Terrence Higgins Trust, the UK’s leading HIV and sexual health charity, is launching its new Champions of Change project to address the high rates of HIV among Wolverhampton’s black African communities. Black Africans account for almost half of people living with HIV in the Midlands, according to figures from Public Health England. HIV is most prevalent in black Africans in the UK alongside men who have sex with men.
Champions of Change has been developed using the charity’s extensive experience of working with black African communities. The project will focus on tackling HIV stigma by getting to the heart of these communities to build strong relationships and trust.
Mick Mason, Regional Manager at Terrence Higgins Trust, said: “Black Africans are disproportionately affected by HIV and are often diagnosed late. This new project will directly address the inter-generational barriers that further compound this problem, by working with influential members of the community and young people who have the ability to influence change within the community.
“We want to empower the community with knowledge of what living with HIV is really like – that it’s a manageable, long-term condition and we want to help tackle the stigma that’s attached to HIV.”
