HIV/AIDS in Kenya

HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, is one of the world’s most serious public health challenges. Kenya’s HIV epidemic is driven by sexual transmission and is generalised, meaning it affects all sections of the population including children, adolescents and adult women and men.
Although Kenya has made great progress in bringing down the country’s HIV prevalence since its peak of 16 per cent in 1996, this is mainly due to the rapid scaling up of HIV treatment and care rather than behavioural change.
Today, with a national prevalence of 5.6 per cent, Kenya has the joint third-largest epidemic in the world, alongside Mozambique and Uganda – and there are population groups where the figure is much higher.
One of those groups is the youth, which accounts for 29 per cent of all new HIV infections in Kenya, and among whom AIDS-related deaths continue to rise, despite declines among other age groups. AIDS-related conditions are the leading cause of death among adolescents in Africa with 17 per cent of all AIDS-related deaths in Kenya being among this group.
Kenya has a very young population with almost 75 per cent being under the age of 30, which leads to very rapid population growth. Thus, even if today’s HIV prevalence were maintained, the number of people living with HIV would become exponential and reverse the progress that has been made so far.
So, there is still a lot of work to be done.

Restore Africa and HIV/AIDS

At Restore Africa, we are passionate about the global commitment to ending HIV/AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
We work directly with communities on programmes which create space for open dialogue, with the objective of:

• Encouraging individuals to be aware of their HIV status at all times through regular and timely testing,
• Improving the uptake of prophylaxis treatment by individuals at risk of infection,
• facilitating access and adherence to antiretroviral treatment so that people living with HIV stay healthy and prevent further transmission, and
• Reducing stigma by fostering a supportive community environment

The impact of our programme reaches beyond this very acute matter of public health since it also helps to further social and economic inclusion. Through social acceptance, people living with HIV are in a better position to complete their education, gain employment, support themselves and their families, and make a wider contribution to their communities.
Our programme is aligned to the targets that are outlined in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG):

• SDG 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages (including universal access to HIV prevention services, sexual and reproductive health services and drug dependence treatment and harm reduction services, and further addressed in:
• SDG 4: Quality education, including targets on comprehensive sexual and reproductive health (SRH) education and life skills
• SDG 5: Gender equality, including targets on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and the elimination of violence, harmful gender norms and practices
• SDG 10: Reduced inequalities, including targets on protection against discrimination, and the empowerment of people to claim their rights and enhance access to HIV services
• SDG 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions, including reduced violence against key populations and people living with HIV.

Where you come in

Awareness of HIV and AIDS in Kenya is high, but there is also a high level of stigma and discrimination. The lack of openness creates fertile ground for myths and misinformation to spread, which effectively prevents people from accessing HIV services and adhering to treatment.
Your contribution as a volunteer is crucial in bringing Restore Africa’s innovative outreach programme to as many individuals and communities as possible. Our programme is tailored to various target groups and uses hands-on and interactive techniques, which helps people to overcome the taboo surrounding this topic, and to comprehend their own responsibility towards themselves and the wider community.
As a volunteer on our HIV programme, you will receive the relevant training and support so that you can make a real impact with the work that you do, be it in working alongside community health workers to gather field data, raising awareness among young people or using drama techniques to reduce stigma and discrimination, for example.
If you want to directly engage with communities in Kenya and contribute towards ending the most serious epidemic in living memory, this programme is for you.
We look forward to welcoming you on board. Complete our volunteer application form today to start your journey.