Positive Heroes (South Africa)
Title
Mr
First name
Gavin
Last name
Reid
Your job title
Positive Hero
Name of your organization
Positive Heroes (South Africa)
Organization type
NGO
Annual budget/currency
This field has not been completed
Project Street Address
PO Box 1192
Project City
Cape Town
Project Province/State
Western Cape
Project Postal/Zip Code
8051
Project Country
South Africa
Choose your sport: (check all that apply)
Running
If you chose "other" for Sport, please define in 1-2 words below
What approach does your initiative incorporate?
Knowledge/educational materials
Year the initiative began (yyyy)
2008
Paste your video code here:
If your project has a website, paste the web address here:
Barrier
Social stigmas and prohibitions
Insight
Make the first step easier
This field has not been completed.
Name Your Project
Positive Heroes (South Africa)
Describe Your Idea
What is your signature innovation, your new idea, in one sentence?
To show there is hope and a great life is possible for those living with HIV by having an ultra-marathon team who are all living with HIV.
How many people does your innovation serve or plan to serve? Exactly who will benefit?
The campaign encompasses the entire population whilst focusing very specifically on all South Africans living with HIV to give them hope and remove fear and shame.
Do you have any existing partnerships? If so, please list and describe.
We have a media campaign with Move! Magazine to highlight the story of a Positive Hero every six weeks. Move! is the 3rd largest circulation magazine in SA with 166 972 (audited) paid circulation for July to September 2008. The magazine aims to uplift and empower women in South Africa.
In which sector do these partners work? (Check all that apply)
Citizen sector (non profits, NGOs) , Private sector .
How do you implement your innovation and apply it to the challenge/problem you are addressing?
By bringing to public awareness, through various media, some of the thousands of South Africans who are living full lives whilst managing their HIV. Will share individual stories - challenges faced and personal testimonies who these were overcome.
Provide one sentence describing your impact/intended impact
Positive Heroes is about saving lives and having more people living longer, healthier, more productive lives and attaining their goals.
What does impact/success look like? Please list any tangible measures of the impact of your innovation
Understanding that HIV is a chronic manageable disease and that treatment is available
Achieving a renewed sense of purpose and have positive life goals
Managing HIV infection positively and effectively
Pursuing healthy lifestyles and taking responsibility for one own’s health
Growing numbers of people voluntarily requesting HIV tests and being tested
Growing numbers of people in possession of accurate facts and engaging with HIV
Setting clear life goals and 'running the race of life'
Is there a chance that your project could change policy (within an institution or government)?
We believe that we will have an impact on individuals, organisations and government by seeing people living with HIV as part of the solution and not the problem. We aim to create strategic alliances and joint ventures with other organisations wherever possible in order to pool collective resources, share knowledge and to enhance impact.
Aside from financial sustainability, how do you plan to grow the initiative or expand your intended impact?
We are partnering as many organisations as possible and hope to announce to large scale partnerships in the next few weeks. The campaigns are both designed to be with an infrastructure to provide follow up and support for all those who feel impacted by the various campaigns.
This Entry is about (Issues)
How is your initiative financed (or how do you expect your initiative will be financed)?
We are currently being financed by our Board and a number of fund-raising events. Our corporate partners will support individual campaigns. We have no paid staff.
Annual budget
We would like to raise R1million per year to run properly but currently do what we can.
Annual revenue generated
approx R100,000
Number of staff (full-time, part-time, volunteers)
4 Directors, 8 Board members.
Gavin dedicates half his week to the charity and Reon and Brooke give a day a week.
Everyone is a volunteer.
What are the main barriers to financing your initiative, and how do you plan to address these barriers?
Fatigue around HIV. By offering a fresh new, uplifting and Proudly South African approach to HIV we hope to attract partners and funding.
What are the major challenges with regards to partnerships?
The time involved in developing relationships and partnerships. Ultimately we desperately need some funding in order to be able to manage our core functions properly.
What stage is your project?
Idea phase , Ongoing project .
What was the motivation or defining moment that led to create this innovation? Tell us the story.
Dr Reon van Dyk is a specialist doctor in the area of HIV and Gavin Reid is an HIV counsellor in a hospice. They realised that although HIV is now medically manageable the fear and stigma that surrounds HIV remains a huge barrier to people engaging with HIV.
Evelina Tshabalala, an accomplished marathon runner, was due to climb Mount Kilimanjaro but was worried about her HIV. Reon told her she was special as she had disclosed to all in her community and that if she climbed the mountain he would get her to meet Madiba, which was silly as we had no connection or way of doing so. A few weeks later she returned saying she had done so. After some calls Evelina went and met Madiba and we realised that things are possible and we need to celebrate the heroes already in our midst.
If the level of fear is so high people won't come for tests or look to manage their condition. By increasing the hope around HIV we hope to provide a purpose to come forward get tested and take responsibility for themselves.
Please tell us about the social innovator behind this initiative
Dr Reon van Dyk is a specialist physician running a private holistic HIV practice at the Christiaan Barnard Memorial Hospital in Cape Town. Gavin Reid is an HIV counsellor, who also lectures HIV Counselling Skills at the South African School of Applied Psychology.
(Optional) To be eligible for an additional prize, please select age range
27 or older
 | Gavin Reid said: Hi Nhlanhla, Great ket me discuss with my Board and I'll be in touch so we can brainstorm how we can organise something fun and ... about this idea. - 363 days ago read more > |
| Nonhlanhla Zungu said: Hi Gavin That is a super idea, we actually had our first 3 Tin League tournament on the 1st of December, we used the game to create ... about this idea. - 364 days ago read more > |
| Gavin Reid said: Hi 3 Tin League Thank you for your really supportive comments. I agree entirely with your comments - it is not the medical side ... about this idea. - 366 days ago read more > |
| Nonhlanhla Zungu said: Hi Gavin Positive Hereos is a wonderful initiative, it addresses a huge problem in our communities about living with HIV/ Aids. Even ... about this idea. - 366 days ago read more > |
| Gavin Reid said: Hi Holly Thanks for your comments and suggestions. We are currently looking at how we can use the internet and social media more. We ... about this idea. - 376 days ago read more > |
| Holly Searson said: You are very welcome :) It's nice to see that people are making real efforts towards causes such as this. That's great news on what ... about this idea. - 377 days ago read more > |
| Gavin Reid said: Holly, Thank you so much for your comment - it means a lot to know that you find the campaign as inspirational as we do. We are ... about this idea. - 377 days ago read more > |
| Holly Searson said: Hi Gavin, What a fabulous entry! I personally find it hugely inspirational. It's greta that your focus is on an issue that many ... about this idea. - 377 days ago read more > |
| Gavin Reid said: Dear Zama Thank you for writing and sharing your comments. Naturally i agree that Evie is a wonderful role model and that her ... about this idea. - 414 days ago read more > |
| Gavin Reid said: Dear Zama Thank you for writing and sharing your comments. Naturally i agree that Evie is a wonderful role model and that her ... about this idea. - 414 days ago read more > |