My name is Catherine Ndashe Phiri – better known as Cathy.  I was Vice President in MTV International’s Social Responsibility department, based in London.  I worked specifically on MTV’s award-winning international HIV/AIDS campaign, Staying Alive campaign.  I’ve been working in the field of HIV/AIDS and media since 1995, when my sisters and I started up a non-governmental organisation in Zambia called Youth Media.  That led to the development of the award-winning newspaper (later magazine), Trendsetters.

My role involved everything from writing funding proposals to executive producing television programmes that put across messaging for young people on sexual health issues.

I’m also the 2009 recipient of the Johns Hopkin’s Universtity’s Center for Communication Program’s Gold Medallion Award – for ‘excellence in health communication’.  I’m currently pursuing an MBA, probably specialising in Marketing.

This blog started out on me focusing on my work as well as my opinions of things going on in the HIV/AIDS world.   I recently made the decision to resign from MTV and return to Zambia to focus on my company with my siblings – http://www.media365.co.zm – as well as being closer to my family and finding my way – my personal legend.

This is a personal blog – just so you know (that means all my views are my own).