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Our Story

The Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project (CTAOP) invests in African youth and their ability to keep themselves and their peers safe from HIV/AIDS. CTAOP was created in 2007 by Charlize Theron, Academy Award winning actor and UN Messenger of Peace, with the hope of making a difference in fighting HIV in her home country of South Africa. Although the geographic scope of CTAOP is sub-Saharan Africa, South Africa has remained the primary area of focus with the highest number of people living with HIV in the world.

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What We Do

Grassroots + Support

We connect community-based, African organizations (CTAOP’s Program Partners) to funding, capacity building, and broader resources. This allows these organizations to reach more young people with innovative programs and tools to help keep themselves and their peers safe from the disease.

We support Program Partners that use community-specific programming to educate, empower, and invest in young people between the ages of 10-20 years old. We strive to develop collaborative, long-term relationships with Program Partners built on mutual trust and respect. We further this investment through the CTAOP Youth Leaders Scholarship program, which provides holistic support to young people with high potential in their
pursuit of a tertiary degree.

Why Community Based Organizations (CBOs)?

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CBOs that understand and truly serve their own communities are best suited to effectively engage young people and provide critical tools that support adolescents and address their specific challenges. They are uniquely positioned to reach those that are falling through the cracks and are CTAOP’s expert partners – without them, fulfilling our mission would not be possible.  Learn more about the amazing community organizations based in Southern Africa that anchor our efforts.

Discover our Program Partners

Realities + Policy

We strive to ensure that policy remains connected to the realities on the ground. On a global stage, we shine a light and advocate for broader support for Community Based Organizations (CBOs), the rights and needs of young people as they relate to HIV prevention, and for general awareness of the AIDS epidemic. We share the stories, challenges, lessons and realities from the ground with policy makers and influencers to help build support at the policy level.

Partners + Cause

We partner with for-profit and nonprofit organizations to help connect them to the fight against HIV, and to leverage our strength in numbers. We seek out like-minded partners so we may augment and complement each other’s work.

Check out our partners

Our Theory of Change

For youth, protection from HIV is inherently tied to empowerment. Experience has taught us that education is a vital first step, but education alone is not enough. Issues like self-efficacy, gender inequity, stigma, access to youth-friendly health services and the ability to negotiate safe sexual relationships are equally important in addressing the needs of youth.

Reduced HIV infection among African Youth can be attributed to:

Access to Knowledge

1Access to Knowledge

Youth are reached with HIV/AIDS prevention interventions and sexual & reproductive health (SRH) education

Empowered Youth

2Empowered Youth

Youth have increased empowerment, self-efficacy, and agency

Responsible Communities

3Responsible Communities

Communities exercise decreased stigma and discrimination, provide improved access to youth-friendly health care, and take action to support youth

Access to Health Services

4Access to Health Services

Youth increase use of prevention and treatment services

Positive & Healthy Behavior

5Positive & Healthy Behavior

Youth exhibit positive and healthy changes in behavior

Our Council

CTAOP is grateful for the support of our Ubuntu Council.

The CTAOP Ubuntu Council is comprised of global leaders in HIV/AIDS, philanthropy, and business. These individuals lend their expertise and help to guide CTAOP’s strategic programmatic decisions. Ubuntu Council members serve as advocates for the organization and cause, lending their support through fundraising efforts, program trips, and organizational development.

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