Since AJEPS was established officially in 2005, the association has seen many members come and go for various reasons. Often, members become very

active when they first join an association, as most members are sick and in need of both medical and psychosocial support. As members begin treatment, receive assistance from the association, and become healthier, their active participation often begins to decline.

To keep them involved, the Peer Educators of AJEPS have been visiting all of the previous members of the association to re-energize participation in association activities. This initiative was largely motivated by the recent election of a new executive office and the re-launch of the association’s income generation activities.

AJEPS also officially joined a regional network of organizations working on HIV response in the region, called RELIVS. This is an important achievement, as it highlights the autonomy of AJEPS after three years of collaboration with EFA. EFA works with network associations to become self-sustaining and independent. Associations are encouraged to regard themselves as active actors in the fight against AIDS, rather than as beneficiary groups. Though this process takes time, AJEPS independently joining this network, alongside EFA as a partner in the network, indicates that this important message is taking hold.

Tags: AJEPS, Maroua, News from Cameroon, peer education, peer mentoring, RELIVS