Girl Child Counselling Women Group

Increasing HIV awareness and supporting vulnerable girls and young people towards economic independence.

Young women in Kenya have been especially affected by the HIV epidemic. Due to the lack of economic opportunities that are available to them, many find themselves dependent on transactional sexual relationships, where they are vulnerable to diseases such as HIV. As a result, young women in Kenya aged 15 - 24 are twice as likely to contract HIV as their male counterparts.

Girl Child Counselling Women Group (GCCWG) are expanding on the work they have previously done with The Egmont Trust, looking to reach more communities and beneficiaries than ever before.

Their current project focuses on providing family planning options and counselling to thousands of women, giving them more control over their lives. It will also provide HIV testing and counselling services to over 7,000 young people, ensuring that they are aware of their HIV status and bringing defaulters back to care. Both of these are being undertaken by young men and women trained by GCCWG as Peer Counsellors, an approach which has proven to be effective in reaching young people with important information and bringing about behaviour change.

GCCWG are also focussing on improving the economic prospects of these young people, providing vocational training courses to 150 young men and women, giving them the skills to find employment.