Positive Youth Initiative

Positive Youth Initiative is a support group of youth infected with HIV.

P.Y.I is a project within the Movement of Men Against AIDS in Kenya (MMAAK) that was formed in 2003.

WHY P.Y.I

Positive Youth Initiative was formed from the conviction that young people have the right to participate and develop programs that interest them as youths and provide them with a voice to shape and change policies that affect them.

Forming a support group of HIV+ youth builds confidence and hope in young people, thus supporting them to share and freely articulate issues affecting them.

Positive Youth Initiative youth friendly services create an opportunity for youth to access information and quality services in reproductive health and sexual issues.

ACTIVITIES

Group Counselling for HIV+ youth is conducted every Saturday mornings.

Dialogue forums where interaction between  infected and affected  youths  in the community take place to discuss issues on HIV/AIDS.

Trainings for youths are encouraged in order to sharpen their knowledge and skills in Self management, running of support groups, Advocacy, Treatment Literacy, Nutrition and HBC.

Sporting activities are also encouraged for youth as a way of positive living, where youth are engaged in Football, Volleyball and Swimming.

Trainings for youths are encouraged in order to sharpen their knowledge and skills in Self management, running of support groups, Advocacy, Treatment Literacy, Nutrition and HBC.

Sporting activities are also encouraged for youth as a way of positive living, where youth are engaged in Football, Volleyball and Swimming.

Community outreaches target the community and youth by creating awareness on issues affecting the youth in relation to HIV/AIDS, Sex and Sexuality.

Positive Youth Initiative contribute and save in a pool created to support one another in times of need.

CHALLENGES

Disclosure of HIV status to many youths is still a problem.

Communication between youths and parents is most of the time difficult since neither understand the needs of the other.

Due to lack of resources the youth are not able to fully exploit their talents.

Prevention  strategies  targeting the youth do not have the desired impact since most of the youth are not involved in designing them.

WAY FORWARD

Positive Youth Initiative hopes to form alliances and partnerships with like-minded organisations.

P.Y.I intention in 2006 is to identify resources so as to be able to reach out to more youth within the districts and provinces.

By Advocating for Behaviour change attitude P.Y.I will be able to support youth to live positively.