work together with the National AIDS Council in mentoring these girls so that they are moulded into responsible citizens,” said Zimbabwe National Network of People Living with HIV and AIDS representative Ms Thembeni Sithole.
As Zimbabwe works towards ending AIDS by 2030, the story unfolding in Umguza offers a glimpse of what that future could look like.
It is a future being shaped not in conference rooms or policy documents alone, but in safe spaces where young women support one another, challenge harmful myths and share knowledge that can save lives.
In these gatherings, former mentees become mentors, fear gives way to confidence, and a generation of young mothers is helping lead the charge against HIV.
