Meet Marvelous Lunduka, an AWPCAB HIV Prevention Champion from Malawi. What began as a search for answers about HIV prevention became a journey of confidence, leadership, and helping others make informed choices about their health.
Growing up, Marvelous Lunduka believed that an HIV diagnosis was the end of a person's story.
It wasn't because someone had explained it that way. It was because of a song she learned in primary school. The lyrics described HIV as a killer, leaving her convinced that anyone living with the virus had little hope.
As she grew older, she learned about abstinence, faithfulness, and condoms as HIV prevention options. She occasionally heard people mention PrEP and PEP, but she didn't understand how they worked. More importantly, she was too afraid to ask.
"I didn't have the courage to ask people about it because I was afraid of being judged for bringing up such sensitive topics," she recalls.
That changed when she joined the AWPCAB HIV Prevention in Action Academy.
For Marvelous, the Academy was more than an opportunity to learn about HIV prevention options. It was a safe space to ask questions she had carried for years and gain the confidence to speak openly about HIV without fear or shame.
One activity, in particular, became a turning point.
On her very first day, participants were guided through a self-reflection exercise. Looking back on her own journey, Marvelous realised that past experiences and self-doubt had been holding her back. Choosing to forgive herself became the first step towards finding her voice.
"I used to look down on myself and was afraid of making mistakes," she says. "Now I understand that it's okay to make mistakes because that's how we learn and grow."
Today, Marvelous speaks with confidence about HIV prevention and believes that every person deserves the opportunity to choose the prevention option that best fits their lifestyle.
"If I don't stand up and talk today, how will people know about it, and how many lives will I be risking?" she says.
The Academy also deepened her understanding of HIV prevention choice. Among the options she learned about, the dapivirine ring stood out to her because it gives women greater control over their own health and allows them to make prevention decisions privately if they choose.
Armed with new knowledge and confidence, Marvelous has taken those conversations beyond the Academy. She has facilitated HIV prevention sessions in schools, hospitals, youth clubs, village banks, and community peer groups, helping young people better understand the different prevention options available to them.
One experience remains especially meaningful.
After leading a session at Chileka Health Centre, two participants decided to start using HIV prevention services and later visited the PrEP clinic to begin their chosen prevention option.
For Marvelous, that moment was proof that honest conversations can lead to informed choices.
Looking back, she believes the greatest transformation wasn't simply learning more about HIV.
It was discovering her own potential.
"The Academy has helped me build my confidence, improve my communication skills, and most importantly, become a leader," she says.
Her journey has also taught her a lesson she now carries into every community conversation:
"There is no end to learning. Learning doesn't only happen in school. It also comes from the people and communities around us."
Today, Marvelous continues to use her voice to create spaces where others feel safe to ask questions, learn without fear, and choose the HIV prevention option that's right for them.