# New Tools, Trusted Spaces: Expanding HIV Prevention in Mozambique

“Silent voices don’t drive change.”

That’s the motto at a modest but vibrant community center in Mozambique’s capital city Maputo.

Here, people who too often face stigma and abuse can find a safe space, along with support to access vital healthcare and legal protection – services they’ve frequently been denied.

Tiago\* is 24 years old and works as a floor tiler while taking a course in occupational health and safety. Like many of his friends, he found out about the center through an outreach worker – someone he could relate to and trust.

“This is not just an institution, it is a family,” says Tiago. “It is very good to be here, not only for me, but for many people.”

The center is run by community-based organizations, with investments from the Global Fund.
It is supported by a network of 20 outreach workers who act as a vital link between the community and health services.

In addition to offering a safe and welcoming space, the center provides health education and helps people navigate and access care. Three trained paralegals are also on hand to offer legal advice and support to those who have experienced violence or discrimination.

Globally, gay men and other men who have sex with men are 23 times more likely to acquire HIV than the general population. Reaching and supporting them is essential to reduce new infections and bring the epidemic under control.

Beyond direct support, the team also works closely with healthcare providers, religious leaders and the police to promote services that are free from stigma.

“There are still many challenges, but things are much easier today compared to 10 years ago,” says paralegal Isabel\*.

![ ](/media/ab3kmlg2/2026-06-29-new-tools-trusted-spaces-expanding-hiv-prevention-mozambique-01.jpg)

From left to right, Henrique, Tiago and Carlos\* at the community center in Mozambique. All three received lenacapavir earlier this year. Photo: The Global Fund/Vincent Becker

Looking ahead, the center is also helping connect people to a new generation of HIV prevention.

Mozambique is 1 of 9 early adopter countries that, with support from the Global Fund, began administering lenacapavir (LEN) earlier this year. LEN is a twice-yearly injectable form of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).

Instead of taking a daily pill, two simple injections every six months offer near-total protection – and provide a convenient, discreet option.
For Tiago, this is already a reality. He heard about LEN at the center and was connected to a health facility where he received his first dose. Tiago says the protection offered by LEN gives him greater peace of mind and flexibility in his day-to-day life.

Henrique\*, a field supervisor working at the center, has also received LEN. He thinks LEN has the potential to significantly increase protection against HIV for the entire community. Henrique and his colleagues are actively educating their peers on this new prevention option.

“This is our space,” he says. “A place where we come together. We have already started doing awareness-raising work on lenacapavir. We have several activities planned.”

The center is helping ensure that new prevention tools are understood, trusted, and people know where to access them.

Since 2010, Global Fund investments have helped reduce new HIV infections in Mozambique by 45% – but with around 92,000 new infections each year, reaching those most at risk with prevention, testing and treatment remains critical to ending HIV as a public health threat.

\*Names changed for privacy.