Vu Thai Hoang (Ritchie)
CODE Project Focal Point
CARMAH (Center for Applied Research on Men and Community Health)
Vietnam
Ritchie is the CODE Project Focal Point at CARMAH (Center for Applied Research on Men and Community Health) in Ho Chi Minh City — a research centre founded of, by and for the LGBTQI+ community. Through the testSGN campaign, Ritchie has connected thousands of young MSM and trans women with HIV testing and PrEP services.
“Partnering with APCOM on the CODE project under the EJAF fund has been a pivotal step in advancing HIV response, LGBTIQ rights, and community resilience. Together, we are committed to creating inclusive spaces and driving lasting change for marginalized communities, ensuring their voices are heard in the fight for equality and health.”
Ritchie has led the testSGN campaign in Ho Chi Minh City since its inception, grounding it in partnerships: eight Memorandums of Understanding signed with community-based organisations, private clinics, the city health authority and an academic institute, ensuring the community’s role from the programme’s start.
Under Ritchie’s coordination, testSGN has focused on young men who have sex with men (YMSM), other MSM, and transgender women, delivering:
- A full-funnel digital strategy — the testSGN website, social media platforms on Facebook, Instagram and Threads, and advertising partnerships including with the dating app JackD.
- Community-cast campaign videos and photoshoots, with scripts developed from focus group discussions, and cultural PrEP events blending art and health.
- Impressive service results: in January–March 2025, 3,077 LGBTQ+ people were referred for or tested for HIV and 466 accessed PrEP following the campaign; in April–June 2025, a further 2,209 testing referrals and 491 PrEP linkages from 4,130 enquiries.
The team has navigated real challenges — strict advertising policies for HIV-related content and the freeze of USAID/PEPFAR support — responding with creative, compliant strategies to keep services visible.
About the project
About the Organisation behind the project
