Education Congo, Democratic Republic of the Project #72315

INTEGRATING HIV, GENDER, AND SEXUALITY EDUCATION

by KHETH'IMPILO-DRC

INTEGRATING HIV, GENDER, AND SEXUALITY EDUCATION

Project Report | Jul 6, 2026
ANAVA/CCS HIV

By Bomby KABONGO | Executive Director

With support from GlobalGiving USA, Kheth’Impilo DRC (KI-DRC) implemented the ANAVA/CCS HIV Prevention Initiative from October 2025 to June 2026 in four provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC): Haut-Katanga, Lualaba, Kasai-Oriental, and Kinshasa. The project targeted school-going adolescents and young people (AYP) through a person-centered approach aimed at strengthening HIV awareness, understanding HIV-related risk behaviors, and improving access to HIV prevention services.

A total of 7,769 adolescents and young people were reached through school-based sensitization activities and behavioral assessments. Sixteen schools, including nursing schools, participated in the intervention. The project introduced the innovative ANAVA/CCS tool (“Help Us to Help You by Sharing Your Sexual Behavioral Code”), which enables young people to identify their own HIV risk profile and make informed decisions to change risky behaviors or maintain safe practices.

The project generated valuable baseline data on sexual behavior, HIV testing, PrEP awareness, gender-based violence, and access to prevention services. Findings revealed important gaps in HIV prevention knowledge and service utilization, particularly regarding PrEP awareness and HIV testing uptake.

The project also developed two major innovations: the ANAVA Person-Centered Peer Education (ANAVA-PCPE) model for community-based youth programming and the ANAVA Mathematics HIV Integrated Education Framework (ANAVA-MHIEF), which integrates HIV and sexual reproductive health education into secondary school mathematics teaching.

The ANAVA methodology received recognition from the National HIV/AIDS Control Programme (PNLS) and was accepted for presentation at the INTEREST 2026 International Scientific Conference. The project demonstrates the potential of youth-centered, evidence-based approaches to strengthen HIV prevention programming and inform future policy reforms in the DRC.

Links:

ANAVA displayed in Gaberone, Botswana

Attachments:

ANAVA__general_updated_report_KIDRC_060726.pdf (PDF)

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Jan 10, 2026
ANAVA INTERIM REPORT

By Dr Bomby KABONGO | Executive Director

Background, Justification and Objectives

Adolescents and young people (AYP) continue to face significant vulnerability to HIV/AIDS, which remains a persistent public health issue globally. In Central Africa, and notably within the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the prevalence of HIV among youth aged 15–24 was estimated at 3.4% in 2024, exceeding the global average of 2.5%. There are substantial regional disparities in HIV prevalence within this age group, with rates ranging from less than 1% to more than 6%, as reported by UNAIDS (2025) and Gabonactu.com.

Early initiation of sexual activity further increases the vulnerability of young people to HIV infection. This underlines the critical importance of school-based education as a strategic intervention point. Integrating HIV/AIDS education into mathematics curricula is an innovative strategy that not only enhances critical thinking and HIV-related data literacy among students but also fosters greater public health awareness. Additionally, this approach addresses key areas such as behavioural change communication, the reduction of stigma, and the correction of misinformation, as highlighted by UNESCO (2021) and WHO (2022).

In response to these challenges, KHETHIMPILO-DRC (KI-DRC), a local non-governmental organisation, implemented a pilot programme integrating HIV/AIDS, gender, and sexuality education into mathematics curricula across secondary schools in two provinces. This initiative is aligned with international recommendations and is designed to strengthen adolescents’ abilities to assess their own risk, adopt safe and protective behaviours, and actively engage in self-care. Moreover, it aims to enhance awareness of sexual and reproductive health and rights among students. The current document presents preliminary findings from this ongoing intervention.

Integrating HIV Prevention and Health Education in Mathematics Curriculum

The study underscores ongoing HIV risk factors and the limited awareness and uptake of prevention services among adolescents across both provinces. In response, KI-DRC and its partners intend to implement interventions rooted in evidence and cultural sensitivity within the next three to six months. The planned approach centres on weaving HIV/AIDS, gender, and reproductive health topics into mathematics lessons, with collaboration from education authorities, health professionals, social scientists, and gender experts.

Curriculum Adaptation and Stakeholder Engagement

Adaptations to the curriculum will consist of teaching modules on human relationships, infectious diseases, regional HIV epidemiology, probability-based risk assessment models, and gender-aware data analysis. Mathematics teachers will receive training to deliver these integrated lessons. Complementary activities—including awareness campaigns, extracurricular programmes, and organised visits to health service centres—will be utilised to encourage greater use of available services. Peer education and participatory learning methods will serve to track student engagement and gather feedback on the programme's effectiveness.

Empowering Adolescents Through Integrated Learning

The initiative does not introduce new mathematical concepts but instead incorporates health-related messages into existing mathematics content. The primary objectives are to enable adolescents to recognise and assess their own risk, support informed decision-making regarding behaviour change or maintenance, reduce stigma associated with HIV, and foster safer practices within the community.

Links:

Kheth'Impilo-DRC Website

Attachments:

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