In a renewed commitment to advancing the rights and wellbeing of children across Africa, AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Nigeria has announced the revitalization of its Boys2Men programme as part of its 2025 Day of the African Child commemoration.
The theme of 2025 event, “Be the Hero of Your Health,” emphasizes empowering adolescent boys and young men (ABYM) to take charge of their health and future.
The initiative seeks to boost visibility, awareness, and action on HIV, Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE), and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) programming specifically tailored for ABYM across the continent.
In a statement released in Makurdi, Benue State, AHF Nigeria’s Advocacy and Marketing Manager, Steve Aborisade, stressed that despite progress made in global and regional HIV responses, adolescent boys and young men remain underrepresented in testing, prevention, and treatment services, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.
“Compared to young women, ABYM often start treatment later and show lower adherence levels, which results in poorer health outcomes and increased transmission risks,” Aborisade said.
First launched in 2018, the Boys2Men programme was created to close these critical gaps. The initiative promotes positive masculinity, early HIV testing and treatment initiation, and access to stigma-free healthcare services for boys and young men.
Also speaking on the initiative, AHF Africa Bureau Chief, Dr. Penninah Iutung, highlighted the persistent invisibility of adolescent boys and young men in the HIV response.
“For too long, adolescent boys and young men have been the invisible demographic in the fight against HIV. Harmful gender norms teach them that seeking help is weakness, and stigma keeps them silent—even when their lives are at risk,” Dr. Iutung said.
She added that revitalizing the Boys2Men programme represents a bold step towards shifting this narrative, by empowering young men to prioritize their health and redefine strength through resilience and responsibility.
As part of the celebration, AHF Nigeria will host a community football match between AHF Boys and the Waru Community Soccer Team in Abuja. The Waru community houses one of AHF Nigeria’s healthcare facilities and is home to a Community Advocacy Club—an AHF Africa Bureau flagship grassroots advocacy platform.
Scheduled for Saturday, June 21, the football match will provide an interactive platform to engage young boys on topics of positive masculinity, resilience, and navigating social pressures that affect their health and development.
Commenting on the initiative, AHF Nigeria Country Program Director, Dr. Echey Ijezie, described this year’s commemoration as a thoughtful response to the often-overlooked challenges that boys face during adolescence.
“This is an intelligent response to the quiet but consistent yearnings of our boys, who have long desired a structured platform to confront and overcome the unique challenges they encounter while growing up,” Dr. Ijezie stated.
He commended the revitalization of the Boys2Men programme as a timely and essential intervention, noting that ABYM will find great value in the programme’s focus on empowerment, education, and health.
The Day of the African Child, observed annually on June 16, commemorates the 1976 Soweto Uprising in South Africa, where students protested against poor education and the imposition of Afrikaans as the language of instruction. The day now serves as a powerful reminder and advocacy platform for the rights, health, and development of children across the African continent.
With 2025 focus on empowering adolescent boys, AHF Nigeria’s efforts underscore the importance of inclusivity in health programming and a future where no demographic is left behind.
