Call for applications for Leadership and Mentorship Programme of young women living with HIV in Eastern Africa ( Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya)

Background:

The International Community of Women Living with HIV Eastern Africa (ICWEA) is a registered regional advocacy network and membership-based Organisation.  ICWEA is part of the Global ICW network. Founded in 2005, ICWEA exists to give visibility to women living with HIV and believes that gender inequalities and the limited access to SRHR for women are at the heart of the HIV epidemic.

ICWEA has a strategic plan that is aligned to SDGs especially Goal 5. ICWEA’s vision is Holistic health & rights for women and girls living with HIV in their diversity where they thrive and live dignified lives and the mission is Holistic health & rights for women and girls living with HIV through: Meaningful Involvement, Capacity building, Strategic Partnerships and Advocacy.

Why the Leadership and Mentorship programme for Young Women living wit HIV in Eastern Africa

The need for young women leadership intervention came up as a result of  ICWEA realization that young people are struggling with a number of issues in the HIV response and yet as young women could not ably articulate/ voice out their issues neither sustainably pursue advocacy issues to the end due to leadership gaps. Some of the issues inhibiting women from becoming leaders, is the reluctance to speak up emanating from the lack of confidence or fear of being rejected, and the lack of skill, to do so among other. This called for the leadership and mentorship intervention aimed at young women which at that time covered areas such as SRHR, advocacy, reporting and engagement skills.

The International Community of Women living with HIV Easter Africa (ICWEA) is seeking for applications from young women living with HIV in all their diversity from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda.  In each Country, 17 participants will be selected to attend the Capacity Building & Mentorship programme with a focus on Leadership, Human Rights, Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) and Transformative Leadership. The programme is purposed to create 75 young leaders who are visionary, inspiring and can motivate others to build stronger women/feminist movements beyond boarders and scale up their best practices.

Who can apply?

  1. Young women living with HIV between the ages 18 to 30 years.
  2. Young women living with HIV who belong to any of the following diversities: sex workers, transgender women, lesbian women , women with disabilities
  3. Young women leaders from civil society and networks of women and young women living with HIV who are emerging and committed in the HIV response. for SRHR,  GBV  at local National, Regional and Global levels;
  4. Willingness, commitment and availability to volunteer during and beyond the project implementation  period ( December, 2023)
  5. Willingness and ability to advocate and engage with duty and policy bearers on key decision making tables
  6. Ability and experience in mobilizing and recruiting a critical mass of women to build a strong grassroots women movement  
  7. Should be able to uphold human rights principles, non-discriminative and inclusive in approach to development.
  8. Ability to adapt and work with and accommodate people from various backgrounds  (multi-cultural, multi-lingual and multi-disciplinary)
  9. Attachment/connection or linked to the ICW Country Chapter which should provide a letter of recommendation to be attached to the application  

Other requirements

  1. Excellent communication and report writing skills, both written and verbal and at least able to communicate and write in English only.
  2. Young women emerging leaders who demonstrate excellence, creativity and initiative
  3. Passionate about or having basic skills in activism
  4. Able to have basic computer or  information technology (IT) skills  particularly Word, email and access to internet;

Candidates are requested to send:

  1. A Motivational letter detailing the above attributes;
  2. Recommendation letter from the ICW Country Chapter

To admin@icwea.org copying Dorothy Namutamba (dnamutamba@icwea.org  later than 4th February, 2022.   Email subject should be: Application for Leadership and Mentorship Programme at ICWEA