“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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Medan faces significant challenges related to stigma and discrimination against PLHIV and the LGBTQI+ community. Access to healthcare services is limited, as many people are hesitant to seek medical help due to fears of rejection and discrimination. HIV issues and LGBTQI+ rights receive little policy attention, with healthcare services lacking inclusivity and minimal public education, worsening the situation for the LGBTQI+ community in addressing HIV in Medan.
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In summer 2024 Aidsfonds launched three new pilot projects for children living with HIV. These projects were selected by Aidsfonds’ Paediatric HIV Advisory Panel. The projects aim to test new and innovative community-based approaches to identify and support children living with HIV who are underserved. This is important as these children are hard to reach, falling through the crack in the health care system.
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