who we are
Dear Colleague / Activist / Fellow Human
Since 2010 IHP has been a resource for isolated HIV clinicians and community activists in underserved regions in Europe and Central Asia, the Middle East and North Africa, and now in Asia
ReShape launched in 2013, as an initiative to “reshape the response to HIV, viral hepatitis and related sexual and mental health concerns” in the context of new, but high cost, Hep C treatments, a lag in PrEP approval, the growing chemsex crisis, and a sense by some that our movement was under performing
The social inequities exposed by Covid-19, now coinciding with the the 40th anniversary reflections on the history and future of HIV, have brought renewed focus on the intractable inequities in the HIV model which, all too sadly mirror those in Covid-19
As terrible as it’s been, Covid-19 has served as an incubator for new solutions to long lasting problems and a catalyst for innovation
As ReShape/International HIV Partnership we have intense commitment to new ideas, new collaborations, and new approaches to fulfill the promises of the HIV model for people, communities and regions who are still not being seen, remain ignored, or distanced from evidence-based solutions benefitting others
We’re clearly in a moment of profound transition. We are not going to fulfil the promises of 21st century medical and social science without addressing the marginalisation and stigmatisation inside our key communities. “What got us here, won’t get us there”
We are not discarding the HIV model but insisting it fulfil its promise and potential. The model serves many marginalised people, especially white and gay men. We all know the challenges that service has entailed. Yet the pathways we’ve developed for those marginalised people have become in strange ways “owned” by them, unable to be shared. This is not news. Change happens fitfully and unequally.
Like so many of the people we quote attest: we can fix it. We can centre the needs and aspirations of more marginalised communities. But the sector, the funding processes, the established way of doing things will need to evolve to challenge the entire system of marginalisation and othering rather than just meet the needs of more privileged, the less isolated marginalised groups
This will be far from easy, which makes the work we propose to focus on emerging activists and empowering marginalised communities is so central to the solution
In Solidarity
Ben with Nia
ReShape/International HIV Partnerships is an effective project generator, think tank and resource consultancy, for advances in sexual health, mental health, and social wellbeing to counter social and structural inequities. We collaborate with activist-organisers in Europe and Central Asia, the Middle East and North Africa, and Asia
Working in marginalised regions and communities, our current primary focus is access to community-influenced, person-centred combination prevention, diagnostics, treatment and care for HIV, viral hepatitis, and STIs, coupled with Covid-19 response as possible.
We aim to inspire hope and change through mutual mentoring, open-source sharing, collaboration, participatory project development, networking and movement building with a particular focus on emerging activists.
ReShape/IHP is the secretariat for the European Chemsex Forum (https://ihp.hiv/ecf/)
Our organisation exists as ReShape/International HIV Partnerships Community Interest Company in the UK and ReShape/International HIV Partnerships Stichting in The Netherlands
Ben Collins
Director He/Him
Nia Dunbar
Communications Lead They/Them
Nia is Communications Lead at ReShape/International HIV Partnerships (IHP). They have worked at IHP for over six years and is part of the secretariat organising the European Chemsex Forum. They were a co-author of the Chemsex Position Paper
Nia has worked for many years in healthcare and has a particular interest mental and sexual health, stigma and trauma recovery
A photography graduate, Nia has in past lives in make-up artistry and acting. They enjoy spending time with their family, dogs Scooby and Louie and their plants
Anjula Weeranayake
IT Consultant He/Him
Anjula is an ICSI,CISCO and Fortinet certified IT engineer having years of experience in working with different industries around the world
He is of the belief that as a tech enthusiast he has a social responsibility in helping others in need through his professionalism. Thus, is quite happy and enjoys accomplishing this vision of his
Anjula has put this vision into action by being an active volunteer in several United Nations programs. In addition, he runs a free online help center to help victims of cyberbullying
To make his services more outstanding he has also acquired relevant knowledge in different areas like Project Management, Digital Branding & Marketing, Human Resource Management through professional certifications
He is also a proud product from the University of Bedfordshire ,UK