𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐋𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟. 𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐭 𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐚 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐮𝐦 𝐨𝐧 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭, 𝐋𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐀𝐝𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬
Her Excellency First Lady Prof. Janet Kassilly Barasa led the third Youth Forum on Triple Threat at Isanjiro Polytechnic in Chemuche Ward, Malava Sub-county, bringing together over 1,000 adolescents as part of a countywide campaign targeting more than 4,000 young people in Malava and Shinyalu sub-counties.
The First Lady highlighted the Triple Threat challenges of teenage pregnancy, new HIV infections, and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), noting that these issues continue to deny many young people the opportunity to achieve their full potential. She revealed that last year, 22% of antenatal mothers in Kakamega County were adolescents aged 10–19 years, over 1,900 SGBV survivors were recorded, and 18% of new HIV infections occurred within the same age group.
Prof. Barasa reaffirmed the County Government’s commitment to protecting adolescents through strengthened partnerships, gender mainstreaming, community awareness, GBV recovery centres, and youth-friendly services. She commended partners, including ICS through the Kuimarisha Project and TIKO Africa, for empowering thousands of adolescents with life skills, sexual and reproductive health information, mental health support, and HIV prevention services.
During the forum, the First Lady launched the first edition of the Kakamega County Cross-sectoral Referral Guidelines for Adolescent Girls, Young Women, and Teenage Mothers, aimed at strengthening coordination among key sectors to provide timely and dignified support for vulnerable adolescents.
She urged young people to prioritize education, make informed choices, resist peer pressure, speak out against abuse, and utilize adolescent-friendly health services. She also called upon parents, community leaders, development partners, and stakeholders to work together with the Prof. Janet Barasa Foundation to eliminate the Triple Threat and create a safe environment where every young person can realize their full potential.
Present during the event included CECMs: CPA Livingstone Imbayi (Health); CPA Jackline Masicha (Social Services); Chief Officer for Public Health Ms Rose Muhanda, Gender Advisor Ms Leah Khasandi, Director of Medical Services Dr Steve Wandei, Partners led by ICS Programme Coordinator Ms Josphine Odhiambo, National and County Government Administrators among other stakeholders