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Welcome To Karumah

Karumah provides services to People Living With HIV (PLHIV) and their supporters in the Hunter-New England region. We are a not-for-profit organisation and are based in Newcastle, NSW.

HIV affects people from all walks of life and access to Karumah services is not limited to any particular demographic, lived experience, or background.

Karumah is the only organisation that works specifically with and for PLHIV in the Hunter-New England region. 

Our service users are actively involved in the design and delivery of all we do and community members are at the core of Karumah’s governance structure. 

Our programs are built around the Chronic Care Management Model. Chronic care management empowers people to take an active role in decisions around their health, goals, and other lifestyle choices. 

We use a non-judgmental, evidence-based approach that allows us to adapt and respond to the evolving needs of People Living with HIV.

Our range of services includes outreach, chronic case management, community and social support, peer leadership, advocacy, education and training.

Empower & Support

Karumah provides chronic case management, support and service referrals to People Living With HIV as well as their families, partners, carers and other supporters.

Create Safer Spaces

Karumah offers professional training and education for organisations across the health, aged care, and community sectors to help PLHIV receive the most appropriate care.

Building Connection

Karumah delivers social support through peer support and leadership programs, social events, workshops, and personal development opportunities. 

End HIV Stigma

Karumah is dedicated to fighting harmful HIV stigma through accurate and accessible education content across our both in-persoh and online.

We Endorse U=U

Karumah proudly endorses the “Undetectable equals Untransmittable” (U=U) Consensus Statement developed by the Prevention Access Campaign. We celebrate the evidence that viral suppression equals prevention and its life-changing impact on our community

There is now evidence-based confirmation that the risk of HIV transmission from a person living with HIV (PLHIV), who is on Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) and has achieved an undetectable viral load in their blood for at least 6 months is negligible to non-existent.

We are committed to using the latest scientific evidence in our work to remove barriers to diagnosis and treatment for all people and to help fight the stigma and discrimination still faced by People Living with HIV

Upcoming Events

Karumah regularly runs social, educational, and wellbeing-focused events in our region. We also share events from other organization and groups which may be of interest to our community. If you have any questions about attending any Karumah event, do not hesitate to email peersupport@karumah.org.au.

Finding Community

"Being able to say “this is what’s happened to me” and have people really understand. I tell my family that they are “my people” because we have something in common, and it only takes that one thread of something in common to expand and to get to know other people and to hear their story and where they’re from."

Anonymous - Karumah Service User

Empowerment

"I felt supported and I can now see a future for myself. Karumah’s involvement could well be considered part of that change. Like a partnership, the relationship is courteous, respectful and mindful."

Anonymous - Karumah Service User

Providing Support

"Karumah has been a great support for me in regards to life’s challenges. Whenever I needed to talk to someone there was always someone readily available."

Anonymous - Karumah Service User