1. APHIA II Coast
3rd National Conference On
Peer Education, HIV and AIDS
“Stigma: Let's Act Now!”

2. APHIA II Coast
Tackling Stigma In Selected
Tertiary Institutions in Kenya:
A Case study of I Choose Life-Africa
:
Presented by:
Benard Barasa
Program Manager
I Choose Life-Africa
Rift Valley

3. APHIA II Coast
Background
ICL was established in 2002 at the University of Nairobi by Medical Students
Vision: An AIDS Free Africa
Mission: To create a movement of caring communities among
students that make responsible and informed choices with
regard to life and HIV/AIDS through prevention, care and
support and mitigation of socio-economic impact.
• 

4. APHIA II Coast
Organizational objectives
1. Improving HIV/AIDS related knowledge
2. Delaying sexual debut
3. Decreasing the number of sexual partners
4. Increasing condom use among sexually active students
5. Increasing VCT uptake
6. Decreasing stigmatization among PLWHIV
7. Providing HIV/AIDS care and support services to students
8. Strengthening HIV/AIDS policy development and
implementation with students participation

5. APHIA II Coast
Current Programs:
Coast Province:
– Mombasa University Polytechnic,
– Bandari college
Rift Valley Province:
– Egerton University,
– Rift Valley Institute of Science and Technology
– Moi University ( pocket size activities)
Nyanza Province:
– Maseno University
Nairobi Province:
– University of Nairobi
– Kenyatta University (pocket size activities)

6. APHIA II Coast
Specific partnership activities with
APHIA II-RV
1. Peer education training sessions targeting behaviors that put
students at risk
3. Peer education sessions
4. Support to peer educators
5. Carry out campaigns on youth reproductive health, drug and
substance abuse issues through Magnet theatre in conjunction with
partners
6. Orientation of new students on the university gold rush phenomena
7. Form support groups
8. Assess, share findings, and enhance existing health centers to
become youth-friendly referral points
9. Build the capacity of the institutions to run the project after ICL phases out

7. APHIA II Coast
Key Findings
Sexual partners: Around 51% of students would have ever had
sex before joining university
Around 65% of students have ever had sex.
Majority of respondents ,89%,would recommend abstinence to
a friend( but themselves are not abstaining)
After two years’ intervention, condom use among sexually
active students increased from 77% to 86%. Additionally,
VCT uptake increased from 28% to 53%.

8. APHIA II Coast
Key Findings…ctd
There was no statistically significant change in the number of
students having sex. During baseline, 64% of students had ever
had sex while a follow up survey two years later revealed that
65% of students have ever had sex.
Multiple reasons were given for becoming sexually active.
Adventure (38%), simply wanting to have sex (19.4, adventure,
and peer pressure (19.4).
Forced sexual debut was reported as the reason for sexual debut
by 5.9% of females and 1.2% of males.

9. APHIA II Coast
Findings… Real stories
Stigma among students in higher education circles is still high:
In 2007, a male student was in shock after finding out that his girlfriend was
on ARVs. He was admitted to the university health facility, unconscious
for some days. A few days later, he passed on.
In 2006, a lady student in one of the institutions admitted to have infected a
number of students and teachers. She wrote a letter to that effect and
mentioned all who had had sex with her.

10. APHIA II Coast
Response/ Current activities
There are several efforts in place to help fight stigma in higher learning
institutions:
1. The University’s health facilities are supported by the government to conduct
VCT and provide ARVs.
2. University's ACUs are mandated by the commission for Higher Education to
spearhead prevention, care and support activities
3. Involvement of PLWHIV and Students living with HIV in our programs
4. Formation of Post test Clubs for students/ community members: Afya (
Egerton), Maseno, UoN
5. Showing educational movies to the students ( uncensored, testing diaries, etc)
6.VIDEO shows ( Uncensored, Testing diaries)

11. APHIA II Coast
7. Provision of referral services Linkages with CCC..UoN( kenyatta,
Egerton (CRC)
• Radio show(partnership with capital FM)
8. Poster campaigns
9. Public talks
10. Training practicum ( visiting the infected/affected in their homes)
11. Information cards
12.Training- topics on stigma
Response…ctd

12. APHIA II Coast
• Stigma still high- Intervention needs more time to achieve results
• Resources: Starting a Comprehensive Care Centre at Kenyatta
universities and strengthening one at Egerton
• VCT accessibility: periodical lack of testing kits, e.g. in the month of
May 2008
• Some groups are self stigmatizing
• Resources- Much as the testing may be at no cost to clients, indirect
costs like transport keep some people away from seeking medication
• Few trained personnel to offer CCC services
• PLWHIV need support in other life skills like entrepreneurship
Challenges

13. APHIA II Coast
• PLWHIV are good resource persons for
prevention interventions
• Having post test clubs increases sense of
belonging among members
• A number of persons are going public
• Involving the surrounding community in
programmatic activities
Successes

14. APHIA II Coast
• There should be greater involvement of PLWHIV in prevention
interventions ( not to involve them when they are needed for talks only)
• Stigma reduction skills should be entrenched more in intervention
prevention
• Since CT is a major entry point to care and support, it should be
accessible and available whenever clients seek for it
• With many who are found with HI virus opting to keep silent or self
stigmatize, there is need to review the VCT guidelines to address the
issue of stigma and referrals
• Have an age limit for VCT counselors who attend to the youth ( not
older than 40 years)
Recommendations

15. APHIA II Coast
Appreciation
USAID/APHIA II Rift Valley for technical and financial support
• Commission for Higher education
• NASCOP
• NACC
• SIDA
• Aids Care Treatment Services (ACTS)
• Various university and college administrations
• Students
• Other partners

16. APHIA II Coast
Parting Shot
Testing positive is not a
death sentence. Many are
living a healthy productive
life. Take the lead, know your
HIV status!
STIGMA: LETS ACT NOW!

17. APHIA II Coast
Thank you