In 2003, we took our knowledge of HIV/AIDS care for African communities in New York City to the frontlines of the global pandemic.
African Services now operates three HIV testing and care centers in Ethiopia. We have provided free HIV counseling and testing to more than 50,000 people at our Shola Market, Kombolcha and Mekelle clinics and have distributed millions of condoms in the last three years. All of our services of free of charge.
Our clinics are located in the open-air markets that are the center of commercial and social activity in Ethiopia. By working in the heart of the community, African Services has aggressively reached out to underserved populations and engaged those at most risk in HIV prevention, testing and care. Our expansion into Ethiopia's rural areas is part of this effort to eliminate barriers to care by delivering HIV services directly to the people who need them most.
By providing HIV services that are entirely free and confidential, African Services has played an important role in changing how HIV care is approached in Ethiopia. We have made real strides in normalizing HIV testing and easing the stigma associated with the virus, thereby improving the quality of life and health of everyone affected by HIV.
