On 16th December 2024, Hope for Future Generations (HFFG) officially launched the Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW) Project, a transformative initiative under the Global Fund, which addresses the critical HIV-related challenges faced by adolescent girls and young women in Ghana. The launch brought together key stakeholders, partners, and community representatives such as the Ghana Health Service, UNICEF, UNFPA, the Country Coordinating Mechanism, health workers, district health directors, and adolescent girls and young women to advance collective efforts in combating HIV among AGYW.
The AGYW project is a key component of the Global Fund’s GC7 initiative, implemented through the Ghana Health Service-National AIDS Control Programme (NACP), from 2024 to 2026. It will focus on seven districts across the Greater Accra, Ashanti, and Eastern regions, which are areas with a high incidence of HIV. The project seeks to provide targeted interventions for AGYW aged 15–24 years, both in and out of school, their male sexual partners, caregivers, and local opinion leaders.
“HFFG understands the importance of collaboration in tackling HIV-related issues especially among AGYW which is a vulnerable population. We are committed to ensuring this project creates a sustainable impact that empowers young women and girls to make healthier reproductive health choices.” – Mrs. Cecilia Senoo, Executive Director, HFFG.
The project’s primary goal is to reduce new HIV infections among AGYW by increasing access to comprehensive prevention, care, and treatment services. This will be achieved through four specific objectives:
- Reducing stigma and discrimination against AGYW in the intervention districts by December 2026
- Increasing access to HIV prevention, care, and treatment services across the care cascade
- Sustaining demand for these essential services
- Strengthening linkages to and retention in care for 50 HIV-positive AGYW in the targeted districts.
“We are working tirelessly to enhance treatment linkages and address barriers faced by AGYW. The HIV response is at an era where sustainability is crucial to ending AIDS, and this project sets the tone for it.” – Dr. Stephen Ayisi Addo, Programmes Manager of the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP)
With a range of interventions, including condom programming, reproductive health education, and rights-based approaches, the AGYW project sets a strong foundation for improving HIV outcomes among young women in Ghana. The successful launch signals a united front in tackling HIV and empowering AGYW to lead healthier, stigma-free lives.