The African Inland Church Health Ministries (AICHM) has trained more than 180 girls and young women to serve as community peer educators to address HIV infections in Turkana South, Central, and West, which are recognized as HIV hotspots in the region.
Recent data from national and county government authorities indicates that young people in these targeted areas represent over one-third of the 450+ new HIV infections recorded in 2025.
Conducted over five days in Lodwar and Lokichar under the Global Fund HIV Program, the training provided participants with skills to connect their peers to HIV testing, treatment, and sexual and reproductive health services available at local health facilities.
As a community peer educator, I will apply the skills acquired to reach out to school-going children who may be exposed to the virus and other sexually transmitted infections. My role involves educating them about prevention and safety measures,” stated Florence Diyo, a trainee from Turkana South.
The newly trained peer educator mentioned that she had observed and heard about cases of child marriages and teenage pregnancies in the area and committed to making a difference in addressing these issues.
AICHM Program Officer Daniel Iripon explained that targeting young people was intentional.
Knowledge is power. By empowering this group, we reduce their risk, as the highest risk exists within this population,” he emphasized.
According to Iripon, the training curriculum incorporated elements of rights and social justice, where peer educators learned about legal procedures for identifying and reporting cases of rape, gender-based violence, and sexual offenses.
This initiative receives support from the Global Fund Program and is jointly implemented by the Kenya Red Cross Society in Turkana, with the primary goal of protecting young people from the triple threat of HIV/AIDS infection, teenage pregnancy, and gender-based and sexual violence,” he stated.
Throughout the training, peer educators identified alcoholism and drug use as major contributors to new infections and mental health deterioration.
These topics have been thoroughly examined during the past five days. It is undeniable that alcohol and drugs are easily accessible in Turkana. We urge the county and national government authorities to take swift action to protect our youth,” added Prisca Rantale, Turkana County Maisha Youth Chairperson.
Turkana County Coordinator of HIV/AIDS Programs, Samwel Pulkol, expressed expectations for broader outreach.
We anticipate these peer educators will provide services not only within the community but also in organized institutions like schools, churches, and organizations wherever youth are present,” Pulkol noted.
Pulkol also highlighted that the training content aligned with the needs of the target population and expressed optimism that the peer educators would perform as expected.
Experts from the National AIDS and STI Control Programme (NASCOP), the RMNCAH program, and the Turkana County Department of Health Services facilitated the training.
Organizers indicate that the peer-led approach could potentially reduce new HIV infections by up to 75% and HIV-related deaths by 50% in the targeted areas. The program will also address sexual and gender-based violence by connecting girls with legal assistance through pro bono lawyers.