“For me, it is about achieving an equal society where everyone will be free to protect him or herself or themselves from HIV or any other social challenges.” Says Bonginkosi Ndlangamandla, coordinator of the MenEngage Eswatini network
Eswatini’s progress towards the international HIV targets is built in part on the fact that men are engaging in health promotion activities in areas where HIV transmission is high.
Since 2013, the MenEngage Eswatini network has involved men, adolescents and boys in work on sexual and reproductive health and rights, HIV, gender-based violence, positive fatherhood and policy advocacy. Bonginkosi Ndlangamandla, the coordinator of the network, explains his personal connection to this work: “I am from a rural background. When I was growing up, there was a lot of abuse of women and injustice. For me, it is about achieving an equal society where everyone will be free to protect him or herself or themselves from HIV or any other social challenges.”
Kwakha Indvodza runs one of several projects under the MenEngage network that have contributed to Eswatini reaching and surpassing the 95–95–95 targets, meaning 95% of people living with HIV know their status, 95% of people diagnosed with HIV are receiving antiretroviral therapy, and 95% are virally suppressed.
Survey data from 2021, however, show that men aged 25–34 years have the lowest awareness of their HIV status, and many do not seek regular health services. Only 56% of sexually active young men were tested for HIV and knew their status in 2021.
The Lesango Letemphilo Project is a Kwakha Indvodza programme that directly impacted over 1500 men across 15 constituencies between 2021 and 2023. The project provides HIV self-tests, access to PrEP, condom education and supportive dialogues. More than 30 000 condoms and lubricants were distributed during the dialogues. Leveraging the power of social media, the campaign has successfully reached over 35 000 men.
“Engaging men is a health and development issue. When we are engaging men in terms of promotingthem to access health services, we want to create a healthy society,” says Gift Dlamini, Programme Manager at Kwakha Indvodza. “Through the community dialogues, we are able to promote positive behaviour or positive masculinities by promoting partner protection and faithfulness, while also reducing high-risk behaviours.” Gift is proud of the positive social norms that the project cultivates. “This work is not only important for men and boys. It also has an impact on adolescent girls and young women,” he says.
The organization uses this documentation to influence policies and improve programming–for example, by working with health service providers to ensure men can access the health services they need, including through direct referrals from dialogues. Condoms and lubricants are provided during the dialogues, together with instructions. “We want everyone to know the right way to use them. If we give out 2000 condoms that get used incorrectly, it is like giving out no condoms at all,” says Bonginkosi.
Gift stresses the importance of collaborative partnerships and not working in silos. His organization invites local partners, including health facilities and local nongovernmental organizations with mobile clinics, to all their male engagement activities to offer comprehensive services, including voluntary medical male circumcision and PrEP. One encounter stands out for Gift. During a dialogue, a man living with cancer and a sexually transmitted infection described using traditional medicine. He accessed health services directly at the dialogue, and received counselling, HIV testing and a referral to a clinic.
Kwakha Indvodza has presented its findings from the dialogues to technical partners and national legislators. Kwakha Indvodza, MenEngage and other partners around Eswatini also host an annual forum for implementers of male engagement programmes and programmes for adolescent girls and young women to discuss challenges, highlight best practices and strategize.