Camp Moomba is a peer support and education program for youth living with, and affected by, HIV in British Columbia. It is a lifechanging program where campers (aged 6 - 17) get to spend a week together in a community where HIV doesn’t have to be a secret, and kids can be kids.
Our motto at Camp Moomba is, “friends together having fun.” Led by this philosophy, we blend camp traditions from canoeing to campfire with opportunities for leadership and peer education sessions focused on HIV. Each year, former campers return as volunteer leaders to carry on camp traditions and continue to build their community.
Camp Moomba was first offered in 1998 by the Western Canadian Pediatric AIDS Society, which later became The Moomba Society. In 2015, Moomba merged with YouthCO HIV & Hep C Society to provide ongoing opportunities for youth impacted by HIV after aging out of camp programs. Since 1998, this program has been provided to families at no cost!
Each year, we offer summer and winter camp sessions. At Moomba, youth benefit from a supportive community where we can talk openly about the ways HIV impacts campers' lives. Camper experience and formal research continues to show that creating opportunities for youth living with HIV to connect with their peers has positive impacts on health and wellbeing. This is just one reason that we are proud to offer Camp Moomba.
Camp Moomba is nearly entirely volunteer-run: each year, over 90% of our team volunteers their time throughout our camp session. To volunteer, reach out at http://www.youthco.org/get_involved.
Our programming is made possible thanks to the generosity of individual donors, the Provincial Health Services Authority, and a POSITIVE ACTION community grant from ViiV Healthcare. Our programming and peer education does not necessarily reflect the policies or opinions of any of these organizations, companies or individuals. We accept donations for this program year round! Donate online today at www.youthco.org/donate or get in touch at [email protected] or by calling 604-688-1441.