In the dusty open space of Mbondo Business Centre, a group of elderly men gathered not for a land dispute, nor to settle family matters, but for something much more life-affirming, talking openly about their health. Under the shade of a tree, their meeting took the form of a traditional dare, a men’s court, but this time, the agenda was prostate cancer, HIV testing, and child protection.
Leading the session was not a village elder but Gogo Dorcas Mpofu, an elderly woman with a notebook in hand and wisdom in her voice. As one of the National AIDS Council (NAC)’s trained Behaviour Change Community Motivators (BCCMs), she is at the heart of a quiet yet powerful revolution, one that is reshaping how men in rural Zimbabwe perceive health, masculinity, and responsibility.
“Men are now attending in large numbers, which is encouraging,” Gogo Mpofu shared, her face beaming with pride. “We are seeing a real shift. I engage them on health-seeking behaviour and the importance of early diagnosis. It is gratifying to witness this transformation.”
The Behaviour Change Community Motivators Model is one of NAC’s most innovative grassroots responses to persistent health challenges in Matabeleland South—a province grappling with high HIV prevalence, rising teenage pregnancies, and underreported cases of child sexual exploitation. The model trains respected community members, like Gogo Mpofu, to facilitate peer-led discussions on sensitive topics that are often considered taboo among men.
The results are tangible and touching. Local men, many of whom had never sought medical care before, are now walking into clinics after attending Gogo Mpofu’s sessions. One elderly man recounted, “I went to the hospital after one of these meetings, and my condition was addressed.” Another added, “Men here are now more health-conscious, and we are thankful for this intervention.”
NAC’s Provincial Programmes Coordinator, Mr Wilfred Ngwenya, emphasized the growing impact of the initiative. “This programme is having an impact in communities. We are seeing a lot of men being referred to hospitals, and we are targeting community behaviours that may endanger their health,” he said.
The strength of the BCCM model lies in its cultural sensitivity and grassroots delivery. It doesn’t impose information, it invites conversation. It doesn’t lecture, it listens. And in communities where silence has often been mistaken for strength, it gives men permission to speak and to heal.
Importantly, the model is not operating in isolation. It is part of a broader web of NAC-driven interventions in the province, including the “Not in My Village” campaign, which tackles child sexual exploitation and gender-based violence, and Community ART Refill Groups (CARGs), which ensure consistent access to antiretroviral therapy for those living with HIV.
Analytically, the BCCM initiative illustrates how behaviour change is most effective when driven from within the community. By anchoring the model in trusted figures and indigenous settings like the dare, NAC has unlocked a powerful formula for social transformation: one rooted in respect, familiarity, and dialogue.
While the model is currently flourishing in Matabeleland South, it offers a blueprint for scaling up across the country, particularly in areas where stigma, misinformation, and cultural norms still hinder timely healthcare access. It shows that with the right messenger and method, even the most sensitive health issues can find space in communal conversations.
As Zimbabwe marches toward its goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030, programmes like the BCCM remind us that the fight is not only about medicine or infrastructure, it’s also about trust, dialogue, and the courage to talk. And sometimes, that courage begins under a tree, in a circle of men, led by a grandmother with a pen.
