On 21st June 2025, KELIN joined Adolescents and Young Persons (AYPs) in Kisumu County in marking the International Day of the African Child 2025 themed “Planning and Budgeting for Children’s Rights: Progress Since 2010”. The Ministry of Health (MOH), Kisumu County health care providers and several civil society organizations, had gathered to promote youth mental and reproductive health awareness, positive youth development, and civic engagement within the community targeting AYPs aged between 15-24 years.
The event featured a basketball tournament dubbed ‘B-Ball for Life’ leveraged on the popularity of the game as an avenue to provide over 200 adolescents and young people with vital information and services related to reproductive health and mental well-being. Additionally, the youth were also equipped with knowledge and resources to support their career aspirations and entrepreneurial endeavors, understanding the importance of the green transition and; potential contribution and positive peer interaction towards building the community.
Assistant Community Health Officer Ms. Anne Onoka from the Ministry of Health, highlighted the need for provision of comprehensive services and provision of commodities and information to address triple threat: Defilement (SGBV), teenage pregnancies and HIV infections amongst alarming new HIV infection rates amongst AYPs in the county. She encouraged AYPs to visit the various booths to access information on family planning, condoms, HIV testing and HPV vaccine. 2 AYPs representatives called on stakeholders present to meaningfully engage with them and give them the opportunity to participate in decisions concerning their sexual and reproductive wellbeing.
KELIN is steadfast in holding the government accountable for ensuring that AYPs have access to sexual and reproductive health services, information and commodities. KELIN calls upon the Ministry of Health and the County government of Kisumu to address triple threat.
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For more information please contact, Elsie Milimu,
Program Officer- SRHR, Kenya Legal & Ethical Issues Network on HIV/AIDS(KELIN),
Email: elsiemilimu@kelinkenya.org
