Private sector steps up for HIV fight as GGM Kili Challenge Warm-Up Walk signals new era of domestic financing

Corporate leaders, government officials, the private sector and and development partners gathered at Coco Beach in Dar es Salaam on 30 May 2026 to mark the official launch of the 2026 GGML Kilimanjaro Challenge Against HIV/AIDS — a fundraising campaign now in its 25th year that is targeting USD 1 million (approximately Sh2.6 billion) to sustain HIV prevention, treatment and care services across Tanzania.

The GGM Kili Challenge Warm-Up Walk, organised by Geita Gold Mining Limited (GGML) and the GGML Kili Challenge Trust in partnership with the CEO Roundtable of Tanzania (CEOrt) and TACAIDS, served as both a mobilisation event and a public statement: in a moment of declining international aid, Tanzania's private sector is stepping forward. The initiative, which involves climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, is part of the company's support for government efforts to combat HIV/AIDS and meet the global goal of zero new infections by 2030.

United Nations calls for sustained domestic commitment

Speaking at the launch, UN Resident Coordinator Ms. Susan Ngongi Namondo said the event represents 24 years of government, business and communities choosing to act together on one of the country's most serious public health challenges. She noted that the global development financing landscape is shifting, with official development assistance contracting and funding streams that have historically supported health programmes under pressure. In that context, the sustainability of Tanzania's gains in treatment coverage, HIV prevention and reducing stigma will increasingly depend on domestic resources, government commitment and a private sector that steps up in a sustained and meaningful way.

“Funding challenges make initiatives such as the Kili Challenge even more important because they help ensure that essential services continue reaching vulnerable communities.”

— UN Resident Coordinator, Ms. Susan Ngongi Namondo

Ms. Namondo reaffirmed that the United Nations is focused on working alongside governments and the private sector to build financing models that are rooted in Tanzania, owned by Tanzania and increasingly funded by Tanzania’s own institutions. This aligns with the country’s vision under Dira 2050, which positions the private sector not as a supporting actor but as a central player in Tanzania’s development story.

25 years of cross-sector partnership

The 2026 campaign marks the 25th anniversary of the GGML Kili Challenge Trust, which has for over two decades served as a key mechanism for channelling private sector resources into Tanzania’s national HIV and AIDS response, implemented in collaboration with TACAIDS.

This year’s campaign has partnered with the CEO Roundtable of Tanzania to expand private sector engagement and strengthen fundraising efforts. Participating organisations include Stanbic Bank Tanzania, NMB Bank, NBC Tanzania, Puma Energy, Heritage Insurance Tanzania, Coastal Aviation, Asante Tours and Mwananchi Communications Limited. The launch event attracted pledges exceeding Sh150 million, with additional fundraising activities expected to continue across different platforms until the Sh2.6 billion target is reached.

GGML Managing Director Ashraf Suryaningrat said the campaign is built on collective action, noting that the annual Kilimanjaro climb in July will be a major highlight in the broader fundraising drive.

“No single institution can win the fight against HIV/AIDS alone. That is not just a slogan — it is the operating reality we all face.”

— Simon Shayo, Vice President for Sustainability and Corporate Affairs, AngloGold Ashanti

The urgency behind the walk

Tanzania’s HIV burden underscores the urgency of sustained investment. The Tanzania HIV Impact Survey 2022–2023 estimated that approximately 1.5 million adults are living with HIV in the country, with around 60,000 new infections occurring every year. While Tanzania has made remarkable progress — with 83 per cent of people living with HIV aware of their status and 98 per cent of those on antiretroviral treatment — gaps remain in reaching the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets required to end the epidemic by 2030.

The Warm-Up Walk in Dar es Salaam was held in parallel with a second walk in Arusha, with participants across both cities walking in solidarity ahead of the main Kilimanjaro Challenge climb, scheduled for July 2026. Together, they carried a shared commitment to the Three Zeros: zero new infections, zero AIDS-related deaths, zero stigma.