Giving Compass' Take:

• Anne Rosenthal reports on the usage of VR experiences and how through this new immersive approach the goal is to educate on HIV/AIDS and not only raise awareness of the issue but encourage young people to get tested. 

• One source of social stigma comes from an unexpected place: health workers. Many young people say they feel judged by clinic staff who lectured them on sexual morality. 

• Learn about this groundbreaking way of making a better HIV vaccine. 

“My name is Lihle, and I am a young person living with HIV. I am here to bring hope to those who are feeling lost. Remember, you are not alone,” says Lihle Bhebhe, a young woman featured in 360HIV, a virtual reality film launched by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) in 2018 to address a major obstacle in the AIDS response globally: The social stigma of living with HIV.

In the 360HIV films, Lihle takes us through her journey as a young person getting tested for, and diagnosed with, HIV. She meets with a nurse and a peer counselor, and builds a plan and support system so that she can continue to live a full life.

Read the full article about fighting the stigma around HIV testing by Anne Rosenthal at United Nations Foundation.