Khuluma ("to speak" in Zulu) is a project focused on setting up SMS support groups for HIV positive adolescents in rural and urban areas of South Africa.  

Over 15% of young women and 5% of young men aged 15-24 in South Africa are infected with HIV. Adolescence can be a highly vulnerable stage for those who are HIV-infected: many face challenges in relation to mental-health issues and problems of non-compliance with medical treatment. For reasons of geographical and especially social isolation, many of these young people are confronting these problems alone, either choosing or being forced to go without proper medical advice, and very often without any form of emotional or peer-group support. Many young people living with HIV/AIDS live in challenging home environments where their support structures maybe limited due to the impact that HIV has had on their household. In the near future, it is hoped that this inexpensive mobile phone support group model can be provided on a wider basis across the country and beyond.

Khuluma gives HIV positive adolescents the space to shape how their groups will run and to come up with the topics that they want to discuss giving young people direct input into their own treatment and providing them with the right level of support so they can go on to live healthy lives.

Khuluma team have created a documentary about the life and dreams of these adolescents which was selected to be presented at the The International AIDS Conference in Durban  (July 18-22, 2016)