News

After many years of worrying that we would not get another Ministry contract in 2023, we are pleased to announce we have received a new contract for the next two years which is a huge relief. This comes with a bit of extra funding which is in line with the new HIV Action Plan and the goal to eliminate HIV transmission in Aotearoa by 2030.

Positive Women Inc. has received some funding from Te Whatu Ora to develop a programme to raise awareness around HIV prevention and support for refugee and migrants in Aotearoa who have come from high HIV prevalence countries.

After a COVID hiatus in 2022, the annual HIV Women’s Seminar was back this year held at Sorrento in the Park on 29 September 2023.
98 people attended the seminar from a variety of different sectors including, midwives, nurse practitioners, Refugee and Migrant community organisations, health promotors, sexual health workers and people living with HIV.

The Ageing with HIV research report was officially launched at the HIV Women’s Seminar on Friday 29 September 2023. Findings from the research were presented by Abby Leota and Milly Stewart who were the Kaiārahi of the project which was initiated by Positive Women Inc. and worked in collaboration with a number of other sector agencies.

Officially introducing Kit Harding as the Positive Speakers Coordinator.  Kit has been with us for just over a year now and has really started to get some movement going with the PSB post COVID. During COVID the PSB was hardly operatable due to no face-to-face contacts and many people did not have time to do upskilling or staff training.

Officially introducing Judith Mukakayange as the Community Health and Support Coordinator. Many of you will remember Judith from some years ago when she used to work with us part time.

Applications are now open for the next Positive Leadership Development Institute (PLDI) Australia and New Zealand, Who am I as a leader? workshop. If you're living with HIV this workshop will challenge, encourage and build you into becoming a stronger leader in your community.

Many people living with HIV who have cognitive impairment are unsure of what it means, what can cause it and what it means going forward – which causes stress and anxiety.

By Marguerite Donaldson - Co-Chair 
Marguerite talks about the value of in-person meetings and the new Board members. She also reflects on life and the challenges we all experience. In particular, she talks about the loss of a very special friend and PWI activist, Jan Waddell.