Ippf funded fhok ask project documentation

Access, Service and Knowledge

Family Health Options Kenya

NOW I KNOW

ACKNOWLEGMENTS FHOK wishes to acknowledge the financial and technical support from IPPF in terms of the implementation and success of the ASK project in our four Centre’s of Kisumu, Nairobi, Kakamega and Eldoret. We also wish to appreciate the different stakeholders who partnered with FHOK to ensure the young people Access SRH services more easily. For the success of this documentation, we appreciate the support offered by the service providers at the stated Clinics, FHOK staff, the team of Volunteers at the Youth Centre’s and the beneficiaries who availed themselves and accepted to tell their stories; They all worked tirelessly to support in documentation of this report. We are greatly indebted to you all.

Contents Integrating ASK objectives through Mobilization.......................................6 Mentorship and Outreaches escalates SRH Information Access...............................................................................................8 Kakamega Prisons fraternity recounts the joy of ASK partnership............................................................................................................10 Enhanced SRH services through Community Partnership Community Rehabilitation Centre Programme........................................12 Breaking religious Barriers to Spearhead SRH Information Delivery..........................................................................................14

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Calling it as it is…From the “thing” to the penis........................................16

THE TEAM MIA Communications Consultants Team Elizabeth Adisa Kabwoya, Photography & Editorial by Elizabeth Adisa, Arthur Onyango, Akesa

The Youth implementers Speak....................................................................... 17 Increased Demand for SRH services through information sharing...........................................................................................18 Project doubles Number of Youth accessing SRH......................................19 A voice from the Red Light Street...................................................................21

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Impact beyond FHOK…Young people continue to appreciate Nurse Years after attending to them at the Clinic....................................22 Access to free and Quality ANC gave me hope again...............................24

Design by: Sublime Media 0721604305

Empowered to empower....................................................................................25 I went back to school to train as a professional HTC expert to reach out to my peers.............................................................25 Correct Information helped peel off the skin of Stigma.........................26

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My Unspoken… Journey with ASK..................................................................27 I wouldn’t have been pregnant at 17 If ASK was there.............................28 Exploring talents to educate my peers ....................................................... 29 Youth Friendly Environment sees more young people seeking SRH Services........................................................................... 30 Pg 28

Introduction

T

he Access, Services and Knowledge (ASK): ‘What Young People Want, What Young People Need’ was a threeyear programme that targeted young people in the age group of 10-24 years.

The overall objective of the project was to improve the use of SRHR services by young people (10-24 years) through demand creation, provision of youthfriendly information and services (including commodities), and ensuring public private partnerships with a greater respect for young people’s sexual rights.

It was implemented in the five countries of: Senegal, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia and Ghana.

In the five countries –representative of almost all African countries, young people face a myriad of reproductive health problems and challenges.

However, those aged 10-24 years are the most vulnerable, and are the ones who have the most difficult access to reproductive health services.

The ASK project was built on the conceptual thinking (Theory of Change), which stipulates that in order to realize Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) goals, programs need to address among others: the capacity of the individual (through gender-sensitive SRHR education, information and skills building), create an enabling environment (through working with communities and advocacy), and improve the availability, accessibility and quality of Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) services for young women and men.

The ASK project had four result areas: i) Information

ii) Services and commodities iii) Public and private partnership, and

Acronyms ASK

Access Service & Knowledge

FHOK

Family Health Option Kenya

The project aim was to contribute to the following IPPF Global Programme objectives: (IPPF strategic Framework)

FP

Family Planning

HIV

Human Immunodeficiency Virus

- The strengthening of political commitment and support for SRH programmes

RH

Reproductive Health

SRH

Sexual Reproductive Health

SRHR

Sexual Reproductive Health Rights

STI

Sexually Transmitted Infections

STD

Sexually Transmitted Diseases

CSE

Comprehensive Sexuality Education

LGBT

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender

HTC

HIV Testing & Counselling

iv) Respect of young people’s sexual rights

- The improvement of access to SRH information and sexuality education using a rights-based approach.

- The improvement of access to appropriate high quality SRH services using a rights based approach.

“Nairobits Trust acknowledges that addressing health and well-being of young people has profound educational and economic benefits through utilization of comprehensive SRHR information and education by all young people. In the ASK program, Nairobits provided referral information to young people to seek services and information at FHOK Clinics. The partnership improved efficiency in service delivery in both organizations with value proposition expanded and strengthened by ASK project.”

Stella, SRHR Coordinator, Nairobits “ASK has enabled young people who are vulnerable to SRH diseases due to high sexual activity access good health which improves quality of life. We have registered an increment in the number of youths accessing Sexual Reproductive Health Services for free.”

Mr. Tonic Oyieyo, FHOK Kisumu, Clinic Centre Manager

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Integrating ASK objectives through Mobilization

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arolyne Oluoch, a community mobiliser expounds on her role to educate the Community on

SRH.

“I am a parent and a community mobiliser for FHOK Kisumu region. I have been an active mobiliser especially for the Access Service and Knowledge Program within this region.

As a community and outreach mobiliser, I have interacted with young people below 24 years and as a mother, many girls have opened up to me about their struggles.

In my interactions with this young people, I have realized that many of them are afraid to share about their sexual reproductive health issues like Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Pregnancy and abortion. Consequently, they suffer a lot and many used to end up doing the wrong things.

Some even end up doing abortions by unprofessional people or herbal

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doctors which is equally dangerous for the young mother.

“For young girls who get teenage pregnancy, we take time to talk to them and understand the options they have as far as their health rights is concerned. We give the girls health talks on how to care for themselves and unborn baby and counselling them on the importance of clinic and have them registered to access the free Anti Natal Clinic services with our Clinic” says Caroline, a vocal Community and Outreach Volunteer in the region.

ASK program has benefited a lot of girls in our region especially in the area of ANC and STI treatment which are basically free of charge to those young people that have joined the family. The girls access clinics for free and they have no queues to wait for the whole day to get service as it would have been the case with a public hospital.

Some of these young mothers to be

also get other material support like baby basin, pampers and clothing for children among other things.

Normally, it is very difficult for a young girl who has all of sudden realize she is pregnant to go tell her mother. Through ASK program however, a team of community mobilizers and volunteers have had the chance of sharing about SHR and address many questions from young people who have been suffering in silence.

“As a parent, I talk to the parents of the girls especially when the girl is afraid to say when they are pregnant for fear of being chased from home. I normally go to their homes, break the news to the parents and also encourage them on how to support the pregnant girls adds Mrs Oluoch.”

As part of creating awareness and increasing the knowledge among the people on the SHRR, the community outreach team through the program

Mrs Carolyne, a community mobiliser engaging young men on the SRH Rights

has been able to conduct Parent Education and awareness campaign and speak at the Chiefs Baraza on parent child Communications strategy that has been helpful in fostering trust and some level of openness between parents and children.

In finality, Mrs Oluoch concludes by saying,” Youths are suffering but are very afraid to go to hospitals to for treatment, they love outreaches because they know we are there to support them and bring access to this services right where they are” ASK program has saved many of our young people.

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Mentorship and Outreaches escalates SRH Information Access

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ictor Obonyo, 24, from Nyalenda Estate Speaks;

“I joined the project in 2013 while I was still a student in High school. This project has helped many of our young people by giving us information that we hardly knew as a far as our Sexual Reproductive Health is of concern. I had heard of the program through community outreaches and so decided to join and become a volunteer with them. “ Because of wide base of knowledge Victor has acquired from the time of joining the ASK program, he has taken it a s a burden on himself to also be a champion for sharing the services available to many young people in need of services and correct health information.

“We move from school to school to inform and educate young people on their Sexual Reproductive Heath matter and get to answer many of their questions. A big percentage of

this youngsters have a lot of healthy problems and STI related complications and once they open up to us, we are able to refer them to the clinic says Victor.”

As a team of peer educators, Victor and many others go out to learning institutions to give them health talks, demonstrate condom use, family planning, teen pregnancies and other Sexual Transmitted Infections.

“As a result of this outreaches, I have been able to refer many young people for the treatment and further counsel at the clinic with many of them signing up for the project reiterates Victor.

“Because most of us are their peers, they end up opening to us much more as peer educators than they would with any other person. They speak of their challenges to us a they would with any of their friends, only in our case, we don’t just give them counsel but also refer them to clinic that eventually offers the access to treatment and

other health services.”

According to Victor who is a direct beneficiary of the program, this program has given him a lot of knowledge on SHRR and build up his confidence to boldly speak on heath matters and have desire to research more on the same.

“I would say, through ASK program, I am better informed about SHR Rights and am more aware of the choices I make and there effect on me” The message is widely accessible and the choice is now resting on the youths who are informed.

Truth is, an informed youth is a healthy youth and that is the positions ASK has moved us to. The youths know more about the reproductive health and thus can easily know when there is a problem with their health and be able to access right treatment from the clinics without fear of being misjudged and misunderstood”.

As a result of this outreaches, I have been able to refer many young people for the treatment and further counsel at the clinic with many of them signing up for the project

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Interviewing Victor, a Peer Educator in Kisumu as he explains the approaches they have embraced to maximize SRH Information Access in the Youth Centre Family Health Option Kenya

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Kakamega Prisons fraternity recounts the joy of ASK partnership

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t’s now 2 yrs since the Kakamega Prison began partnership with FHOK and particularly with the ASK project.

Speaking to the chief Nurse at Prisons Clinic, Mrs. Hellen says that the team from ASK have been very instrumental in offering services to the inmates at the Prison.

“When the team from FHOK ASK project comes around for outreach and health events, the inmates are much open with them. They ask a lot of questions on their SRH without fear of victimization and being looked down upon. They also turn out in large numbers to be screened and treated for STI’s and HTC counselling” “They would come with youth trainers who educate our inmates on the Sexual Reproductive Health, offer HIV Testing and Counselling, Anti natal Care.

The female expectant inmates though could not go to access ANC care at FHOK clinics because of need for escort.

Nurse Hellen adds that the inmates are most of the time afraid of the men in uniform and the service providers’ soldiers. As such, most of them

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would hardly open up to seek medical care or information access for fear of being rebuked.

“When the team from FHOK ASK project comes around for outreach and health events, the inmates are much open with them. They ask a lot of questions on their SRH without fear of victimization and being looked down upon. They also turn out in large numbers to be screened and treated for STI’s and HTC counselling” say Nurse Hellen.

A case in point is an inmate who was transferred from Kodiaga Prisons in Kisumu and brought here.

He has been imprisoned for life. Unfortunately, for the last three years that he has been in Kodiaga, he didn’t access to testing services. He went through HTC with ASK project and realized he had been living with the virus. After counselling, and knowing his status, he was put on ARVs which he is taking now.”

A service provider working closely with the inmates at the clinic, Damari Ojode says, “As a prison, we don’t have access to most of health services due to the nature of the government. When we have shortage of items, we have called on FHOK to help us provide condoms, FP services and this has gone a long way to help the inmates access SRHR.”

Senior Nurse and Service provider Warden at Kakamega Prisons Clinic recounts on the Partnership experience with FHOK in an interview

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Enhanced SRH services through Community Partnership…Community Rehabilitation Centre Programme

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isumu Children’s remand home serves many young juvenile delinquents within and without Kisumu region. As a children’s remand home, the facility houses child offenders who are below 18 years. It also provides a home for children in need of care and protection like the street children and those who are lost and found. As a result, counselling and reintegration efforts are some of the education activities that the homes are constantly seeking for the juvis’.

Speaking to the Children Officer, Mr Mark Keya who is serving as the manager in the Children Remand, this is what he had to say about FHOK ASK program and its partnership.

“We have been in partnership with ASK and as a result, we have benefited much from the free medical access through the services received by referrals from the remand to FHOK Clinic.”

Counselling of the young children and teenagers on Sexual Reproductive

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Heath Rights, normal awareness and campaigns to educate and sensitize have really helped the children in the home to know more about their health.

As a home, we had given ASK program every Monday a session with the children to either educate through health talks or offer testing and treatment services to this young teenagers states Mr Keya, the Children officer .”

Our volunteers from ASK Project though continue to offer education and health talks and information on health to the children despite the program ending sometime last year.

“What I loved about the project is the way FHOK grouped the children into different age groups for counselling whenever we had activities with ASK. This made the session very effective. Not just that but also, after such activities, the ASK volunteers always gave us report s and unique thigs to address with young juveniles whenever they were having sessions

with the social counsellors stated the Children Officer.

To the Children Remand Home, ASK offered much more beyond the health talks and awareness. They provided platform for engaging in the social skills of the children during outreaches too that enhanced holistic growth and development.

According to the Manager, “one beneficiary of such ASK initiatives was Lisah (not her real name), a young teenager who had severe infections in her genitalia while at the Home.

ASK came in and she was tested and treated for the STI infection. Today she is doing very well health wise and more informed and knowledgeable about her reproductive health unlike she was before the experience. She has however been transferred to Kirigiti Rehabilitation Centre in Kiambu where she is going to finish her remand term of three years. She is a happy girl now going on with her studies and going to class 7.”

Children Officer at Kisumu Children’s Remand Home, Mr Mark Keya explaining what ASK partnership meant to the facility and the juvi’s

With the processes of acquiring the social service waiver for children to be taken out for treatment being very tedious and needing many resources, ASK project through FHOK made access to the medical services and treatment so easy for children at the remand.

“There were no ques for service at FHOK Clinics like we encounter at governmental offices, the treatment was free and for this case police line changes for social transfer waiver was not applicable. We are just a wall apart with the youth center and ASK project has made our children access service and gain knowledge so easily” Said Mr Keya.

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Breaking religious Barriers to Spearhead SRH Information Delivery

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auzia Muholo, 25 is a Muslim young lady who has broken the religious barrier to speak about SRH. “When I joined the ASK project, I was very shy and could not even have the courage to open up. I was so afraid even to take up the HIV testing but through counselling, I finally found courage to test and know my health status.

Now I know my status and it is really good to know and know how to protect myself as a young lady.

I am a Muslim and during the project, I was particularly interested in reaching out to the Muslim girls in our region.

I realized that most of them suffer in silence about a lot of health issues. They fear to speak out and are afraid of stigma. Muslim also being a strict religion, they are afraid of what consequences speaking about their issues will be against them. This makes them keep it to themselves and suffer a lot says Fauzia.”

Opening up was a key challenge especially on religious grounds and fear of being stigmatized or being misjudged and told off as being of loose morals. For Fauzia, the project has progressively shaped and mentored her to be a bold champion for SRH. Today, she fully participates in outreaches and specially reaches out to Muslim girls in their gatherings and social functions like funerals and weddings to speak about Family Planning, STI’s and general SRH including Anti Natal Care and pregnancy.

“At first, I couldn’t even have the courage to hold a condom but now, after learning so much from the projects, I comfortably talk about condoms to young people and also

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distribute to them as they need it or request” adds Fauzia with a smile.

The good thing about the project is that the young people are not only accessing services from the clinic at no cost but also many are now better informed on the health matters as far as Sexuality is concerned and knowing is one important tool to fight the problem at hand.

I have referred many girls to the clinic and have been attended to well until they recovered. A case in point was the story of a young lady who was known in the village.

“She had been using herbal medicine in a quest to get pregnant and little did she know that the drug was affecting the ARVS she was taking. As a result this ladies heath really got bad and she almost stopped the ARVS. She wanted to get pregnant badly but she could not. I tried talking to her as many people had without success and eventually, she accepted to come to be checked and tested in the clinic.

She has been progressively been counselled and now she is living her life positively but healthy.

According to this volunteer, reaching out to the peers is hard but at least she is able to create a way of sharing with them and religion doesn’t make it any easy. Basically, talking about Sex in most religious setting is still considered awkward and the platform that ASK has provided is helping many young people like Fauzia to break out of the cocoon of silence and speak about Health issues affecting them.

Fauzia engaging in an informal health discussion seen with one of the girls at the youth centre.

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The Youth implementers Speak

A young lady and a beneficiary of ASK receives a pack of condoms and instructions for distribution

Calling it as it is…From the “thing” to the penis

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ynthia is a 23 years old young lady. She tells;

“I had never heard or saw a female condom in my whole life. My first experience was after joining the ASK project. Initially, I couldn’t even pronounce the words vagina or penis. I was so shy and did not have the confidence of calling names of the body parts. I could only refer to it as the thing.”

Through intensive ASK training, Cynthia is among the vibrant ASK volunteers who have built up confidence after getting exposed to the SRH workshops.

“Today, I speak to the young people in my church about

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healthy choices, STI’s STD. I also come to the clinic to pick condoms for distribution among my friends and other young people. Am not afraid about holding a condom or even showing my peers how it is used.

When I first visited the clinic, I was counselled and enlightened in details about the services they offer but of much interest for me was the family planning. After being taken through the various FP I could use, I chose a suitable one for me. I was given a jadelle.

Because of the ASK project, I am a better informed youth and a champion for SRH rights.”

ASK project Youth Implementer giving a health talk at an FHOK organized outreach

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rank Juma is a Youth Implementer who was very instrumental in the implementation of ASK project in one of the Youth Centre’s. ASK was meant to empower young people to access right information and SRH services. The project meets the need of young people.

Eldoret for instance is a cosmopolitan region with tertiary institutions; a town whose economy is driven by Education and as a result having a huge population of young people who are in school.

“These young people population have many health issues with majority procuring unsafe abortions, teenage pregnancy, and suffering from STI’s. However most of them shy from getting services from public hospitals for fear of being misunderstood. Thanks to ASK, the young people were able to find a platform to access SRH services.

In African Institute alone, I managed to refer over 30 ladies to our clinic to access FP services from our esteemed staff.

This in essence saw the cases of post abortion care services reduce significantly in the facility with many girls embracing FP. As a Centre, we have been able to reach out to street kids in town In his final statement, the Youth Implementer speaks of a challenge that has gripped the Centre after the ASK project ended last years.

“The young people are still coming to the facility seeking services but for now, we can only offer counsel and sensitization and not the treatment.

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Increased Demand for SRH services through information sharing

ichard is a 3rd year student at Masinde Muliru University if Science and Technology. He joined the project sometime last year when a team from FHOK had gone for outreach at their Campus.

I met a team of young people who had come to university to sensitize and educate the students on their Sexual reproductive Health. We talked a bit and I was given a referral voucher to attend the Clinic in town.

At the clinic, He saw a doctor who tested him for HIV and STI for free.

Muhhamad Idd, a volunteer at Kakamega Youth Centre updating clinic reports

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“I tested and it was an amazing feeling just to know my status.

From the experience that I had and good reception at the clinic, I shared the same with classmates and brought some of them. When one of my friends contracted STI, I brought him over to the clinic where he was again tested, counseled and treated.

Project doubles Number of Youth accessing SRH

Many trainings and workshops by ASK helped us as young people learn a lot about SRH and with this forum giving us a platform to ask questions and obtain answers, we are now better informed about health choices to make about our lives.”

As it is with many who have benefited, Richard also takes part in outreaches as ASK volunteer to spread the good news on SRH to other young people through giving health talks.

He gives a parting shot saying “Unlike government Clinics and the fact that treatment and access via consultation is free, the best thing about our clinic is the youth friendly environment a young person encounters.

When the young people come in to get services, no one can even tell that one is suffering from STI’s or something like it will be publicized in a public hospital. Most of us feel safe and understood at FHOK.”

A clinical Officer, Mr Alex Muthoka at his workstation in Eastleigh after a brief interview on the notable effects of ASK from a Service providers point of view.

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n just one Centre alone where ASK project was implemented at Nairobi’s Eastleigh Youth Centre, the number of young people accessing services rose in a remarkable manner.

Speaking to Alex Muthoka, a Clinical Officer at the Eastleigh Youth Centre Clinic, he was quick to confirm that the number of the youths accessing SRH services was to the low extreme of about 50 young people per month.

“ASK made it possible for young people

to access expensive medications for free and by the time the project was coming to an end by December 2015, we had registered the highest of over 300 young people accessing services in one month. This is a remarkable number considering that we were down at 50. With more young people getting informed about the project, the numbers of those who knocked at the clinic door increased steadily.

number of young people accessing SRH services in the Centre was the good partnership that was created with Nairobits; an organization that works with young people majorly in Information, Communication Technology on their SRH program.

They referred the young people for services at FHOK ASK project.

Quote from Director, Nairobits to be put here

Of big contribution to the ever growing

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A voice from the Red Light Street

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24 year old lady Amina, *not her real name* has been a sex worker for a very long time. During the Shujaa Project, Amina was spotted and brought on board to be a lead contact to a group of sex workers in Eldoret town.

During the implementation of ASK, she was equally contacted and received training to be a peer educator to reach out to her fellow sex workers with knowledge and services they can access on the Sexual Reproductive Health. She was very influential in mobilizing sex workers during campaigns and community outreaches. Talking through a telephone conversation, Amina says “Nimekua nikifanya hii kazi kwa muda sasa.

Nilipoletwa kwa centre na nikajua mambo mengi kuhusu afya,nilifuzwa na pia mimi nikaanza kufunza wengine kuhusu afya yetu na vile tunaeza pata msaada kwa clinic ya FHOK.

“Nimekua nikifanya hii kazi kwa muda sasa. Nilipoletwa kwa centre na nikajua mambo mengi kuhusu afya,nilifuzwa na pia mimi nikaanza kufunza wengine kuhusu afya yetu na vile tunaeza pata msaada kwa clinic ya FHOK.

I have been doing this work for a while now. When I came in contact with the Centre and ASK project, I learnt a lot about SRH and the services I can access from the clinic.”

Amina did well especially in distribution of condoms and attending girls forum that were conducted by the ASK project team. Besides learning from the SRH discussions, Amina could go out and relay the same knowledge to her fellow sex workers. She referred many of them to access services at the clinic which was very encouraging.

“Hii mradi imetusaidia kutuelimisha na pia tunapata madawa ya family planning yenye inatusaidia kujizuia kushika mimba.

This project has taught us and given us family planning services that prevent pregnancy.”

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Impact beyond FHOK…Young people continue to appreciate Nurse Years after attending to them at the Clinic

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ost beneficiaries fondly refer to her as Sister Jane.

Sister Jane who currently is a nurse at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital in Kisumu was very instrumental during the launch and the first two years of ASK implementation.

“For the time I was at FHOK and ASK project was started, there was a lot of benefits that came with the program both to the young people and even those elderly who work or volunteer at the youth Centre and the clinic.’’

When the project was rolled up, the number of young people who came for services rose up. We managed to give them treatment after tests and it was exciting to see them gain back their esteem and confidence thereafter says Nurse Jane.

For the Anti Natal Care mothers, some came from very poor backgrounds and could hardly get finances to go for clinics.

Free treatment to such young to be mothers saw a number of them seeking services from FHOK clinics.

We went further sometimes outside Kisumu during outreaches to treat and provide medical care to young people with STI’s and other pregnancy related complications.

Young people are shy and could hardly go to hospital for fear of stigma. However, with the program, access to service has been made easier with the number of young people benefiting growing by the day.

Marcellina, a student from Maseno university Kisumu City Campus is one of those that worked with sister Jane to acquire treatment.

“This girl came to me at the project in need of help. She had developed a chronic STI that was getting worse by day.

She moved to different gynecologists for help but they kept asking for huge amounts of money without success. She came to our clinic, got tested and diagnosed and the correct treatment prescribed. It is now over a year since she fully recovered but has never forgotten me says the nurse.

She sent me this thank you message.

(Hello,I hp you are fyn..i would like to thank you for ur assistance. Am now fully recovered. Be blessed, Marcella from Maseno.)

Despite being away from FHOK, still young people who have been helped through her call to say thank you and express their gratitude.

“Working with young people, I got to understand them plus it made me more motherly. The young people have a lot of questions and ASK provided such platform where the questions of the youths were answered, concludes Nurse Jane.”

Nurse Jane attending her routine duties at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital

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Access to free and Quality ANC gave me hope again

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smin Nangulu, is a volunteer with ASK project, she shares her experience through the project.

“I had just begun my fourth year at campus; I didn’t even know I was pregnant.

Nilikua najishuku tu naweza kuwa na uja uzito(I was just suspecting that I could be pregnant).Then I met with one doctor Treezah from FHOK. She counselled me, had me tested for free and when I realized I was pregnant, she enrolled me for free Anti-Natal Clinics and counselling at the Centre.”

At first, she narrates of being disturbed by the pregnancy and wasn’t sure she wanted to keep the baby.

“After intense counselling, I decided that I will keep my baby. So I chose to proceed with my studies as I let my baby grow in the womb.

Being my first baby, I consulted many things about pregnancy changes and the staffs were more than helpful to me. Finally, I was referred to go to a hospital to deliver. Apart from pregnancy, I leant a lot on SRH and family planning. Today at 9months, my boy is heathy and am happy I got in contact with ASK.

After knowing I am pregnant, I decided to become a volunteer to help other young people. Currently, I do HIV testing, counselling and peer education

After knowing I am pregnant, I decided to become a volunteer to help other young people. Currently, I do HIV testing, counselling and peer education.

For me ASK has helped most young people like myself who can’t afford treatment for many ailments to access good quality medication and SRH Services through both education and service provision.”

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ASK volunteer and beneficiary Ms Sabina having a counselling session with a client during the Career Fair for young people at an outreach

Empowered to empower I went back to school to train as a professional HTC expert to reach out to my peers

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My name is Sabina Odwa. I was introduced to this project by a friend. I did not know anything about SRH and peer education. I learnt Comprehensive Sexual Education and also got access to services including screening for both Breast and cervical cancer.

motivated me to go to school and pursue a certificate in HTC. A course that is very different from my professional training on Social Work. I am now a professional counsellor and passionate about sharing SRH information with my peers.

With time and volunteering at the Youth Centre, I got very interested with HIV Testing and Counselling. This interest

Today, I volunteer to counsel young people who come to seek HIV services at the Youth Centre.”

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My Unspoken… Journey with ASK

Chairperson for Centre Advisory Committee for Knowledge and Capacity building in the FHOK clinic in Nyanza , Arthur on the extreme right briefing project Volunteers on the days program

Correct Information helped peel off the skin of Stigma

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My name is Arthur. I joined the program in 2013. I highly benefitted from a training for the first time by LGBT through ASK project. It was a profound moment for me especially with stigma surrounding it.

Today, says Arthur, “I am more enlightened about SRH more that I was before joining ASK. Right information has pulled me out of ignorance that causes many to stigmatize with this vulnerable groups.”

Already, it was difficult dealing with PLWH and trying to appreciate them and see them as no different from myself.

These trainings therefore gave me a platform to learn more about others. I slowly but progressively understood them when they shared there struggles and issues even as I got enlightened through SRH information. This began to shed off the scale of stigma and I began to appreciate the people just the way they are. I understood our diversity and embraced them.”

Arthur serves as a Volunteer Assistant Youth Coordinator and Chairperson for Centre Advisory Committee for Knowledge and Capacity building in the FHOK clinic in Nyanza.

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“Through many interactions and wide knowledge and information obtained in the project, I have shared and referred many of my friends to the clinic and recruited them to the youth Centre. I help organize in-house trainings and capacity building on anti-stigma campaign against HIV.”

single young mother to a bubbly young boy of 1 year and 4 months recounts her journey with ASK;

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Leah recounts that they used to be given good food too when they went for ANC clinics.

Leah says “When I got pregnant, I went to one of the community mobilisers to see her. Sikutaka kitu ingine, mimi nilikua nimeamua kuarbort. Tuliongea sana kwa muda halafu akaniambia nisitoe mimba. Aliniambia anajua hospitali inaeza saidia mimi.

”Kabla hata kujifungua, nilifanyiwa shopping ya kusaidia mtoto akizaliwa. Nilinunuliwa manguo za mtoto na pampers. Hii ilinipea ujasiri kabisa ya kungojea mtoto wangu azaliwe Leah adds

Huyo mama alinichukua akanipleka kwa daktari. Daktari alinisaidia sana na pia baada ya kuniongelesha,alikataa kunitoa mimba.

(Before giving birth, I was done for shopping by the project to help the baby on board. I was given baby’s clothes, pampers. This gave me confidence and hope for the upcoming baby and I was determined to see my baby come to birth and taken care of well.)They empowered me.

Leah says “When I went to see a community mobiliser to talk, all I wanted was to abort that baby that was growing in my womb. We talked for a long time and she told me that she knows a place where I will be helped. She took me to the clinic and the doctor refused that I have an abortion after we had a long discussion too.”

After Leah was talked to about her situation and counselled on the way forward for her pregnancy, she decided that she will keep the baby.

“I accessed all the clinic services for free and I was treated so well by the doctors and the nurses at the clinic. Not only were we given quality services free of charge but also had other benefits from the project.” The expectant young girls were also facilitated to come for clinics and laughingly,

My boyfriend is not concerned about the baby but I am managing says the jovial young mother.

Access to good ANC Services which she dutifully attended after being given health talks by FHOK Volunteers on pregnancy and other SHR issues so Leah’s baby boy growing up into a fine young boy who is very healthy.

“Mtoto wangu hajawai kuwa mgonjwa isipokua tu homa.

Kufunzwa kwa clinic na pia kuenda clinic zote zimefanya mtoto wangu akue na afya.”

(My child has never been sick except for things like cold/ flu. Going to the clinic and accessing good care has made my boy to be very healthy.)

”Kabla hata kujifungua, nilifanyiwa shopping ya kusaidia mtoto akizaliwa.

Nilinunuliwa manguo za mtoto na pampers. Hii ilinipea ujasiri kabisa ya kungojea mtoto wangu azaliwe

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Ms Martha, a volunteer with ASK conducting HTC services to a client

I wouldn’t have been pregnant at 17 If ASK was there

Exploring talents to educate my peers

E

vans Odhiambo, a student at Moi University struggled with esteem problems. Then Evans met a team of Peer educators giving a healthy talk on HIV at his institution.

M

eet Martha Mogaka from Elswero village in one of the Centre’s Health Clinic. She comes from a village with a very high prevalence of HIV thanks to the goldmine in the rural village.

“One of the volunteers talked to us about the many services we can access at the FHOK clinic and gave as a voucher coupon that we can use to access medical care.

Before my encounter with the team from ASK, I was a guy with low self-esteem. With time though, and invites to join

the team in doing outreaches, my confidence was built.

Being a member of the Youth Centre helped this young man realize his talent in acting.

Through trainings and facilitations by ASK, I was able to learn about different SRH diseases. Today, I act skits and other facilitations to spread and share knowledge on SRH.I have been trained and shown how to use a condom, check its pressure. Most young people just don’t know how to correctly put it on. That knowledge is helpful.

The goldmine attracts a lot of sexual immorality because of the money available from the mines. Unfortunately, according to Martha, the young people are the worst hit group. They can get easily lured by the goldminers with few shillings and before they know it, they are sleeping around with majority having unprotected sex.

This gets worse during the school holidays when school going children flock the mines to get easy money.

Martha is so sure that had she interacted with ASK project back then, she couldn’t have dropped out of Form Three to nurse her pregnancy at barely 17 years.

She says,”I got a child at 17 years and by then I didn’t know anything about sex education or family planning. If I had the knowledge I have now back then, I wouldn’t have gotten pregnant.

When ASK volunteers came to give us a

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A member of the Youth Centre Evans, assessing some of the wares at the Youth Centre Kiosk

health talk, I was excited about it and decided to join the project. With trainings and health workshops, I am now well informed about SRH. Young people were very afraid even to seek HIV services but I have taken the initiative of talking to them and

encouraging them to know there status.

I create time after my volunteering at Elswero Health Clinic atleast once per week to distribute condoms to the young people working at the goldmine.”

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Youth Friendly Environment sees more young people seeking SRH Services

“

For the first time in my life, I got to test for HIV after a health talk with a team from ASK, “states Ivy Murumba.

The 22 year old lady student in one of the colleges in Eldoret tells that after getting tested for HIV, she convinced her boyfriend who also came on board to be tested and access HTC service at the clinic for free.

“When I joined the project, I learnt a lot about SRH and when my sister got pregnant and wasn’t sure she was ready to have a baby, I advised her to come to the clinic. She wanted to abort the pregnancy but when she met the counsellors and doctor from the clinic, she was convinced to keep her baby and began attending the free ANC. Ivy talks excitedly about the benefits she has received from the project. Most young people are afraid of seeking help out there for fear of victimization by mean and judgmental nurses.

Knowing that the treatment is free is equally an incentive for young people to come in numbers to our facility.

“When I joined the project, I learnt a lot about SRH and when my sister got pregnant and wasn’t sure she was ready to have a baby, I advised her to come to the clinic. She wanted to abort the pregnancy but when she met the counsellors and doctor from the clinic, she was convinced to keep her baby and began attending the free ANC.

Sometimes, we get funny feelings and you want to check with a doctor and get tested and because you will be asked for consultation fee. With FHOK, being in ASK was different because it meant you can access services anytime and for free.

To me, it’s not just about the access to treatment but rather the knowledge I have acquired about the entire SRH workshops and trainings. The counsel from staff has increased my knowledge base that I can now comfortably talk to my peers about sexual Health.

Young lady at the Youth Centre perusing a health pamphlet as she awaits to be served

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FHOK –YOUTH CENTRES

Bondo, Kakamega, Malindi, Mombasa, Nakuru, Eldoret, Nyeri, Kisumu, Meru, Nairobi

FHOK- FAMILY CARE MEDICAL CENTRE Eldoret

053-2062592- Hospital Rd/Nandi Road Opposite Naivas Supermarket Kitmatt Centre, Adjacent to Regional Blood Transfusion Centre.

Email: eldoret@fhok.org

Kakamega 056-30081- Kholera House, Canon Awori Street Email: kakamega@fhok.org

Kisumu 057-2023628- Meshack Ndisi Plaza, Gumbi Rd,Omino Crescent next to the main Bus Park.

Email: Kisumu@fhok.org

Kitengela 0-2609499, Viwanda/EPZ Rd off Namanga Nairobi Rd Email: kitengela@fhok.org

Malindi 0708292757/0731755322 Opp Blue Lodge, Nyambene House, Majengo Email: malindi@fhok.org

Meru

Eastleigh

064-3132280/0643132280 Mwandantu Street next to Tuskys Supermarket Email: meru@fhok.org

Youth Centre- 0711914165, Ist Avenue, 2nd Street Adjacent to Mama Fatuma Children’s Home Email:nyc@fhok.org

Mombasa

Nakuru

254(41)-2227627/2316587 Shyam House,Mathenge Stage, Nyerere Avenue Email:coast@fhok.org

051-2213917- Oginga Odinga Rd, Market Road Junction Email: nakuru@fhok.org

Nairobi Nairobi West-0718344053/ 0710444057/020600426/7, Mai Mahiu Rd, Opp T’MALL. Email: nairobiwest@fhok.org 020-2143173/0702651440 Phoenix House, Kenyatta Avenue Email: phoenix@fhok.org

Kibra 0710-395226,Line Saba, Mashimoni Area Email: info@fhok.org

Nyeri 0713219561/0776573476 Opp PGH Next to KEMSA-Asian Quarters Email: nyeri@fhok.org

Thika 020-2034327-Workshop Rd Opp Mangu-Gatukuyu Matatu Stage Email: thika@fhok.org