This publication is intended to spark interest, inquiry and discussion around community innovations. It draws on the response to the AIDS epidemic—a prime example of disruptive community innovations, not only in the health sector, but with far reaching implications for nearly every aspect of people’s lives—to show that innovation is about enabling communities to have the space, freedom and support to initiate and make changes for themselves. Providing snapshots of innovations across a range of HIV-related themes and geographical areas, this booklet illustrates community innovations through 10 stories on a range of topics, including HIV treatment, mental health issues, tuberculosis (TB) care, service quality, and advocacy to decriminalize consensual same-sex sexual acts. The examples presented here demonstrate both the evolving nature of the challenges faced by an effective HIV response and the ingenuity of the communities that devise ways to overcome them.
