For years, the fear of being judged was heavier than the HIV status itself.

In Sindo and Rusinga Island in Mbita Constituency, Homa Bay County, young women living with HIV are finding a new path through support, mentorship and economic empowerment.

Through the Positive Action for Rights and Dignity programme by Mildmay Kenya, adolescent mothers living with HIV are being encouraged to take control of their health, continue with their education and build independent lives.

For Amina, a 23 year old young woman from Sindo, discovering she was HIV positive at 12 changed her life.

“I came to realize that I was positive in 2017. It was not easy. I struggled with self stigma and telling my mother about my status,” she says.

Amina says the hardest part was not the medication, but the fear of how people would react.

“I had heard negative conversations about people living with HIV. I thought telling my mother would hurt her.”

After struggling with disclosure and taking her medication consistently, she found support from mentors who helped her understand that HIV was not the end of her dreams.

“When I joined high school, it became difficult. I was afraid people would see me taking my medication. My health started going down, but I got support and learned how to manage my HIV,” she says.

Today, Amina uses her experience to encourage other young mothers living with HIV.

“I mentor girls like me. I tell them they should not feel unwanted because of HIV or because they became mothers at a young age.”

For Njeri, her journey started even earlier.

Diagnosed as a child while living with her grandmother, she only discovered the truth about her HIV status years later.

“My grandmother told me I was asthmatic and that I needed to go to the hospital for medication. Later, when I was learning about HIV in school, I became curious and asked why I was taking those drugs,” she says.

That moment changed everything.

“I was told I was HIV positive and that I needed to take my medication throughout my life for a healthy life.”

But acceptance did not come immediately.

In boarding school, Njeri struggled to take her medication because of fear and stigma.

“I carried my medication to make my grandmother happy, but at school I was not taking it. I was afraid people would find out.”

A turning point came when she received counselling and support.

“I accepted myself for who I am. I learned that I am not alone. There are many of us going through the same journey.”

The programme has also supported young mothers to protect their children from HIV and build better futures.

One young mother, Sharon, says becoming a mother came with fear, but she was determined her child would be HIV free.

“I wanted my baby to be HIV free. I made sure I never missed my appointments and I took my medication because I wanted the best for my child,” she says.

Beyond healthcare support, Mildmay Kenya is helping the girls become financially independent through village savings groups, farming and small businesses.

The support has helped some women pay school fees, handle medical needs and support their families.

“I can help my mother with hospital bills and also support myself instead of always asking other people,” says Amina.

The programme also trains community adolescent treatment supporters who visit young mothers, offer guidance and remind them about clinic appointments.

Mildmay Kenya’s team says the goal is to ensure these young women live full and productive lives.

“We look at them holistically. We support their health, their economic empowerment and their quality of life,” says Executive Director Elizabeth Oluoch.

For the young women of Sindo and Rusinga Island, HIV is only one part of their story.

Their journeys are now about courage, acceptance and hope.

“I want other girls to know they can still have a future. HIV does not stop you from living,” says Njeri.