Our Story
Andy and Gay Wilkinson first traveled to Botswana, Africa in 1995. They were drawn to the beauty of the Tswana people and their culture, but very burdened by the fact that Africa has most of the world’s HIV/AIDS cases. The Wilkinsons saw up close the precious lives ravaged by this incurable disease.
Determined to help, Andy and Gay sold their home in the United States, said good-bye to family and friends and moved to Africa. Their mission was to bring hope and a new way forward by telling people about Jesus and teaching them how to stop the disease’s deadly progression by living by biblical truth.
Working Towards the
First Generation Free of HIV/AIDS
Cultural mores and customs such as polygamy, sexual promiscuity and alcoholism significantly contribute to the spread of HIV. This is why education is key.
Andy started teaching local youth True Love Waits and about the benefits of sexual abstinence before marriage including how it prevents the transmission of disease. He incorporated into his teaching One Love, a Biblically based curriculum from Samaritan’s Purse designed to teach how to form strong marriages and the benefits of fidelity to one spouse.
The response was miraculous. Young people now understood what caused the HIV/AIDS devastation in their families. True Love Waits teaching teams were formed and committed to teaching AIDS awareness to youth via rallies in schools, churches and community gatherings.
Young people from initial rallies are now leaders. With a focus on creating a better world for their children, these champions conduct rallies in their community and travel on HIHIA-provided motorbikes to spread the HIHIA True Love Waits/One Love movement throughout the region, Kenya and Tanzania.
Multiple people groups in multiple countries today are embracing safer lifestyle behaviors and recognizing they too can raise happy, healthy families and eradicate the disease.
Creating Hand In Hand In Africa
Upon returning home to the U.S. Andy and Gay formed a 501c3, The Foundation for the Relief of HIV/AIDS in South Africa. Its primary purpose was to financially support the newly established MFCC which had been granted South African non-government status. As the work spread into other African countries, the foundation began doing business as Hand In Hand In Africa (HIHIA) as of 2006.
Hand In Hand In Africa’s Impact
- Through its HIV/AIDS prevention education, HIHIA is introducing the people of sub-Sahara Africa to Jesus and teaching how He is their true source of hope.
- FOR 20+ YEARS GOD HAS FAITHFULLY RAISED UP INDIGENOUS LEADERS EAGER TO BE TRAINED TO TEACH GOD’S PLAN FOR SEXUAL RELATIONS AND MARRIAGE.
- Local HIHIA trainers are teaching the basics of HIV/AIDS, and the Biblical principles to help them overcome cultural mores and sexual promiscuity, and avoid HIV.
- Trainers are strategically positioned to spread the message in an ever-widening circle in Kenya and Tanzania.
- Events held in churches, primary and secondary schools, and community gatherings are reaching all ages with the Biblical truths. HIHIA funds these events by supplying bottled water or sodas and covering expenses such as printing.
- Those living in the most remote areas of Kenya and Tanzania are hungry for our message of hope. But those locations are difficult to reach so we provide motorbikes and fuel for transportation.
- We’re grateful for how God has raised up dedicated and highly qualified board members who voluntarily perform the organization’s administrative functions, management, and oversight. Overhead expenses are limited to audit fees, software, publications and communications. That means 90-95 percent of donations go directly to our HIV/AIDS education programs in Africa.
Our Mission
Our mission is to eradicate HIV/AIDS through education. We accomplish this mission by teaching culture, heart, and life-style changing curriculum to local leaders from cities and villages throughout the African countries of Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa.