Introducing the Communities Delegation
The Communities Living with HIV and Affected by Tuberculosis and Malaria Delegation (Communities Delegation) of the Board of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund), is made up of a group of up to forty individuals living with HIV, and affected by TB and malaria working on Global Fund related issues from around the world.
The Communities Delegation works closely on policy and advocacy at Committee and Board levels, and is committed to being accountable to the constituencies that it represents. The work of the Communities Delegation is coordinated by a leadership consisting of the Board Member and Alternate Board Member; who formally represent the Delegation to the Global Fund Board.
The vision, mission and work of the Communities Delegation is underpinned by three principles:
- The right of people living with HIV and affected by TB and malaria to be meaningfully involved at all levels of policy and programme development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation in responses to the three diseases.
- That all people infected and affected by the three diseases regardless of gender, sexual orientation, race, colour, age, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, economic condition, occupation, status at birth, physical, mental and sensory disability or any other health challenges, drug use, life choices, civil, political, social or other status have the right to a voice in responses to the three diseases, and access to quality prevention, treatment, care and support.
- Respect for the value of all human life, the dignity and equality of all people, and the elimination of all human suffering.
Our handbook
The Communities Delegation has released its Policy and Procedures Handbook. You can find it by using the link below.
Leadership of the Communities Delegation
Javier Hourcade Bellocq
Board Member
Organisation
LAC Key Correspondents Team
Country of residence
Argentina
Mr Javier Hourcade Bellocq has an extensive career as a communicator in health rights and HIV advocacy. Since his HIV-positive diagnosis in 1988, he has worked with civil society, key populations, and communities living with HIV, TB and Viral Hepatitis in Latin America and beyond. From the Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+), he was involved in creating the Global Fund and has since been engaged in different roles in the partnership. Over the past two decades, he has previously served as Communication Focal Point and Board Member for the Communities Delegation and civil society representative in the LAC delegation. He has also provided technical support to the Fund’s national and regional projects, particularly those led by communities. Back at the Communities Delegation since 2021, he currently leads a community journalism initiative called the LAC Key Correspondent Team and the COVID and HIV platform, based in Peru and Argentina, respectively.
Ali Raza Khan
Alternate Board Member
Organisation
Youth LEAD
Country of residence
Pakistan
Mr Ali Raza Khan is a young PLHIV activist from Multan, Pakistan, working for his community since 2015, focused on HIV prevention, SRHR and peace. Over the past few years, he has worked with numerous local, national & international organisations for the rights of young PLHIVs and KPs. He is currently leading “Hi Voices”, an initiative in Pakistan focusing on young vulnerable key populations and PLHIVs. Ali is a laureate of the HIV HERO Award 2021 by APCOM for his effort and work around HIV and PLHIVs. A new member from the Communities Delegation, at only 29 years old, Ali is the delegation’s first youth member to serve in the leadership and has consistently shown a keen interest to learn and an immense commitment to amplifying the voices of communities at the Global Fund Board.
Bruna Martinez
Constituency Focal Point
Organisation
Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+)
Country of residence
Netherlands
Bruna is an intersectional feminist and activist from Brazil. She holds a master’s degree in Development Studies from the International Institute is Social Sciences (ISS) in The Hague, with a specialization in Gender Studies. A passionate advocate for Gender Equality and Social Justice, her work has focused on community mobilization, meaningful youth participation, and strengthening the linkages between SRHR & HIV.
People of the Communities Delegation
Abdulai Abubakarr Sesay
Organisation
Civil Society Movement Against Tuberculosis (CISMAT) Sierra Leone
Country of residence
Sierra Leone
Abdulai Abubakarr Sesay became a Global TB/Health Activist when he contacted Tuberculosis (TB) in late 2008. He went through a devastating period that rendered him homeless and isolated. Abdulai survived from TB in 2009 and then decided to mobilize his former TB colleagues to form a network of TB patients and Civil Society to advocate and champion TB and TB/HIV related issues both at national and Global level. He is currently the Founder and Team Leader of the Civil Society Movement Against Tuberculosis Sierra Leone (CISMAT-SL) a network that is advocating for the rights of thousands of TB and TB/HIV patients, with the bid to advance quality access to TB, and TB/HIV treatments and services for TB, TB/HIV patients and other Key and Vulnerable Population (KVP).
Abdulkadir Ibrahim
Organisation
Network of people Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (NEPWHAN)
Country of residence
Nigeria
Abdulkadir Ibrahim is human rights activist, a young person, openly living with HIV. He possesses strong leadership skills in building a network for effective gender-sensitive targeted TB/HIV treatment, care and prevention services for PLHIV and discrimination against Key Populations. He is also a strong advocate for income generating activities for women, youth and other vulnerable groups.
Angeline Chiwetani
Organisation
Widows Fountain of Life (WFoL)
Country of residence
Zimbabwe
A development practitioner, founder and Director of a community based organization (WfoL) working with widows and vulnerable children as we operate in a world that’s facing lots of health threats. An HIV & AIDS activist based in Zimbabwe, a 2004 Letten Foundation International Award Winner on Access to treatment ARV-advocacy as well as leadership role on stigma reduction, Angeline is a widow and mother of two sons.
Aniedi Emah Akpan
Organisation
Drug Harm Reduction Advocacy Network Nigeria
Country of residence
Nigeria
Aniedi is a drug user and advocate for community systems approach to health and rights-based services for people who use drugs. He is the team lead of Drug Free and Preventive Healthcare Organization (DAPHO, a sub-national drug user organization, and the Chairperson of the Nigeria Drug User Network.
Charles Siwela
Organisation
Youth Engage
Country of residence
Zimbabwe
An HIV/AIDS and SRH Advocate since 2005, Charles joined the Communities Delegation in, and has up to date attended seven Global Fund Board meetings. A former Alternate Member of the Zimbabwe Country Coordinating Mechanism of the Global Fund (CCM), Charles is currently the National Director at Youth Engage, a voluntary membership network for young people between the ages of 15 and 35 years living with or personally affected by HIV and AIDS in Zimbabwe, and his work focuses on mobilizing youth to advocate for their SRHR priorities, as well as for inclusion in the SDGs Goal 3 (Health) and Goal 5 (Gender).
Anton Basenko
Organisation
Alliance for Public Health, INPUD, EKHN
Country of residence
Ukraine
Anton holds a master’s degree in international economy (Kyiv National Taras Shevchenko University) and, as an IDU, OST and PLHIV, since 2010 started to work in HIV-service and IDUs/OST advocacy field in local and national NGOs in Ukraine. Author and co-author of different publications for communities and professionals of NGOs, in November 2015 he became a Board member of the International Network of People who Use Drugs (INPUD), having in January 2016 joined the Communities Delegation. Anton is a global advocate of access to hep C treatment and harm reduction services among PWID, and loves travelling as well as meeting new people.
Enama Jean Paul
Organisation
Humanity First Cameroon+
Country of residence
Cameroon
Jean Paul is a Cameroonian who is involved in the fight against HIV within key populations since about ten years. He envisions a world free from stigma and discrimination and where sexual minorities will have equal access to care and will live peacefully.
Erika Castellanos
Organisation
GATE
Country of residence
Netherlands
Erika Castellanos is a transgender woman living with HIV since 1995, from Belize residing in the Netherlands. Erika is currently Director of Programs at GATE and is a passionate human rights, HIV and gender activist.
Firoz Khan
Organisation
National Coalition of People Living with HIV in India (NCPI+), Network of People with alternate sexuality living with HIV/AIDS (NIPASHA), Love Life Society
Country of residence
India
Firoz Khan is a PLHIV activist from India with more than 17 years on various programmes like, Prevention, Care and Support, and Human Rights. He is part of several movements such as access to ART treatment and diagnosis, HIV Legislation, Rights of Sexual Minority and activity involved in historical Indian Transgender case in Supreme Court for gender recognition. He has been actively in HIV response in India and contributed immensely for various policy formation on health, Human Rights and issues related to PLHIV and Sexual minorities.
Ibrahim Umoru
Organisation
Good Health Educators Initiative, ACT-Nigeria
Country of residence
Nigeria
Currently the Executive Director of Good Health Educators Initiative and National Coordinator of ACT-Nigeria, Ibrahim is a treatment advocate, activist and teacher committed to seeing the patient community come out strong with a fulfilling life.
Irene E. Kpodo
Organisation
Ghana Network of Persons Living with HIV/AIDS (NAP+ Ghana), Impact Essentials Ghana
Country of residence
Ghana
Irene works as a member of NAP+ Ghana as an Administrator on voluntary basis whiles doubling up as the Secretary to the Advisory Board of NAP+ Ghana. She is a facilitator of learning for diverse groups and communities. In her quest to address gaps in reaching to adolescents and young PLHIVs, she runs a small non-profit organisation aimed at transforming lives and impacting livelihoods.
Olivia Ngou
Organisation
Impact Santé Afrique
Country of residence
Cameroon
Olivia Ngou is the founder and Executive Director of Impact Santé Afrique, an African based NGO. Prior to launching ISA, she worked for 10 years for Malaria No More where she led the Cameroon and Africa programs helping to keep malaria high on the agenda. Olivia holds a master degree in Public Health and is committed to ensuring communities are included in malaria and health programs as equal partners. She has co-founded and established the first Global Network of Civil Society for Malaria Elimination (CS4ME) which she now coordinates with more than 300 members from 43 countries.
Joyce Amondi Ouma
Organisation
National Empowerment Network of People Living with HIV and AIDS in Kenya (NEPHAK)
Country of residence
Kenya
Joyce Ouma is a young woman living with openly HIV from Kenya. She is passionate about the meaningful involvement of adolescents and young people in all the decision making spaces. She represents adolescents and young people at the Kenyan CCM. She is a programmes officer Advocacy and Research at NEPHAK as an AVAC 2020 fellow. She is also an observer of the youth council to the Executive Director of the Global Fund.
Louis Da Gama
Organisation
Princess of Africa Foundation, South Africa
Country of residence
Portugal
Louis is a malaria advocate focusing on community empowerment and financial resources to improve access to essential health services sustainably. He is an outspoken advocate for policy change to ensure impact via effective implementation with transparency, accountability and good governance from a social justice, equity and ending poverty perspective.
Manoj Pardeshi
Organisation
National Coalition of People Living With HIV in India (NCPI+)
Country of residence
India
Manoj has worked on various aspects of the HIV response, including conceptualizing, designing, financial oversights, and programme management. Through his involvement and experience as a peer, he has gained an in-depth understanding of social, political, and economic forces that affect the lives of PLHIV and technical understanding of treatment, care and support programming that can be developed to address these challenges.
Maurine Murenga
Organisation
Lean on Me Foundation
Country of residence
Kenya
Maurine Murenga joined the Communities Delegation in 2013. She has engaged with the fund in different capacities: as a member of the Community, Rights and Gender Advisory Committee, a member of the Audit and Finance Committee, an Alternate Board Member and a Board Member. Maurine has also been actively engaged in Resource Mobilization for the Fund through Global Fund Advocates’ Network’s “Here I am Campaign” and Speakers Bureau. Maurine is a passionate advocate for gender equity with a strong focus on children and women in all their diversity.
Maximina Chipo Jokonya
Organisation
Global Network of Young People Living with HIV (Y+ Global)
Country of residence
Zimbabwe
Maximina has expertise in HIV programming with focus on in children, adolescents and young people, gender equality and women’s empowerment, sexual reproductive health and rights, youth development and leadership. She worked for a community-based organization which is well known of having YPLHIV at the forefront of differentiated service delivery. Maximina is well known for advocating for the meaningful involvement of adolescent girls and young women in decision-making processes and spaces at all levels.
Michael Gwaba
Organisation
Section 13
Country of residence
Zambia
Michael Gwaba is a Zambian Health activist who is serving his second term on the Communities Delegation of the GFATM. He is passionate about the equitable distribution of resources for HIV programming to intended beneficiaries and is part of the country Global Fund funding request writing team. He is also Acting Executive Director of a Zambian CSO called Section 13.
Mick Matthews
Organisation
NSWP
Country of residence
France
Mick has represented more than one constituency in the Delegation on and off since the second Board Meeting, and also facilitated the global Civil Society consultation on setting up the Global Fund during the Transitional Working Group when the Fund was based in Brussels. Outspoken and direct, he has a very strong focus on key populations as the most important constituency in the Global Fund.
Niwagaba Nicholas
Organisation
UNYPA
Country of residence
Uganda
Nicholas is the Executive Director of Uganda Network of Young People Living with HIV/AIDS (UNYPA) He is a Ugandan Health advocate who advocates to improve the quality of life for young people living with HIV in Uganda. For the past 8 years, Nicholas has led a youth movement to do advocacy in order to increase access to quality SRHR/HIV services/information and to create an enabling environment for young people living with HIV.
Shreehari Acharya
Organisation
American Refugee Committee (Regional Malaria CSO platform, GMS)
Country of residence
Thailand
Shreehari Acharya is a self-motivated public health professional with more than 10 years of experience in public health field. His current work primarily focusses on improving access to health services in the remote and poor communities through Malaria prevention and elimination activities. He is also a passionate advocate for community system strengthening and health equity.
Thoko Nkhoma
Organisation
Community Transformation (FACT)
Country of residence
Malawi
Thokozile (Thoko) Phiri-Nkhoma is an international HIV-TB activist from Malawi and the Executive Director of Facilitators of Community Transformation (FACT). She is a leading voice in calls to invest in the fight against TB, one of the principle causes of death among people living with HIV/AIDS in Malawi. Thoko is also Board member of the Stop TB Partnership Coordinating Board representing affected community constituency, after joining as a community representative on the new Diagnostics Working Group in 2010. She is also part of a number of regional and global organizations working on TB and public health.
Who we are and what we stand for
The Communities Delegation has integrity and values and does not compromise; we put people first and foremost. We are bold in our ambitions with a unity of purpose, never intimidated, not giving up or not giving into undue pressure. The Delegation is open, transparent and accountable. We stand out because we are living with and affected by the diseases and bring a human face to the reality of HIV, TB and malaria.
Other Board Delegations, and the Global Fund leadership, listen when we speak. We are at the forefront of advocacy, resource mobilisation and committed to human rights in Global Fund programmes. We engage with our communities, and influence decisions with the ultimate aim to provide the best care and treatment for the three diseases, and to support communities to avoid infection. We say and we do, and it is always about real people and their challenges. The platform that the Delegation has created allows us to use our expertise and bring our experience to the table in decisions about the money that shapes our lives.
Goal, vision and mission
The goal of the Communities Delegation is to ensure that our participation on the Global Fund results in universal access to quality prevention, treatment, care and support for communities living with and affected by the three diseases based on the principles of equity and human rights.
The vision of the Communities Delegation is for all communities living with or affected by HIV, TB, and malaria to have equitable access to quality services and support needed to prevent, treat and/or live with these infections within an environment that respects human rights.
The mission of the Communities Delegation is to ensure the voices and issues of people living with and affected by HIV, TB and malaria influence the deliberations and decisions on investments and programmes of the Global Fund to achieve greater and sustained impact for communities.
Our principles
The vision, mission and work of the Communities Delegation is underpinned by three principles:
- The right of people living with HIV and affected by TB and malaria to be meaningfully involved at all levels of policy and programme development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation in responses to the three diseases.
- That all people infected and affected by the three diseases regardless of gender, sexual orientation, race, colour, age, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, economic condition, occupation, status at birth, physical, mental and sensory disability or any other health challenges, drug use, life choices, civil, political, social or other status have the right to a voice in responses to the three diseases, and access to quality prevention, treatment, care and support.
- Respect for the value of all human life, the dignity and equality of all people, and the elimination of all human suffering.