Winifred Ikilai

Wini was the first AVAC Fellow to integrate COVID into her advocacy targets and the pay-off was huge. She successfully engaged social media, spearheading a campaign to secure ARVs, food, hygiene packs and other services and supplies for 2,700 households in 115 districts under lockdown. Her advocacy earned her the 2021 Omololu Falobi Award for Excellence in HIV Prevention Research Community Advocacy while also garnering opportunities to collaborate with IAVI, aidsmap, Aljazeera and others.

What’s more, Wini won big gains for improved HIV treatment literacy and counseling through her creation of the Beyond My Pill Campaign. As part of her advocacy for improved treatment services, she organized a national level dialogue on test and treat, revitalizing the voices of PLHV networks and mobilizing for further PEPFAR spending. She won both recognition and funding to enhance treatment programs, reflected in Uganda’s National HIV and AIDS Strategic Plan 2021/21–2024/25.

End of Project Summary Video

• Watch Winifred's end of project presentation

Media

• NAFOPHANU Launches ‘BEYOND MY PILL’ Campaign for Better Care Services — UBS Uganda
• Implementing Uganda's HIV Test and Treat Policy — New Vision
• IAVI VOICES newsletter on the importance of an HIV vaccine
• Article on the need for HIV domestic funding
• Aidsmap chat on the need for an HIV vaccine
• Al Jazeera interview on COVID vaccine
• IAVI #TwitterTakeover with 2020 Fellow Winifred Ikilai (@raelwyne)
• Reminding the World Not to Forget People Living with HIV During the Lockdown - CivSource
• World AIDS Day 2020