Worlds AIDS Day HIV Self-Testing Contest 2019 for Nigerians

Deadline: November 17, 2019

The Worlds AIDS Day HIV Self-Testing Contest is now open for applications. They are looking for innovative ideas on “how YOU will promote HIV Self-Testing among youth in Nigeria”.

The theme of this year’s World AIDS Day is titled Communities Make The Difference. “By letting young people lead, and giving them the tools to address problems they are best positioned to solve, is what contributes to making a difference in our communities” says Dr. Oliver Ezechi, Director of Research, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, and principal investigator of the 4 Youth by Youth project, “Innovative Tool to Expand youth-friendly HIV Self-Testing (I-TEST).

Through the 4 Youth by Youth HIV self-testing World AIDS Day contest, young Nigerians are provided with the opportunity to express themselves and voice their ideas on a global stage. This year, they seek to close the gap with HIV self-testing service delivery led for and by young Nigerians. They encourage every youth to join the movement, think outside of the box without limitations, and submit your innovative ideas today on how they would promote HIV self-testing to their peers. Innovative ideas for HIV self-testing led by Nigerian youth for Nigerian can help generate demand and mobilize all Nigerian youth to get tested and know their status.

About

World AIDS Day 2019, 1 December, is an opportunity to harness the power of young people to lead the fight against HIV. Today, more effective HIV prevention strategies have transformed what it means to know your status. However, progress for young Nigerians still lags behind such that one in five young people have never tested for HIV. HIV self-testing can help close this testing gap. HIV self-testing is the process where a person who wants to know their HIV status, collects his or her own specimen (e.g. oral fluid or blood), performs an HIV test and interprets the result, in privacy or with someone he or she trust. Despite the availability of these services, too many young Nigerians still lack access to comprehensive HIV self-testing services. How well to promote and encourage the use of the HIV self-testing kit among young people is still unknown.

The 2019, 4 Youth by Youth World AIDS Day contest, aims to close that gap. They believe that Nigerian youth can bring a new level of thinking to the most challenging problems in our society. They also believe that great ideas on how to promote and increase uptake of HIV self-testing among Nigerians can come from Nigerian youth themselves.

Benefits

Participation in the event will involve showcasing your idea on World AIDS Day, with possible participation in pitch sessions.
Top ideas will win cash prizes up to ₦250,000 and will have the opportunity to participate in Round 2 of the contest in February – March 2020.

1st Prize – N250,000
2nd Prize – N150,000
3rd Prize – N50,000

Participation in the event will give young people access to a variety of global health leaders, decision makers and innovators.

Eligibility

To participate:

You must be between the ages of 14 to 24 years;
Submit your ideas online using the link below
You may also submit offline by downloading the form at http://bit.ly/4YBYregistrationform19
or pick up printed form at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Clinical Sciences Department located at 6 Edmund Crescent off Murtala Mohammed way, Yaba Lagos
Submit offline form via email submissions@4yby.org or drop-off at NIMR’s address
Ideas will be shortlisted by November 22, 2019 and qualifying participants will be notified

Criteria

Your ideas will be judged based on:

How well you describe your idea and how it addresses the problem of HIV testing in Nigeria;
How realistic your idea is;
How appealing your idea is to other young people; and
How creative and original your idea is.

Application

Simply ENTER the #HIVSelfTestingContest by:

Using this form, please submit your idea that you would like to be considered for inclusion in the 4YBY HIV Self-testing contest 2019!
Follow them on Instagram @4youthbyyouth or Facebook- 4 Youth by Youth or Twitter @4YouthbYouth
Optional – You can also post a selfie with your idea or a brief video of your idea on “Instagram or Facebook” and tag @4youthbyyouth and use #HIVSelfTestingContest

Submission deadline is on November 17, 2019 by 11:59 pm WAT.

Click here to apply