Sophie has over two decades of pioneering grassroots initiatives and top-level policy focused on benefitting women and young people. Living with HIV for 30 years, Sophie embraces diversity and works to integrate sexual and reproductive rights, health and HIV. Sophie’s commitment to social justice drives her vision for an equitable world and she is guided by principles of integrity, responsibility, and accountability. In 2001, as a young woman, Sophie founded Choose Life, a youth-led grassroots organization, and developed a comprehensive sexuality education and HIV training program, implemented in 30 schools in Zimbabwe over five years, reaching over 7,000 youth. From 2006 to 2011, she worked with the World YWCA, where she developed and implemented their Global SRHR and HIV Strategy. Since 2012, Sophie consultancy work, has focused on advocating for the rights of women living with HIV. She played a key role in the UNAIDS Dialogue Platform of women living with HIV, contributed to the 2017 WHO guidelines on SRHR for women living with HIV, and developed a Checklist (endorsed by UNAIDS and now owned by WHO) for its implementation in countries. In 2019, Sophie was elected chair of WHO’s Advisory Group of women living with HIV. Sophie’s work with the Global Fund began with analysing the gender aspects and impacts of the Fund. She significantly supported the inception phase of Women4GlobalFund (W4GF) and led W4GF from August 2016 to July 2022, enhancing visibility and action around women and gender issues. In 2023, Sophie joined the DCNGO Delegation as the CFP.
