Youth Summit Pre-Maisha Conference 2023
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About the Author: George Onyango
Youth Summit Pre-Maisha Conference 2023
About NSDCC
The National Syndemic Diseases Control Council (NSDCC) is a State Corporation established under Section 3 of the State Corporations Act, Cap 446, through the National AIDS Control Council Order, 1999 as amended by legal notice number 143 of 2022. The Council is mandated to manage the following syndemic diseases; HIV, sexually transmitted infections, malaria, leprosy, tuberculosis and lung disease.
News and Updates
Summary
The National Syndemic Diseases Control Council is strengthening collaboration with faith leaders and faith-based organizations through the National Interfaith Hub on Family Health and Wellbeing recognizing their important role in influencing behavior change within communities. Speaking during a joint breakfast meeting today convened by Faith to Action Network (F2AN) alongside the Kenya National Council for Population and Development (NCPD), the State Department for Gender and Affirmative Action, Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM), Evangelical Alliance of Kenya, Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops, Christian Health Association of Kenya, the Inter-Religious Council of Kenya among others, NSDCC CEO Douglas Bosire emphasized that faith institutions are essential partners in addressing the health and social challenges affecting Kenyan families, particularly adolescents and young people.
The CEO noted that faith leaders have a unique opportunity to influence millions of Kenyans through their trusted community networks. The urgency of this partnership is highlighted by 2025 data which show that 41% of new HIV infections among adults aged 15 years and above occurred among young people aged 15–24 years.
A Faith Sector Action Plan and Roadmap is being developed to guide coordinated, multi-sectoral efforts in addressing the interconnected challenges of new HIV infections, adolescent pregnancies and sexual and gender-based violence; the three concerns at the heart of NSDCC’s Triple Threat Campaign. Through this collaboration, faith leaders and faith-based organizations will play a greater role in promoting healthy families, protecting vulnerable children and young people while strengthening community-led interventions to address these challenges.
Summary
At the Maralal International Camel Derby, Vivian and Gideon Lekairab are using youth-led conversations to promote HIV prevention, prevent adolescent pregnancies and address gender-based violence.
Amid the crowds at the Maralal International Camel Derby, Vivian is having conversations that are not always easy to start.
Some young people welcome her health messages. Others prefer to meet privately, away from the attention of friends, relatives or elders.
For the 24-year-old Maisha Youth champion, the hesitation highlights a challenge facing efforts to improve young people's access to sexual and reproductive health information: ensuring they feel comfortable seeking information and prevention services without fear of judgement.
“We are here to help young people address the Triple Threat, which includes teenage pregnancy, gender-based violence and HIV,” she says.
The need is reflected in Samburu County's 2026 HIV estimates, published by the National Syndemic Diseases Control Council (NSDCC). The county has an estimated 2,785 people living with HIV, including 193 children aged 0–14 years. HIV prevalence among people aged 15 and above stands at 1.38%, according to the estimates.
The figures underscore the importance of continued prevention, testing and treatment efforts, alongside accessible information for young people.
Starting conversations, building trust
For Gideon Lekairab, chairperson of Maisha Youth in Samburu County, the annual camel derby provides an opportunity to reach young people who may not otherwise engage with health outreach activities.
He and other youth champions discuss HIV prevention, correct condom use, adolescent pregnancy and the prevention of gender-based violence. They also use familiar cultural structures to make their messages relevant to different age groups.
Yet cultural expectations can influence how young people access prevention services. Some young men, Gideon says, feel uncomfortable collecting condoms in front of older women or relatives.
The champions respond by seeking discreet ways to provide condoms and create opportunities for open conversations.
Their outreach extends beyond the derby. They use TikTok and collaborate with local artists who communicate in the Samburu language, helping make health information accessible to audiences who may be less comfortable with English or Kiswahili.
Maisha Youth, a programme under NSDCC, places young people at the centre of community-level awareness and prevention efforts.
Reaching further, looking ahead
Despite progress, distance, insecurity and limited access to information can make it difficult to reach some communities across Samburu, particularly remote areas.
Gideon says sustained outreach through community activities, radio, social media and partnerships could help extend health messages to more young people.
For Vivian and Gideon, the work requires patience and consistency. A young person may not be ready to ask questions or access prevention services during the first encounter, but a respectful conversation can create an opportunity for future engagement.
Their message is that young people need accurate information, accessible services and supportive environments in which they can make informed decisions about their health.
At the camel derby, those conversations continue between the races and cultural celebrations. The hope is that the messages will travel beyond the event, reaching young people in their homes, social networks and communities.
For the two champions, every conversation is a chance to build trust, and help young people take steps towards healthier futures.
Summary
Every girl deserves to grow up safe, healthy and free to realize her full potential. Ending Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and addressing the Triple Threat of new HIV infections, adolescent pregnancies and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) requires urgent, collective action.
The National Syndemic Diseases Control Council (NSDCC) joined the Ministry of Gender, Culture and Children Services, the Anti-FGM Board, Nyamira County, partners and local schools to mark the International Day of the Girl at Ekerenyo Grounds under the theme “End Female Genital Mutilation, Invest in Girls’ Rights.”
In Nyamira County, 2026 data recorded 2,966 teenage pregnancies, 353 adolescent SGBV cases and 144 new HIV infections underscoring the urgent need to strengthen prevention and protection efforts.
As part of its commitment to girls’ health and dignity, NSDCC donated 984 dignity packs to 21 schools in Nyamira County and shared information on HIV and syndemic disease prevention, raising awareness of the Triple Threat.
Graced by Mrs. Ipato Korema Surum, Chairperson of the Anti-FGM Board in Kenya, the event reinforced the call for stronger partnerships and sustained action to protect girls’ rights, uphold their dignity and secure a healthier, safer future for every girl.
Summary
First Lady H.E. Rachel Ruto has led national and development partners in signing a Call to Action to End the Triple Threat of new HIV infections, adolescent pregnancy and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) among young people.
The commitment was made during a high-level roundtable convened by the National Syndemic Disease Control Council (NSDCC), bringing together government, county leadership, Parliament, development partners and young people.
The First Lady signed the commitment plan alongside national and county leaders and development partners. The signing was witnessed by Principal Secretary Mothoni, Ministry of Health representatives, UNAIDS Kenya Country Director Dr Richard Amenyah, governors and senators, among other stakeholders.
The plan seeks to translate evidence and young people's lived experiences into clear, measurable and time-bound action to strengthen prevention, protection and access to adolescent-friendly services.
The urgency of the challenge was underscored by Farida, a young survivor from Dandora, who shared her experience of facing all three threats, including becoming pregnant at the age of 15.
Principal Secretary Mothoni Njuki said Farida’s experience reflected the realities behind the statistics and called for collective action.
“The triple threat of adolescent pregnancy, new HIV infections and sexual and gender-based violence is not a collection of distant statistics. It is the lived reality of our daughters, sons and communities. These interconnected threats put an entire generation at risk, its potential, education and dignity. This is a call to action for all of us.”
The First Lady said Kenya must now move from listening to young people to implementing solutions that respond to their realities.
“We have listened to the voices and lived experiences of our young people. The time has now come to turn those voices into action.”
Data presented at the meeting showed that young people aged 10 to 34 account for 72 per cent of new adult HIV infections, while women and girls account for about 65 per cent of new infections. In 2025, 236,000 adolescents aged 10 to 19 presented at health facilities with pregnancies, while children aged 10 to 17 accounted for 38 per cent of reported SGBV cases.
NSDCC CEO Douglas O. Bosire said the interconnected challenges require coordinated action across sectors, bringing together government, communities, partners and young people.
The roundtable reaffirmed the need for a whole-of-society approach, with stakeholders committing to strengthen prevention, protection and adolescent-friendly services to safeguard the health, safety and future of Kenya’s young people.
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