[afro-nets] The Omololu Falobi Award for Excellence in HIV Prevention Research Community Advocacy

["Manju Chatani" <mchatani@4u.com.gh>]

The Omololu Falobi Award for Excellence in HIV Prevention Research Community Advocacy

Exactly a year ago on October 5, we lost one of Africa's brightest stars and a passionate advocate for justice, truth and research in new HIV prevention technologies - Omololu Falobi. He was a long-time HIV advocate and journalist; he founded the Journalists Against AIDS in Nigeria, was an instrumental pioneer member of the Nigerian Treatment Access Movement (TAM), and co-founded the Nigerian HIV Vaccine & Microbicide Advocacy Group. He was tragically killed last year in Lagos, Nigeria.

Today, the African Microbicides Advocacy Group (AMAG) is proud to collaborate with partners to launch a new award to honour Omololu's memory and commitment to the field - "The Omololu Falobi Award for Excellence in HIV Prevention Research Community Advocacy" - to be awarded to a community advocate at the next Microbicides Conference in New Delhi, India in February 2008.

This award is being given in partnership and with the blessings of the Omololu Falobi Foundation, the Nigerian HIV Vaccine & Microbicides Advocacy Group (NHVMAG), Journalists Against AIDS in Nigeria (JAAIDS), and in collaboration with the Global Campaign for Microbicides (GCM) and the AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition (AVAC).

Very shortly, we will launch a nomination process to identify an outstanding community advocate in recognition of their contribution to the HIV prevention research field through community advocacy. The nominations will be reviewed by a committee of stakeholders in the field and the selected individual will then be recognized and awarded at the Closing Ceremony of the Microbicides 2008 Conference.

Every two years, the Microbicides Conference confers awards to young investigators and an award for life-time achievement in the field. This new award for advocacy in Omololu's memory will be an important and ongoing recognition of the contribution of community advocates to the HIV prevention research field, and that their work can no longer go unrecognized. 

Please watch this space for more information about the awards and the process for nominating individuals.

In your memory, Omololu, alucha continua.

Award Planning Committee:

Katie West, Global Campaign for Microbicides (GCM)
Manju Chatani, African Microbicides Advocacy Group (AMAG) 
Mayowa Joel, Treatment Access Movement (TAM), Nigeria, 
Mitchell Warren, AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition (AVAC).
Morenike Ukpong, Nigeria HIV Vaccine & Microbicide Advocacy Group (NHVMAG)
Olayide Akanni, Journalists Against AIDS in Nigeria (JAAIDS)

For more information, please write to:
mailto:amag_info@yahoo.com

--
Manju Chatani
mailto:<mchatani@4u.com.gh