I Heart Isidayi, GBT Connexions and Seskhona
From 1 October 2016, in collaboration with Aurum through funding from CDC, Anova scaled up the evidence based Boithato Project into three districts, namely Ekurhuleni in Gauteng Province, eThekwini and UMgungundlovu Districts in KwaZulu-Natal Province. The empowerment projects in the three districts are focused on MSM and Transgender (TG) people. With the active participation of MSM and TG community representatives, the three projects were branded GBT Connexions (Ekurhuleni) I-Heart Isidayi (Ethekwini) and Seskhona (UMgungundlovu). The GBT Connexions office is located in Benoni, I-Heart Isidayi in Durban and Seskhona office in Pietermaritzburg.
In line with the empowerment approach, standard activities are implemented across the three projects including holding regular meetings with core group members, facilitating empowerment group sessions, engaging in community dialogues, outreaching into communities, bringing MSM and TG together in large events as well as HIV testing services that include TB and STI screening. Some context specific activities will be taken on board in the coming years. It is envisioned that these projects will reduce stigma and discrimination, promote safe sex behaviours, promote regular testing and linkage to care as well as build strong and empowered communities of MSM and TG persons in the districts.