When Erica Joaquim Cuamba* was diagnosed with HIV at age 21, fear, shame, and silence quickly took over her life. At the time, she was in high school. Her attendance began to decline. She hid her condition from her family and avoided any situation that would remind her of HIV. Although she was surrounded by people, she felt completely alone.
Everything changed when Erica visited her aunt’s home in Mocuba, in Zambezia Province. Her aunt, who was breastfeeding, was receiving a home visit from a Mentor Mother affiliated with the local military health unit. As part of a peer-support network supported by Jhpiego, Mentor Mothers work with pregnant and breastfeeding women living with HIV, providing counseling and helping them stay connected to treatment and clinical follow-up.
During the visit, the Mentor Mother spoke privately with Erica’s aunt about HIV treatment and self-acceptance. Erica’s aunt invited her to join the conversation, never imagining that she had a secret to share. What caught Erica’s attention was not just the message but the way it was conveyed: calmly, compassionately, and without judgment. For the first time, Erica saw HIV being addressed with dignity. The Mentor Mother shared her own experience of living with HIV. Her words touched Erica deeply. It was in this warm and welcoming atmosphere that Erica revealed her condition to her aunt and the Mentor Mother.
That moment marked the beginning of Erica’s transformation. Her Mentor Mother helped connect Erica with the health clinic, referring her to adolescent- and youth-friendly services, where she met Youth Mentors and other groups of young people living with HIV.
With them, Erica learned more about treatment, prevention, and self-care. Jhpiego’s youth-centered approach is based on responding to the specific realities of adolescents and young people, ensuring that they actively participate in building services that meet their needs rather than merely serving as passive recipients of care.
With the support of the Youth Mentors and the health care professionals at the clinic—and inspired by the openness she witnessed during that visit to her aunt—Erica gradually began to rebuild her confidence. She felt ready to share her HIV status with her family, who welcomed her with love and support.
As her confidence and sense of purpose grew, so did her role. Eight months later, Erica became a Youth Mentor at the same health facility, providing the same peer support that had helped her: guiding other adolescents in setting personal goals, connecting them to accessible and welcoming services, reinforcing treatment adherence and viral suppression, and helping them confront fears, stigma, and important decisions both at school and in the community.
With the support of the Mozambican Armed Forces, Jhpiego’s work to train peer leaders, strengthen youth-led structures, and adapt health services to the realities of adolescents in ten provinces and 27 health facilities ensures that the support currently provided by Youth Mentors like Erica is part of a broader and locally sustainable care system.
Mentor Mothers and Youth Mentors are directly integrated into health services, working side by side with professionals to make care more humane, more accessible, and more responsive.
Mentors and youth-friendly services play a critical role in strengthening young people’s connection to care and ensuring that young people remain engaged in care and achieve sustained viral load suppression.
Jhpiego’s peer-support program does more than improve clinical outcomes: it creates safe spaces where adolescents and young people can openly share their experiences, learn from one another, and plan for their futures.
Mentor Mothers play a key role in supporting pregnant and breastfeeding women living with HIV through peer counseling, treatment adherence support, and education on maternal and child health. Drawing on their own experiences and trusted community relationships, they help women stay connected to care from pregnancy through breastfeeding, follow up with those who miss appointments, support women with unsuppressed viral loads, and promote services such as cervical cancer screening. Their work helps improve health outcomes for mothers and children while reducing the risk of HIV transmission.
By working with families, communities, and health facilities, Jhpiego is helping to build the supportive environment young people need. Because tailored services and attentive mentors can transform lives.
*Name changed to protect identity.
Manuel Jesus is a Senior Communications Advisor at Jhpiego in Mozambique. Juleca Montanha is a Clinical Tutor at Jhpiego in Mozambique. Lizeth Juenta is a Maternal and Neonatal Health Advisor at Jhpiego in Mozambique.
Silvia Kelbert is a Principal Technical Advisor for HIV and Infectious Diseases at Jhpiego.
