About ACF

Committed to addressing poverty among women and girls living with HIV through economic empowerment and gender equality.

Our Mission

Agenda for Change Foundation (ACF) is committed to addressing poverty among women and girls living with HIV through economic empowerment and gender equality in all the work that we do.

Our approach goes beyond responding to gender differences and aims to help transform social and cultural norms, as well as address discriminatory laws, policies and practices that contribute to gender inequalities and increase vulnerabilities to HIV and poverty.

Economic Empowerment Gender Equality HIV Response

Our Key Goals

  • 1 Scale up programs expanding social economic services for women and girls living with HIV
  • 2 Remove human rights and gender-related barriers to health
  • 3 Support comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights
  • 4 Develop programs amplifying voices of women and girls living with HIV
  • 5 Collect and use age- and sex-disaggregated data to inform responses

Our Values

The principles that guide our work and shape our approach to creating lasting change.

Empowerment

We believe in empowering women and girls to become agents of change in their own lives and communities.

Inclusion

We ensure that no one is left behind, focusing on the most marginalized and vulnerable populations.

Evidence-Driven

Our programs are designed based on data and research to maximize impact and effectiveness.

Community-Led

We work alongside communities, respecting local knowledge and ensuring sustainable change.

The Malawi Context

Malawi, a nation previously grappling with high HIV prevalence and entrenched gender inequalities, is rewriting its narrative through transformative interventions.

991K
People Living with HIV
2024 Spectrum/Naomi estimates
61%
New Infections in Women
Disproportionately affecting women
53%
Face Employment Barriers
Women living with HIV report status impacts work

Why Economic Empowerment?

  • Poverty and income inequality are directly linked to higher HIV vulnerability
  • Economic dependence forces women into transactional or survival sex
  • Stigma leads to unemployment and discrimination
  • Economic insecurity impedes HIV treatment adherence
  • Income generation improves decision-making and spousal communication

Our Partners

We work alongside organizations and communities to amplify our impact and reach.

UN Women
Strategic Partner
HeForShe
Global Initiative
Community VSLAs
Local Partners
SACCOs
Financial Partners