What The Centre for Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS Research does

The Centre for Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS Research (CeSHHAR Zimbabwe) is a non-profit research and implementation organization founded in 1999 as the Regai Dzive Shiri Project and registered as a Trust in 2012 and Private Voluntary Organisation in 2014. Headquartered in Harare, CeSHHAR operates across three programmatic departments: the Key Populations (KP) Programme delivering differentiated HIV prevention and care through 140 implementation sites and 927 community cadres across all 10 provinces of Zimbabwe; the Sexual and Reproductive Health and Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (SRH & MNCH) department; and the Climate, Environment and Health Department (CEHD), which runs the NIH-funded HE2AT Center, the European Commission-funded HIGH Horizons project, the NIH-funded CHEAQI-MNCH study, and the Wellcome-funded HAPI Program.

CeSHHAR's core technology stack comprises the CeSHHAR ID system linking all facilities for cross-site information sharing, mHealth self-care platforms evaluated through the MASCOT study, behavioural conversation algorithms (AIMS) used by community health workers, and a data science prototype (CARBOMICA) for healthcare carbon-emissions analysis. Its research portfolio includes the Wellcome Trust-funded AMETHIST trial (microplanning for sex workers), the TOPAZ pharmacy-based PrEP study, the APS PrEP intervention study, and the Mercury Health Ambassadors vaccine-hesitancy trial, alongside government partnership on lenacapavir rollout.

The business model is a grant-funded non-profit with no commercial revenue stream. Funding flows from The Global Fund (since 2018 as sub-sub-recipient under Zimbabwe's National AIDS Council), the U.S. National Institutes of Health, Wellcome Trust, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the European Commission, Unitaid, PEPFAR through USAID, UNAIDS, EDCTP, Templeton World Charity Foundation, and the Government of Zimbabwe Ministry of Health. Services are delivered free of charge to beneficiaries—primarily female sex workers, people who inject drugs, men who have sex with men, transgender people, young women selling sex, and pregnant women and children. Customers in the funder sense include multilateral donors, the Zimbabwe government, and academic collaborators such as the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and Ghent University.

Name

The Centre for Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS Research

Legal name

Centre for Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS Research Zimbabwe (CeSHHAR Zimbabwe)

Website

https://ceshhar.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

CeSHHAR Zimbabwe is a non-profit research and implementation organization operating 140 sites across all 10 provinces of Zimbabwe, delivering HIV prevention, sexual and reproductive health, and climate-health research and programs primarily for key populations and women and children.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Health Research and HIV Implementation Services

NAICS

Health Care and Social Assistance (62), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720), Family Planning Centers (62141)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090), Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011)

akta.pro primary industry

Disease-Specific Global Programs (HIV/TB/Malaria/NTDs) (HLAJAKAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

HIV/AIDS Medicine (HLAKAGAB), Sexual Health & STI/HIV Prevention Health Departments (HLAJAAAL), Sexual Health & Relationship Wellness Education (EDAAAHAM)

Keywords

• HIV prevention programs
• Sexual health research
• Key population services
• Maternal child health
• Climate health research

Headquarters

HQ city

Harare

HQ country

Zimbabwe

HQ region

Africa

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding: CeSHHAR operates as a non-profit research organization primarily funded through international grants from organizations such as NIH, Wellcome Trust, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, European Commission, Unitaid, and bilateral donors.
2. Sub-recipient Arrangements: Since 2018, CeSHHAR has been a sub-sub-recipient (SSR) of The Global Fund under the National AIDS Council (NAC), enabling scale-up of key populations programming.
3. Government Partnerships: Zimbabwe government-funded programs for HIV prevention including the rollout of lenacapavir, funded by the Global Fund and PEPFAR.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

CeSHHAR Zimbabwe is a non-profit research and implementation organization that conducts HIV and sexual health research, delivers differentiated HIV prevention and care services to key populations across 140 implementation sites in all 10 provinces of Zimbabwe, and produces peer-reviewed evidence to inform national and international health policy. It also runs three core program departments — Key Populations, Sexual and Reproductive Health/Maternal-Newborn-Child Health, and Climate, Environment & Health — alongside multiple funded research studies and capacity-building activities.

Product overview

CeSHHAR Zimbabwe is a research and implementation organization that operates three core programmatic departments: Key Populations (KP), Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) & MNCH, and Climate, Environment and Health (CEHD). The KP Programme delivers HIV prevention and care services across 140 sites in all 10 provinces through community cadres. The SRH department conducts research on HIV, family planning, cervical cancer, and adolescent health. The CEHD focuses on climate-health intersections through initiatives like the NIH-funded HE2AT Center and the Horizons Europe-funded HIGH Horizons project. The organization also hosts the annual ECRI Conference and the Climate and Health Africa Conference. Research studies include the AMETHIST trial, TOPAZ, APS, MASCOT, and CHEAQI-MNCH studies. A proprietary CARBOMICA data science tool supports carbon emission analysis in healthcare facilities. The organization publishes peer-reviewed research and operates clinic facilities including Victoria Falls and Mbare Hostels clinics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Key Populations (KP) Programme Differentiated combination HIV prevention, care and treatment services for sex workers, men who have sex with men, transgender people, people who inject drugs, and their sexual partners, delivered across 140 static and community-based sites in all 10 provinces of Zimbabwe through 927 trained community cadres.
• Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) and Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) Department Research portfolio developing and evaluating strategies to improve uptake of HIV/SRH integration, family planning, HPV and cervical cancer prevention, and adolescent sexual health in Zimbabwe.
• Climate, Environment and Health Department (CEHD) Research and policy programme examining how climate change (heat, air quality) affects maternal, neonatal and child health in sub-Saharan Africa and supporting equitable, evidence-based adaptation strategies.
• Safety Network Model Sex worker-led self-help group model piloted in Makoni district that collectivizes key populations to address stigma, discrimination, sexual and gender-based violence, and access to HIV services.
• AMETHIST Trial (Adapted Microplanning to Eliminate Transmissible HIV in Sex Transactions) Wellcome Trust-funded intervention trial that adapts community-led microplanning to improve condom and PrEP use and evaluate cost-effectiveness of HIV prevention among female sex workers.
• TOPAZ Study (Pharmacy-based PrEP for Young Women who Sell Sex) Study exploring pharmacy-based distribution of PrEP to young women who sell sex in Zimbabwe to expand access beyond clinic settings.
• APS Study (PrEP intervention for adolescent girls and young women) Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation-supported study developing a new PrEP intervention to improve uptake and retention of PrEP among adolescent girls and young women in Zimbabwe.
• MASCOT Study (Mobile health supported self-care among tertiary education students) Research Professorship study evaluating mHealth-supported self-care interventions for HIV and sexual health among tertiary education students in Zimbabwe.
• HE2AT Center (Heat and Health African Transdisciplinary Center) NIH-funded transdisciplinary center examining the effects of ambient heat on maternal, neonatal and child health outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa.
• HIGH Horizons (Heat Indicators for Global Health Horizons) European Commission (Horizons Europe) funded project co-developing solutions to protect pregnant and post-partum women, children, and health workers from adverse impacts of heat.
• CHEAQI-MNCH (Characterising Effects of Air Quality in Maternal and Neonatal Child Health) NIH-funded study investigating correlations between air quality indicators and maternal and child health outcomes.
• HAPI Program (Heat Adaptation for Pregnant Women and Infants Program) Wellcome Trust funded programme identifying the impact of rising temperatures on maternal and newborn health and advancing heat-adaptation policies in low- and middle-income countries.
• CARBOMICA Data science prototype tool that informs selection of mitigation interventions to reduce carbon emissions in healthcare facilities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 97% ART initiation rate (2101/2160 newly identified positives)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• National AIDS Council (NAC) ZimbabwecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCeSHHAR's Key Populations programming aligns with NAC's National HIV Response Strategy and Zimbabwe National HIV/AIDS Strategic Plan (ZNASP). NAC serves as the sub-recipient of The Global Fund with CeSHHAR as SSR.
• UNAIDScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima visited CeSHHAR's Victoria Falls Clinic on World AIDS Day 2023 to highlight contributions of Key Populations programming to achieving HIV epidemic control in Zimbabwe.
• Liverpool School of Tropical MedicinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessor Stanley Luchters holds academic appointment at LSTM. LSTM's Director participated in ECRI 2023 conference. Climate and Health Africa Conference co-organized with LSTM involvement.
• Government of Zimbabwe - Ministry of Health and Child CarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCeSHHAR works closely with the Ministry on National HIV Response Strategy and ZNASP. Minister Dr. Douglas Mombeshora inaugurated ECRI 2023 and participated in Climate and Health Africa Conference.
• Government of Zimbabwe - Ministry of Environment, Climate and WildlifecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of the Climate and Health Africa Conference 2024 with Ministry of Environment, Climate and Wildlife and Ministry of Health and Childcare.
• World Health Organization (WHO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWHO AFRO Director participated in Climate and Health Africa Conference. WHO-funded studies including CAB-LA preferences research among sex workers.
• Africa CDCmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAfrica CDC Regional Director participated in Climate and Health Africa Conference representing the African Union's health priorities.
• World BankmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorld Bank Global Solutions Lead for Service Delivery participated as keynote speaker at Climate and Health Africa Conference.
• AMREF Health AfricamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDirector for Population Health and Environment participated in Climate and Health Africa Conference.
• Midlands State UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFinalized project-level MOU with MSU with broader MOU in progress. Vice Chancellor participated in ECRI 2023. Prof. Stanley Luchters delivered public lectures.
• Bindura University of Science and EducationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVice Chancellor participated as keynote speaker at ECRI 2023 conference.
• Ghent UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessor Stanley Luchters holds academic appointment as Visiting Professor. PhD supervision and collaborative research.
• Wellcome TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHead of Capacity and Field Development - Climate and Health at Wellcome Trust participated in Climate and Health Africa Conference. Funds HAPI Program.
• Science for Africa FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Judy Omumbo participated in Climate and Health Africa Conference providing conference summary and reflections.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute (Wits RHI): University of Witwatersrand-affiliated institute running large-scale HIV prevention, treatment, and sexual health programs for key populations across Southern Africa; very close functional comparator to CeSHHAR's KP portfolio.
• Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI): Major South African HIV/TB research institute with strong population-based cohorts and global health donor funding; comparable as a sub-Saharan African research and implementation organization working on HIV, sexual health, and related comorbidities.
• Desmond Tutu Health Foundation: South Africa-based HIV prevention and sexual health research organization focused on key populations and adolescent girls; directly comparable as an African NGO running HIV/SRH research and implementation programs with similar donor mix.

Broad incumbents

• Population Council: Global non-profit conducting biomedical and social science research on HIV, SRH, and gender; comparable in research methodology and donor mix, though operating at much broader geographic and programmatic scale.
• Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI): Global health organization focused on HIV product access and pricing, including PrEP and lenacapavir scale-up in Africa; directly relevant as both a peer and a potential partner in CeSHHAR's long-acting PrEP rollout work.
• FHI 360: Large international NGO implementing PEPFAR-funded HIV programs and SRH research globally; competes for overlapping donor contracts and shares CeSHHAR's emphasis on evidence-based implementation and capacity building.
• Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF): International medical humanitarian organization running HIV, SRH, and key population programs across sub-Saharan Africa; comparable in service-delivery orientation though broader in mandate and geographic scope.
• PATH: Global health non-profit working on HIV, SRH, and emerging health threats including climate-health; comparable funding architecture (Gates, USAID, WHO) and a broader portfolio than CeSHHAR's country-focused offering.
• Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF): Large global HIV/AIDS organization active in dozens of countries with PEPFAR funding; competes for the same Global Fund / PEPFAR awards but at materially larger scale across multiple countries and disease areas.

Emerging players

• AVAC: HIV prevention advocacy and research organization with deep involvement in PrEP, long-acting HIV prevention products, and implementation science; overlaps with CeSHHAR's research portfolio on novel PrEP modalities and KP programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CeSHHAR
• Facebookfacebook.com/CeSHHAR.Zimbabwe
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ceshharzimbabwe

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Centre for Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS Research