Increasing the innovation skills of youth-driven HIV organizations in Kenya

Project:
Almasi Challenge

Location:
Kenya

Funders:
ViiV Healthcare

Category:
Sexual & Reproductive Health
HIV/AIDS

Challenge

HIV prevalence among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Kenya is almost four times that of the general adult population. The criminalization and persistent stigmatization of same-sex sexual activity contributes to social, community, and healthcare-related barriers that prevent this key population from accessing high-quality HIV services. For these reasons, there is a pressing need for innovative models that improve HIV prevention, testing, treatment, and adherence and are tailored to the unique needs of young MSM (ages 15-24 years old).

Innovation

YLabs, in partnership with ViiV Healthcare Positive Action, launched an innovation challenge for youth-driven Kenyan organizations that work with young MSM. Five organizations were selected to participate in the Almasi Challenge:

1. Keeping Alive Societies Hope (KASH) — located in Kisumu 

2. WACHA Health — located in Mombasa 

3. MAAYGO and HOYMAS (joint proposal) — located in Kisumu and Nairobi 

4. Amkeni Malindi — located in Malindi

YLabs trained these five organizations to develop, test, and explore youth-driven solutions to the challenges of HIV prevention and treatment in direct collaboration with young MSM. At the end of the training and testing period, the organizations presented their refined ideas for the opportunity to win up to USD $120,000 to further test, implement, and evaluate their innovative solution, with technical and design support from YLabs.

MAAYGO and HOYMAS were selected by a panel of judges as the innovation challenge winners. YLabs then trained both organizations in human-centered design to refine and implement a new HIV self-testing campaign and service delivery model to reach YMSM who had never tested for HIV, or test infrequently.

During the research and design phases, the team focused on addressing YMSMs’ fear of testing positive and the fear of being stigmatized when going to a clinic for testing. . In response, MAAYGO and HOYMAS implemented an outreach and testing intervention that consisted of the following: 

1. A digital and physical ad campaign with YMSM-focused messaging to address common fears about HIV testing

2. A subscription to an automated SMS messaging platform to connect YMSM to peer educators who deliver HIV self-test kits and incentives to convenient pick-up points

3. Streamlined, confidential access to sensitized clinicians to encourage reporting of HIVST results and facilitate linkage to follow-up care

Results & Impact

During the four-month pilot period in 2021, over 1,750 young MSM subscribed to the Almasi campaign in Kisumu and Nairobi, and 980 got tested. 

YLabs’ evaluation of the pilot revealed the following promising results:

• 834% increase in HIV testing among YMSM who had never tested

• 123% increase in testing for infrequent testers

• 202% increase in the overall number of YMSM who received HIV testing

• 93% linkage to care of YMSM who tested positive

“The messages [on the platform] were very encouraging,” a project participant shared. “And above all, I loved the fact that I was being engaged by somebody I [did] not know and my personal details were not inquired.”

Next Steps

Together with MAAYGO and HOYMAS, YLabs is now seeking additional funding and partnerships to support the expansion and implementation of the successful Almasi pilot program. If you’re interested in supporting this work, please get in touch!