A new school-centred campaign targeting adolescents in Kisumu county has been launched to address the rising cases of teenage pregnancies, new HIV infections and gender-based violence.
Nominated Senator Catherine Mumma, in collaboration with the National Syndemic Diseases Control Council (NSDCC), unveiled the initiative in Nyakach, an area grappling with high rates of HIV among young people.
Speaking at Guu Mixed Secondary School during a sensitisation forum, Senator Mumma said the campaign aims to arm students with accurate information and critical life skills, as Kisumu continues to lead in HIV prevalence nationally.
“We are dealing with more than just a health crisis, this is a moral and social emergency,” she said. “The numbers are alarming, especially among teenagers, and demand urgent action.”
According to Mumma, the surge in infections and early pregnancies is being fuelled by peer pressure, poverty and a lack of comprehensive sex education in schools.
She criticised current policies that restrict sexual health education, saying they leave young people vulnerable to misinformation, especially from social media.
“Our children are learning about sex from TikTok instead of trained teachers. We must rethink our approach,” she said.
The senator also raised alarm over increasing cases of incest and sexual abuse within families, noting that some victims are as young as nine.
She further linked period poverty to the rise in transactional sex, leading to both pregnancies and new infections.
“Many girls are forced into compromising situations just to access sanitary towels. Some end up pregnant and HIV-positive because they lacked basic menstrual hygiene products,” she said.
During the event, Mumma distributed sanitary pads and called on the Ministry of Education to make them freely available in all public schools.
“If we are serious about keeping girls in class, then we must treat sanitary towels the same way we treat textbooks essential and non-negotiable,” she emphasised.
She also revealed that the Senate is reviewing laws related to GBV to strengthen protections for survivors and close loopholes that hinder justice.
NSDCC’s regional coordinator for Nyanza and Western Steven Oyugi, echoed the Senator’s concerns, saying school-based engagements are essential in reversing the triple threat.
“Kisumu has over 135,000 people living with HIV, with 53,000 being men. Nyakach alone has a 14 per cent prevalence rate and ranks fourth in new infections in the county,” Oyugi said.
He commended the partnership with Senator Mumma, noting it provides a critical platform to raise awareness, promote protection, and deliver support services to vulnerable adolescents.
“The fight against HIV, teenage pregnancies and GBV must involve all sectors—leaders, schools, health institutions and the community. Only then can we protect the future of our youth,” he said.
The campaign continued across other schools in Nyakach.
Both the Senator and NSDCC pledged sustained efforts to tackle the root causes of vulnerability among Kisumu’s young people.
