Tanya Marlo (‘Ask Marlo’) works to reach young people with quality HIV information and guides them to tailored advice and services, such as HIV self-testing and PrEP.
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Background
The number of people dying of AIDS in Indonesia has grown with a staggering 55% since 2010. This is because only 26% of people with HIV receive lifesaving treatment.
More than half of the about 32,000 new HIV infections registered in Indonesia in 2019, occured among young people aged 15-24 years. 18% of gay men and 12% of transgender people are living with HIV. Violence against LGBTQI+ people has increased tremendously in recent years.
Due to conservative beliefs, young people in Indonesia have difficulties accessing sexual health information and services. At the same time, a large number of Indonesian youth have access to internet and smartphones. They know how to search for information, which opens up opportunities for reaching young people with SRHR information and services.
Objectives
Sexual health care in clinics is often denied to young people and members of the LGBTQI+ community. Therefore, we aim to:
- deliver non-judgemental, sex-positive HIV and SRHR information and services online and promote self-care products
- empower youth to claim their rights to get services and treatment in a health facility
- establish and find more youth- and LGBTQI+-friendly health facilities to refer to
Successes
In 2023:
- Tanya Marlo Chatbot Friends 5895
- Instagram Followers 7866
- Facebook page likes 11,511
- Website visits 5120
- TikTok likes 365,022
- Our partner YKS established a partnership with mental health organisation Sehat Jiwa. The Tanya Marlo website does now include a mental health landing page developed by Sehat Jiwa. The page includes information about mental health and links to their chat service and the support of psychology practitioners
Tanya Marlo was created to provide HIV information, PrEP and HIV community-based screening and self testing. Current Tanya Marlo platforms are a website, chatbot and social media. Developed in co-creation with UNAIDS between 2018 and 2020 and with the community, it is currently managed by Yayasan Kasih Suwitno.
The Stepped Care Model
The Stepped Care model for sexual and reproductive health provides a non-judgmental approach that is person-centred and responsive to the needs of young people, at the lowest possible cost.
It is a robust digital health ecosystem facilitating collaboration among stakeholders and integrating online and offline services for young people. Services that support all young people regardless of gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity or disability. Delivered just the way young people like it.
Discover the Stepped Care Model
Other youth brands under Stepped Care
Building upon more than 10 years of expertise of Stepped Care in the Netherlands with youth brand Sense, more brands are currently implemented internationally besides Tanya Marlo: B-wise in South Africa, One2One in Kenya, and Vibrações in Mozambique.
Funded by
We are grateful towards Elsevier Foundation for the co-funding provided to further develop and improve Tanya Marlo.
Contact information
Leon Essink, Project Lead Stepped Care
lessink@aidsfonds.nl
