#ForeverWena WhatsApp Marketing case study

#ForeverWena: A digital revolution in HIV prevention among South African youth

70k+ youth reached

4.5k users educated on PrEP

2k+ health reminders activated

#ForeverWena is a groundbreaking HIV prevention initiative in South Africa, where over 8 million people live with the virus.

One of the world's top three NGOs, partnered with Ogilvy South Africa and charles to address the critical challenge of HIV prevention among the youth. They needed an innovative solution to overcome stigma, misinformation, and accessibility barriers that traditional awareness campaigns couldn't solve.

By leveraging charles' WhatsApp marketing platform and AI capabilities, #ForeverWena creates a private, judgement-free space for young South Africans to access vital sexual health information.

"I am encouraged by campaigns such as #ForeverWena, a movement that aims to empower youth to take charge of their sexual health. It encourages open, factual, and informative discussions about healthy sexual behaviour and choices through its WhatsApp chatbot, a digital campaign available 24/7 that offers a confidential space for people to access vital information and support."

Paul Mashatile

Deputy President of South Africa

Keynote address 01.12.2024

The Challenge:

“Technology holds the key to unlocking a new era of HIV prevention in South Africa.”

— Deputy President Paul Mashatile, World AIDS Day 2023

South Africa carries the heaviest HIV burden in the world, with over 8 million people living with the virus. Despite decades of awareness campaigns, stigma, misinformation, and lack of accessible education still put young people at risk.

On World AIDS Day 2023, Deputy President Paul Mashatile called for new, innovative solutions that could bridge the gap between knowledge and action. He emphasized the power of technology in making HIV prevention more engaging, accessible, and stigma-free for young South Africans.

Without trusted, accessible, and stigma-free resources, many young people are left uninformed, vulnerable, and at risk.

Just a few months later, in April 2024, a groundbreaking initiative answered this call.

Key issues this initiative aims to overcome are:

Cultural and linguistic barriers: South Africa’s diverse population needed a multilingual solution, so the chatbot is designed to support English, isiZulu, and Sesotho.
Stigma and privacy concerns: Many young people fear being judged when seeking information about sexual health. A digital, anonymous chatbot provided a safe alternative.
Lack of engagement in traditional campaigns: Integrating with a conversational AI platform could help offer interactive, personalized responses rather than static one-size-fits-all messages.

The Solution:

#ForeverWena, a WhatsApp-based and website AI chatbot, designed to provide free, confidential, and easy-to-understand sexual health information in a way that feels like texting a friend.

The biggest challenge in HIV prevention isn’t just a lack of information – it’s how that information is communicated. Traditional campaigns often fail to engage young people effectively, either by using outdated fear-based messaging or by delivering information in ways that don’t feel relevant or accessible.

The #ForeverWena WhatsApp and website chatbot allows users to:

Ask questions about HIV prevention, PrEP, and testing.
Receive reminders about sexual health check-ups and safe sex practices.
Access information in their preferred language (English, isiZulu, and Sesotho).
Engage in interactive quizzes to reinforce learning.

Why WhatsApp?

With over 90% smartphone penetration among young South Africans, WhatsApp is the most widely used platform.

WhatsApp proves to be the most popular channel, with 69% of users choosing it over the website widget (31%). This preference reflects the importance of reaching young people in familiar, everyday digital spaces.

WhatsApp flow for new users engaging with the #ForeverWena campaign

Website bot experience for new users engaging with the #ForeverWena campaign

The Impact:

The #ForeverWena campaign is empowering 70,000+ young South Africans in their fight against HIV.

56% of users actively interact with the AI-powered chat by typing questions rather than following pre-set paths.
44% of users come from Gauteng, with strong participation from Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.
PrEP education is a major success, with 4,500 users specifically seeking information on this preventive treatment.
More than 2,000 users opted in for health reminders, ensuring long-term engagement with HIV prevention strategies.

The ability to personalize conversations was also crucial – users could enter their name, alongside other optional information on their age, location, and gender, as well as choose from three local languages. Providing this information helped them select their preferred journey, creating a sense of ownership over their sexual health education.

*charles platform performance data from 29.04.2024 - 27.03.2025

Shifting the narrative on HIV

One of the most significant achievements of #ForeverWena is its ability to change the way young people talk about HIV. Instead of fear-based messaging, the campaign focuses on empowerment, self-care, and making informed choices.

As Deputy President Mashatile highlighted in his speech, HIV prevention efforts must evolve alongside the needs of the younger generation. Digital solutions like #ForeverWena provide a way forward, ensuring that every young person in South Africa has the tools and information they need to protect themselves and their future.

The campaign is backed by influential voices like rapper Cassper Nyovest, former Miss Universe Zozibini Tunzi, and radio host Unathi Nkayi, helping to destigmatize HIV prevention.

what's next?

The future of #ForeverWena lies in leveraging the powerful zero-party data collected through the campaign to expand the scale of education

While the campaign has already made an impact, there is more work to be done. Insights from the chatbot experience are shaping future developments, including:

Expanding the health reminder opt-in system to increase engagement

Reducing drop-off rates by refining chatbot interactions

Exploring the potential for similar digital interventions in other high-prevalence regions

#ForeverWena is proving that AI, conversational messaging apps like WhatsApp, and health education can come together to redefine HIV prevention.

The result? More young people empowered with knowledge, making informed choices, and taking control of their health – one conversation at a time.