Africa bares the greatest weight as far as the HIV epidemic is concerned. Approximately over half of the populations in sub Sahara Africa are either affected or infected. According to 2009 KAIS Report, the HIV prevalence in Kenya alone is 7.1%. In our community, there are a number of young people living with HIV and AIDS, many of whom do not have access to appropriate information, treatment, care and support, and developing adequate positive-living skills needed to live healthy, while those not living with HIV do not have appropriate information, capacity and skills to prevent new infections.
MYSA HIV prevention programme is responding to the increasing incidences of HIV and AIDS, addressing issues of HIV acquisition and transmission, related stigma and discrimination are key to our intervention.
In response to reducing HIV acquisition MYSA HIV prevention programme conducted a Kicking AIDS Out peer leader training for twenty young people (10 boys and 10 females) from Mathare and its environs, the training took place at MYSA headquarters in Komarock complex and was facilitated by MYSA Kicking AIDS Out trained Leader Level 1’s namely Jackline Karambu, Elizabeth Ajing , Magret Waigumo, Kennedy Makau, Joseph Shiundu and John Ngugi.
The training was an eye opener to the participants, based on their sexual reproductive health related issues which also addressed HIV and AIDS issues. The sessions were interactive with the facilitators using participatory methodologies in every session that kept the participants on the edge of their seats. The training emphasized on sexual health rights which created a forum for the Peer Leaders to facilitate the process of offering referrals to their peers to Youth Friendly services within their respective communities
The training also focused on linking movement games with life skills through interactive sessions, debriefing both theoretical and practical. The facilitators also demonstrated to the participants how to conduct Kicking Aids Out sessions using drills, they focused on different aspects of sports training which included; workups, orientation, learning phase, end game and cool down. The participants were later paired into groups of two’s to invent new games and were each assigned a topic to link them with sport skills.
The participants came up with new games and had an opportunity to demonstrate among their peers through interactive discussions. Hence reinforcing on the rational for active participation during debrief and discussion session as they presented the famous learning principals.
The solution to African Issues lies in the hands of young leaders. We are optimistic that the HIV prevalence in Kenya will decrease as the 20 newly trained peer leaders join hands with other community leaders in fighting against HIV/AIDS and not people living with HIV and AIDS. “I thank MYSA for the information about HIV, now I can protect myself better than before .I shall share this information with my peers in Dandora ”, as quoted by Caroline Mweni of Dandora zone who was one of the participants after the graduation.
