Choma Online Magazine

Established in 2013 with seed funding from the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project and GIZ,
Choma Magazine engages young women and girls through a mix of fun, relatable, and
informative content.
The magazine’s primary purpose is to educate and empower young women and girls on HIV,
and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). By providing accessible information,
Choma supports informed decision-making, promotes healthier lifestyles, and contributes to
reducing HIV incidence among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW).
Choma exists because AGYW remain highly vulnerable to HIV in South Africa. Every week, roughly
1,000 AGYW are newly infected, and they account for about 25% of all new HIV infections despite
being a smaller demographic. High rates of gender-based violence, sexual abuse, and coercion
continue to be major drivers of these infections, highlighting the urgent need for education,
support, and empowerment for this group.

With funding from GlobalGiving, HIVSA continued to fund the salary of a moderator on Choma online magazine to provide much needed psychosocial support to girls and young woman. What we achieved in this period:

We interacted with 9,756 users on our website, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok social media platforms. The Moderator was able to provide online support to close to 100 users across all social media platforms where users needed help with psychosocial challenges at home, school/work and in personal relationships.

The most commonly read content related to:

• Understanding myths and misinformation about HIV intection - what is true and what is not true about HIV infection;
• Endometriosis awareness;
• Sexual and reproductive health for young women including contraception, PrEP choice and PEP access (most young people do not access sexual and reproductive health services at clinics due to lack of information as well as poor service delivery at publich health care clinics).

Psychosocial support provided:

• Young women struggle with depression and anxiety, specifically related to unemployment, relationship challenges, gender based violence;
• Young women report being disempowered to negotiate condom use in relationships, thereby exposing them to potential HIV infection;
• Young women have experienced some form of abuse in their lives, which impacts their ability to form and experience lasting and positive, healthy relationships.

Links:

• https://www.facebook.com/ChomaMagazine
• https://choma.co.za/

• CHOMA_ANNUAL_REPORT_2025_5.pdf (PDF)
  

Choma is an interactive digital mobile magazine and a project of HIVSA, created to provide a safe and inclusive space for teens and young adults across South Africa.

Catering to young women and men between the ages of 15 and 25, Choma is designed to feel like a trusted best friend offering relatable, credible advice on the issues that matter most. From HIV prevention and gender-based violence to health, relationships, sex, pregnancy, lifestyle, fashion, beauty, and entertainment, Choma blends fun and serious conversations to reflect the realities of youth.

Our mission is to connect with South Africa’s youth, inspire informed lifestyle choices, and contribute to building the next HIV-free generation.

Choma empowers young people by focusing on health, wellness, relationships, and personal growth. With a strong emphasis on inclusivity, it welcomes all voices, fostering a supportive environment where stories are shared, heard, and used to shape a healthier, more connected future for everyone.

Achievements

Ask Choma is a feature where users can reach out to trained moderators for advice and pyschosocial support. Users often ask questions related to these themes and content pillars to seek accurate information and support, reflecting their lived experiences. Many of these themes carry underlying issues such as stigma, stress, misinformation and neglect. These themes include Love and relationships, mental health, sexual and reproductive health and pregnancy termination.

In this period, 647 users asked questions and received psychosocial support on Ask Choma. The most commonly asked questions were:

*How do I know if I have a sexually transmitted infection? It is itchy down there.

*Choma, I missed my period and I think I might be pregnant. How can I terminate at home?

*Can I use disprin and coke (coca cola) to terminate this pregnancy at home?

*What is PEP and PrEP?

*Choma, can a boyfriend rape his girlfriend? My boyfriend forced himself on me a few years ago and i got pregnant.  I struggle to love this baby and I am always sad and angry. What can I do to make this feeling go away?

Choma recently partnered with an AI powered Chatbot called SELF-CAV which means "know yourself" to ensure that users have access to an instant messanging chatbot to respond to their questions and provide referral support. 

Links:

• Find HIVSA's Choma online magazine on Facebook to engage
• Find HIVSA's Choma online magazine on Website to engage