HIV/AIDS is a widely spread epidemic in Kenya. It has spread its tentacles all over the country and it is no longer a subject to be ignored. People can no longer hide from the fact that all of us are affected in one way or the other by this disease, that threatens to cripple some nations. Young people are sometimes left to bear the brunt of this disease as most are left orphans. They are thus forced to mature at an early age, most of them forced to drop out of school to fend for themselves and their younger siblings. It is unfortunate that in such homes, the children having no moral guidance from parents end up engaging in reckless pre-marital sex exposing themselves to the deadly virus. Other young children, having contracted the virus from their parents, are robbed of a normal livelihood and are forced to live with the reality that they will die without having lived to achieve their full potential.

With the current level of education concerning the virus, and with the help of many organizations, most individuals are well informed on issues concerning HIV/AIDS. However, more effort needs to be put to ensure the campaigning does not go to waste. Even with increased education; people are still engaging in immoral practices. Various other factors act as contributors to this, key among them being poverty and drug and alcohol abuse.

Poverty promotes the spread of the virus in the sense that, individuals engage in immoral practices to fend for their daily requirements; they engage in prostitution to pay there way through school and even get the most basic of needs like food! Protecting oneself during such instances is usually not of utmost importance, as one does not think of the level of risk they are exposing themselves to. Drug and alcohol abuse are also major issues that need to be addressed. They impair proper judgment as to what is right and wrong. They control ones thinking and this is also the reason why there is increased rape and moral decadence in today’s society. Campaigns on how to deal with these issues need to be stepped up a notch higher if we are to see real progress in our attempts to curb the spread of HIV/AIDS.