By: Carolove Oyola
For 21-year-old Janet Atieno, a student at Katito Vocational Training Centre, the issues of HIV/AIDS, teenage pregnancy, and gender-based violence hit close to home. She’s witnessed her friends drop out of school due to early pregnancies, and others face stigma because of HIV. But today, she stands hopeful, part of a transformative event that is challenging these very issues head-on.
At yesterday’s outreach, Health and Economic Development Strategy Organisation (HEDSO) has provided vital services such as free HIV testing, counseling, and awareness campaigns addressing teenage pregnancy and gender-based violence. For Janet, this isn’t just another awareness talk—it’s an opportunity for change. “In the past, we only heard about these issues, but today we’re receiving the help we need,” she says. “It’s empowering to know that we can take control of our health and our futures.”
As part of the event, Janet and her peers participated in interactive games, which acted as both an icebreaker and a way to foster unity. “The games made it easier to talk to people we didn’t know. It helped us open up about serious issues in a fun and relaxed way,” she notes.
Janet is just one of many students benefiting from the initiative. The turnout has been impressive, with young people from all over Katito coming together to learn, engage, and act. Through these efforts, HEDSO is building a generation of empowered youth who are ready to tackle the triple threat of HIV, teenage pregnancy, and gender-based violence with confidence and knowledge.
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