Communities of Faith Breakfast: Building Partnerships for a One-Community Response to HIV-innovative approaches and joint actions through faith partnerships to achieve epidemic control: finding the missing men and seeking justice for children.

The breakfast in in conjunction with the 2019 United Nations General Assembly High Level Segment. It will be a unique opportunity to strengthen old relationships and to forge new partnerships between faiths and other sectors to address key gaps toward achieving HIV epidemic control and ensuring justice for children. Participants will be leaders from the religious, political, civil society, and business communities.

This event is organized by Faith Partners collaborating with the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

Bobby was born in 1996 in the small, mountainous country of Lesotho. His mother was living with HIV, and, unknown to him, he was born with the virus. He lost his little brother when he was just four years old and his little sister when she was just six to meningitis—a devasting blow to Bobby. Life was hard, and at 12 years old he received news that was to change his life forever. He was diagnosed with tuberculosis and found out that both his mother and father were living with HIV.

But Bobby didn’t give up. “Some people wanted to break me, but they only made me stronger. Some people wanted to exploit me, but they only made me smarter,” said Bobby. “Taking pills and going from an HIV-positive child to an HIV-positive activist has not been easy. I faced a lot of stigma and discrimination. But one of my biggest dreams is to live and to contribute, which is why I’m here today.”

On 26 September, Bobby shared his journey with an audience of more than 150 faith leaders and partners working on HIV at the Communities of Faith Breakfast, held at the Yale Club, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, United States of America. Read more via UNAIDS