Youth-friendly spaces help combat HIV among young Kenyans

In a modest room tucked inside Ndege Oriedo Dispensary in Kamagambo, Rongo Sub-County, groups of young people gather every Sunday afternoon, not for recreation, but for survival. They come to learn, share, and heal — united in a cause greater than themselves: the fight against HIV, teenage pregnancies, and sexual and gender-based violence.

This room, known as a youth-friendly space, is helping bridge the gap between young people and reproductive health services. Traditionally, most adolescents shy away from hospitals due to stigma and judgmental attitudes, especially when seeking services like HIV testing, family planning, or post-violence support. Now, by interacting with trained peers and relatable mentors, these youth feel more comfortable confronting the challenges that come with growing up.

“We saw rising cases of teen pregnancies and new HIV infections among young people,” said Brevile Oyugi, Secretary of the Ndege Oriedo Youth Group. “It was clear the problem was lack of accurate information. So we came together — young people with empowered knowledge on sexual and reproductive health — to educate our peers and help reduce the numbers. Each month, we reach over 1,000 youth.”

The peer-led sessions discuss topics often considered taboo in many communities: condom use, consent, gender-based violence, and HIV care. Messages of hope and resilience, handwritten by the youth, line the walls — creating a supportive atmosphere that encourages openness.

Molly Tau, Chairperson of Maisha Youth, highlighted the broader impact of the initiative. “Through the Youth Empowerment Centre (YEC), supported by Youth for Sustainable World (YSW), we’ve extended our programs across the four wards of Kamagambo. These sessions empower young people to not only protect themselves, but also become ambassadors of change in their communities.”

What makes the Ndege Oriedo space especially unique is the leadership behind it. The sessions are often facilitated by young mothers — many of whom are survivors of sexual violence. Some are living with HIV and have courageously chosen to use their personal experiences to mentor others.

“We’ve taken ownership of our past and now want to prevent the next generation from falling into the same traps,” said one of the facilitators, who asked to remain anonymous. “Our stories are real, and that authenticity helps open up the conversations.”

According to Stephen Oyugi, the South Nyanza Regional Coordinator at the National Syndemic Diseases Control Council (NSDCC), the “triple threat” facing adolescent girls and young women remains a pressing concern.

“Our biggest threat today is the triple threat: new HIV infections, mistimed pregnancies, and sexual and gender-based violence,” Oyugi said. “Once a girl becomes pregnant, school re-entry becomes difficult despite government efforts. We must tackle these issues to ensure girls complete their education.”

He added that although Homa Bay once ranked highest nationally in HIV prevalence, recent efforts — including youth-focused interventions — have led to a positive trajectory. “New infection rates are going down, and the disease burden is stabilizing at 9.7 percent,” he said.

The demographic reality that over half of Kenya’s population is under 25 gives added urgency to these efforts.

“If we are to benefit from the demographic dividend, we must nurture this age group,” Oyugi emphasized. “They are the future labor force for Kenya’s transition to a middle-income country.”

Clement Lokoma, Programme Officer at Youth for Sustainable World, echoed the importance of safe spaces. “We partnered with the Migori County Department of Health to establish this Youth Empowerment Centre so that young people can access information in an environment that feels safe and welcoming,” he said. “This space is for the youth. It belongs to them.”

Denish Mboya, Vice Chairperson of the Ndege Oriedo Youth Group, explained why Sundays were chosen for their sessions. “Most youths are free on Sunday. That’s when we gather to discuss health issues — especially those that young people often don’t know where or how to talk about. Here, they’re free.”

As the program continues to grow, the organizers are calling on more partners to support the initiative — not just with materials but with sustained collaboration.

“Receiving chairs is not enough,” said Tau. “Our youth need more resources to keep this movement going. When people come together, good things happen.”

In this small room in Kamagambo, young people are proving that peer education, empathy, and safe spaces can indeed turn the tide against the HIV epidemic and rewrite the future for a generation.