KATIMA MULILO, Namibia  ̶   Wanabe Sikwaya is lined up in front of the Condomize campaign booth in Katima Mulilo.

He had to travel over 11 kilometers from his remote village, situated south-east of Katima Mulilo, the capital city of the Zambezi region.

"Condoms are not readily available in our area. No small shop there sells condoms either," said Sikwaya.

This meant that Sikwaya had few options for protection, which was made worse by the fact that he was unfamiliar with alternative family planning methods.

By the time he was 23 years old, he had fathered five children in three years, one of whom is deceased.

Sikwaya's story is typical of many young people in rural areas who, over time, struggle to access sexual and reproductive health services and information, especially condoms, and are at risk of contracting HIV or becoming parents at a young age.

High HIV prevalence rate among Namibia youth

HIV/AIDS in Namibia is a critical public health issue and has been one of the leading causes of death in Namibia since 1996.   

Although its prevalence declined nearly half the peak (22%) at the turn of the last decade, recording 12.6% in 2022, Namibia is still among the countries with the highest rates of HIV in the world, according to the World Bank.  

Approximately 30% of new infections in Namibia are among young people aged 15-24, and 60% of them are among young women.

The annual incidence rate among adults (15-64 years) stands at 0.36% compared to 0.9% for young women (15-24 years), this indicates a contribution of about 30% to the total new infections.

Reaching youth through mobile health

The Ministry of Health and Social Services in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and partners launched the Condomize campaign in August 2018 to advocate for HIV prevention among youth, with an emphasis on consistent condom use.

Led by young people, the campaign has since been instrumental in shifting the mind-sets and social behaviour of young people.

It was during one of the Condomize campaigns that Sikwaya was able to access more information about condom use.

"I also carried some condoms from the campaign. My mission is to encourage peers to alter behavioral patterns and adhere to safe practices to prevent new HIV infections. The time has come for us as young people to fight for our rights," said Sikwaya.

Klaivert Mwandingi, the President of the African Youth and Adolescents Network in Namibia, called on young people to be free to access condoms and other commodities. “Condomize, do not compromise. Love smart and play safe,” he said.

During the months of February to May 2023, five Condomize Campaigns were held in five regions of the country, reaching a total of 2 028 young people with sexual and reproductive health (SRH) information and distributing more than 53 912 condoms.