I got pregnant at the age of 17 while still in high school. Because of the poverty at home and lack of basic needs, I was forced to look for extra means of supplementing my already strained family resources. I would eventually secure a job as a mobilizer with the DREAMS program in Migori. This job provided me with extra income to support my family.

My troubles began when I became pregnant, straining my relationship with my mother and family for the shame I had brought to the entire family. However, in retrospect, the real issue was that I lacked proper education on sex and sexuality.

Lack of comprehensive information on sexual education even in programmes designed for HIV prevention contributes to teenage pregnancy.

Despite these challenges, I went back to school and am now raising my child as a single mother. The father of the child is no longer in the picture.

I urge us to provide interventions to support adolescent mothers and to equip young people with life skills as they remain vulnerable to HIV if basic needs are not met.