“Young people need to be in charge of their health because we will be able to improve different aspects when it comes to service provision, implementation of programmes that target us as young people, the research around young people and also the advocacy around the diverse population of young people. Says, Brenda Bakobye of Y+ Kenya, the national network of young people living with HIV in Kenya. Watch Brenda in this powerful video below.
“I’m pretty sure we will be able to identify ways in which we can be effectively engaged”
“Hey everyone, I’m Brenda Bakubai from Nairobi. I work with Y+ Kenya and also the Her Voice ambassador Kenya and I’m glad to be here and meet you all virtually. Why young people should be in charge of their own health: as a young person I have learned and experienced that you are very vulnerable on issues related to sexual and reproductive health. And our vulnerability is mostly increased through multiple intersecting forms of discrimination as well as structural inequality, with unprotected sex, forced sex, intergenerational sex, etc. Using our lived and programming experience we will be able to highlight and bring forth our perspective of the diverse population when it comes to young people. We are talking about adolescents and young women. We are talking about the key populations. We are talking about young people living with disability. and bringing this on board will help the programmes and service providers to meet them at their needs and have a better health outcome.
By leading as young people when it comes to the change we want to see, I’m pretty sure we will be able to identify ways in which we can be effectively engaged and by this at the leadership level will be able to improve different aspects when it comes to service provision, implementation of programmes that target us as young people, the research around young people and also the advocacy around the diverse population of young people. Thank you!”
About YouthWise
The YouthWise project aims to amplify the voices of young people living with HIV in Kenya and Malawi to enable them to practice self-care and fulfil their sexual and reproductive health and rights needs. YouthWise is a youth- and women-led project, implemented by Y+ Global, Y+ Kenya and Y+ Malawi which are networks of young people living with HIV, AYARHEP (Ambassador for Youth and Adolescent Reproductive Health Programmes) in Kenya and the Coalition of Women Living with HIV and AIDS (COWLHA) in Malawi.
There is a high need to improve treatment outcomes and quality of life for adolescents and young people living with HIV. YouthWise aims to amplify the voices of young people living with HIV in Kenya and Malawi to enable them to practice self-care and fulfil their sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) needs.
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Today, the European Commission announced its intention to pledge a total of €700 million overall for the 8th Global Fund’s replenishment, subject to the outcome of the upcoming Multiannual Financial Framework negotiations. At a time when budgets are under strain, priorities are competing, and the world feels increasingly unstable, stepping up for people affected by HIV, TB and malaria around the world is very welcome and a clear sign of the EU’s ambition to lead on global health. This commitment will help save millions of lives and keep everyone safer, including in Europe. It will support Africa’s ability to lead on its own health priorities, and build resilience in places under severe stress. This includes countries affected by war, such as Ukraine, where the continuity of HIV and TB services is critical not only for emergency response, but also for long-term recovery. With many donors cutting back on aid, the Commission’s renewed support for the Global Fund sends a much-needed signal of leadership and solidarity.
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Sidaction and Aidsfonds are pleased to jointly launch a call for scientific proposals for the year 2026, aimed at accelerating advances in HIV cure research. The aim of this call for proposals is to fund research projects exploring mechanisms or strategies that will contribute to achieving a cure or remission for HIV. Projects may investigate mechanisms to target the viral reservoir or enhance immune-driven control, the development of new therapeutic concepts, as well as research in the social sciences related to HIV cure or remission. Through this call, we aim to support research that will ultimately lead to major biomedical breakthroughs, foster social acceptance of cure interventions, and promote an HIV cure accessible to the largest possible number of people living with HIV worldwide.
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