When he first started as a volunteer peer AIDS educator with the Township AIDS Project (TAP) at the age of 21, Stubbs Maluleke did not imagine that with hard work and commitment, he would soon become a TAP manager. What would have really shocked him would be to learn that by the time he turned 26 -- with the help of a PEAK Fellowship -- he would be responsible for initiating an active men’s AIDS-prevention NGO and a “cybercafe” that uses the Internet to reach teens with AIDS awareness messages.

Stubbs, one of the youngest PEAK Fellows to date, has proven that determination and drive are the most important elements in making the most of the PEAK opportunity. Stubbs applied for his fellowship to learn how to implement AIDS-prevention programs for youth. But what he gained went far beyond that. His placement included an internship at Advocates for Youth in Washington, D.C.; an HIV/AIDS training course from the International Health Program in California; participation in the Global Health Conference in Washington, D.C.; and a coordination role in a youth visibility campaign at the XIV International AIDS Conference in Barcelona, Spain.

The results have been extraordinary. For his applied project, Stubbs helped to organize a group of local men into an independent, non-profit organization committed to addressing gender-based violence and reducing the impact of HIV/AIDS in South Africa. He helped them to register as a legal NGO; secured their start-up funding and office; and educated them in areas such as sexual health, decision-making, and advocacy. Other local organizations are now approaching Stubbs for technical assistance.

Stubbs also capitalized on the relationship with his mentors from Advocates for Youth (AFY), one of his PEAK placement sites. With financial and technical support from AFY, Stubbs was able to implement one of its model interventions in his township -– an Internet cafe. The idea is simple: Teens are hungry for computer training and time on the Web. By helping to provide this, TAP can use these relationships and training sessions to convey AIDS- and sexuality-related messages that youth might otherwise bypass.

Stubbs feels the PEAK Fellowship has transformed him. “I went from an AIDS educator to the point-person for institutional strengthening, the capacity building of partner organizations, and the launch of a new initiative with my former host agency. I think I will be involved in community development on an even larger scale next year."

Please note that the duration of Stubbs' placement is not typical for current cohorts.