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"I started seeing the need for HIV advocacy when I realised my generation is not entirely clued up on HIV. The Covid-19 pandemic fuelled my passion as it felt like the world forgot that there are still other pandemics."
"I want my generation, my peers, and my friends to remain HIV negative, and we need advocacy to realise that," shared Galaletsang Phalatse, a fourteen-year-old set to represent South Africa in the United States of America, this year.
'Passion for female empowerment'
Phalatse is a Grade 9 pupil from Curro Aurora in Sundowner, Randburg; she was selected with two other young people to represent SA during the 2022 Global Fund campaign.
She was selected based on her passion for female empowerment, devotion to HIV prevention, raising awareness about the importance of comprehensive sexual education and better access to HIV prevention methods on the global stage.
When we asked her why she thinks the judges selected her, Phalatse told us, "I am a young person, speaking from a place of experience as a young person, and that's important."
"Representation from a young girl for my generation in these matters is key if the world is going to design solutions for us."
This engagement includes Phalatse partaking in various activities to help make global leaders aware of the plight of girls and young women from the African continent.
Read: World's first HIV-positive sperm bank shares stories of virus-free babies born to positive parents.
Representing SA in America
To wrap up her advocacy efforts, Phalatse will attend a high-level meeting in Washington DC, hosted by Nomaindiya Mfeketo, the South African Ambassador to the United States.
Her global interests arose when she created a compelling video on HIV prevention that rubbed her mentor Sibulele Sibaca the right way as soon as she saw it. Sibaca then encouraged her to get involved with the Global Fund campaigns.
"I recorded a video with my peers asking them what they wanted the world to know about young people and also what the world can do you help young people learn more about HIV," shared Phalatse about her video.
"I wanted to get a message to the world that young people have a voice and that no decisions about our future should be taken without our participation," she added.
International Women's Day in Sandton
Phalatse created an inspirational pitch at the start of 2022 with the help of the NGO Impact Driver and hasn't looked back since.
In March 2022, she was invited to be a panellist at an International Women's Day event in Sandton. Despite it being her first time presenting to such a large crowd, she confidently addressed them on pertinent issues affecting young girls today, alongside well-known celebrities and other local HIV activists.
The global fund campaign advocating for the end of HIV and AIDS, TB and malaria runs from March to October every three years.
US president Joe Biden will host this year's pledging conference, and the money raised will be invested in more than 100 countries worldwide.
'I feel honoured and slightly overwhelmed'
When we asked about her achievement, Phalatse said, "I feel honoured and slightly overwhelmed because it's a huge responsibility."
"I want to highlight that the Global Fund has done incredible work in ensuring HIV people remain healthy and get their medicine, but also that we have come too far to drop the ball and that the fight against HIV doesn't stop now. My generation must be heard, educated, and helped to remain HIV-negative," she added.
Must read: Teen losing hope after waiting two years for a high school placement
'Education and awareness'
As young as this Grade 9 pupil is, her dream is "to always be a part of the solution to the problems we face in society, and that is doing my part."
She plans to study medicine and specialise in gynaecology focusing on sexual reproduction and teenage pregnancy for young girls.
"It's important for me to help prevent HIV, especially in my generation, because we are the ones who will be leading in the future. To get there, we must start now," added Phalatse.
Phalatse admits that it's hard for her to put herself in someone else's shoes since she is not living with HIV.
Still, she wants to tell teenagers and tweens with HIV that "in this day and age, with modern medicine, education, and awareness, HIV is not a death sentence, and you can live a full and purposeful life."
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