Community Asset Building and Development Action

Strengthening opportunities and resilience for adolescents and young people affected by HIV.

In rural Mumias East, western Kenya, 44% of people rely on subsistence farming, while the collapse of the local sugar industry has further reduced employment opportunities. Limited access to education, skills and employment leaves young people vulnerable to HIV, school dropout and early pregnancy. Those aged 15–34 account for 53% of new HIV infections in Kakamega County.

With Egmont support, Community Asset Building and Development Action (CABDA) is helping young people with or at risk of HIV build healthier, more secure futures through improved HIV care, education and skills training, and stronger household livelihoods.

Young people living with HIV attend monthly support groups providing mentoring, treatment support and sexual and reproductive health information. Those with high viral loads receive home visits to improve treatment adherence, while parents and caregivers are trained to provide effective support. Community dialogues and awareness sessions also strengthen HIV prevention and reduce stigma.

CABDA supports vulnerable adolescents to remain in school through fees, uniforms and learning materials. Nine young people who have left school are receiving vocational training and apprenticeships, alongside life skills and leadership training to improve their employment prospects.

The project also strengthens household livelihoods. Parents and caregivers receive entrepreneurship, agribusiness and financial literacy training before forming groups to establish small businesses, supported with links to buyers and markets.

By combining healthcare, education and economic strengthening, CABDA is reducing young people’s vulnerability to HIV while helping them and their families build more resilient futures.