ABOUT IMUNZI

IMUNZI is a partnership project between three associations dedicated to fighting HIV/AIDS and now is also focusing on mental health in Zimbabwe through interaction with local youths. The members of IMUNZI include the International Medical Cooperation Committee (IMCC) from Denmark, United Children of Africa (UNICA) based in Victoria Falls and Zimbabwe Medical Students Association (ZIMSA).

The central idea behind the IMUNZI project is to have medical students from ZIMSA train local youth ambassadors from UNICA, in teaching HIV/AIDS and other sexual reproductive health issues and mental disorders. The youth ambassadors will, in turn, go out into local communities and engage with local youth.

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 The International Medical Cooperation Committee (IMCC) is a voluntary youth organization that works with health promotion in Denmark and abroad. It has approximately 1900 volunteers. Through a variety of health promotion activities, projects and international partnerships they inform, teach and debate different health issues, creating changes for civil society and local communities. They have a rights-based approach in health promotion work and work with the UN´s 17 Sustainable Development goals. The purpose of the health promotion activities is described in the vision:"IMCC works to create a just world where everyone has equal access to health services and physical, mental and social well-being."

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United Children of Africa (UNICA) is an organisation in Zimbabwe based in Victoria Falls that is aimed at raising the awareness on HIV/AIDS issues and support HIV infected, affected and disabled children. They are also focused on creating opportunities for the development of underprivileged children through psychosocial initiatives. They have capacitated children and youth by establishing vocational centres where they have armed these children with knowledge about issues to do with HIV/AIDS. In addition to this they have so far managed to engage on income generating projects to ensure sustainable income in order to facilitate development of youth entrepreneurs. All this eventually boils down to their major vision which is to create a confident, successful, empowered young generation in Africa.

The Zimbabwe Medical Students Association (ZIMSA) is an organisation that acts as a representative body for all medical students studying in Zimbabwe. It’s aimed at creating a forum for these students to discuss topics related to the fields of medical education, medical ethics and medical research. In addition to this it strives to medical students a platform to give back to the community using their acquired skills and knowledge. They have managed to accomplish some of these objectives by cooperating with other student associations and any other like-minded organisations locally and internationally.