About me
Michael, 29, is the National Focal Point for Zimbabwe for the Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS. Michael has been using poetry and spoken word since he was in high school to educate young people about SRHR and HIV issues. He has been invited to perform by UNICEF, UNFPA, UNAIDS, and other organizations across Southern Africa, the US and Germany, and recently produced an album of his work.
As NFP, Michael created a coordinating platform bringing together young people working on SRHR across Zimbabwe. At the 2011 International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA), Michael was an active participant in UNAIDS’ CrowdOutAIDS forum. He held an offline consultative meeting in Harare to capture young Zimbabwean’s perspectives and to ensure their views are captured in UNAIDS’ new youth policy. At ICASA Michael was also part of an editorial team of young people who produced a newsletter, ensuring that young people’s voices were visible to stakeholders.
Michael and three other university fellows founded the Zimbabwe Inter-colleges HIV and AIDS Theatre Gala, one of the few platforms that brings Zimbabwean tertiary institutions together annually to explore HIV and AIDS issues using the arts and other initiatives since 2004. He has worked on SRHR programming with several UN agencies as well as Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, the Zimbabwe National Youth Council and National Students Union, and many other partner organizations.
Michael was a participant in GYCA’s Southern and East African Regional Think Tank on Youth SRHR held in South Africa in 2011. He was also trained in HIV and AIDS care and support by the Zimbabwe Ministry of Health, Medecins Sans Frontieres Belgium, and DVV International.
Michael was supported by the United States Embassy to conduct workplace programming. He is also the National Coordinator of the Zimbabwe United States Alumni Association, which is implementing a “Wise Up and Make a Difference” campaign in six universities across the country. He is working on a documentary film on LGBTI issues with the organization Sexual Rights Centre that will be accompanied by a discussion guide. Michael is the Country Coordinator for Network of African Youth for Development (NAYD Zimbabwe Chapter, Deputy Secretary General of the umbrella body of NGOs in Zimbabwe, the National Association of NGOs (NANGO), and Chair of the National Association of NGOs’ National Youth Committee. He was the Deputy Chair for the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition’s Youth Committee, the Organising Secretary of the Zimbabwe Youth Network, and a member of the Youth Initiative for Democracy in Zimbabwe (YIDEZ), and has held several other leadership positions on youth issues. Michael, 29, is the National Focal Point for Zimbabwe for the Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS. Michael has been using poetry and spoken word since he was in high school to educate young people about SRHR and HIV issues. He has been invited to... (more)