Reach A Hand Uganda commemorated World AIDS Day 2025 through an awareness campaign dubbed “i Know Kati” loosely translated as “I Know Now”.
The campaign focussed on sensitizing young people, particularly ghetto youth, on the importance of testing to increase voluntary testing amidst debunking myths around HIV transmission and ARVs.
The initiative was characterised by youth-friendly activities such as a marching band through Lungujja, a Kampala suburb – leading to Sendawula Zone, a medical camp for residents to access free HIV testing and counselling, planning services, distribution of free condoms, and health talks.
The day was crowned by an energetic music concert headlined by Qute Kaye, Ray Signature, and Ashaba Music among other artists, drawing hundreds of young people for edutainment-driven awareness and reinforcing the message of early testing.
The campaign was held in partnership with Reproductive Health Uganda (RHU), Sauti Plus Media Hub, DKT International, Wondfo, Medsafe Hospital, Aquafina, and the Rotary Club of Lungujja among others.
Sulaiman Muganza Byuma, Programs Officer–Community Engagement at Reach A Hand Uganda, noted, “Using youth-friendly tactics increases response to HIV testing. As such, we encourage all stakeholders to adopt new initiatives to attract people to test, which will help in reducing new infections, especially among young people.”
Activities of the day included distribution of condoms, dance and testing for HIV
Katongole John, a resident who participated in the medical camp, appreciated the initiative, noting that many people fear visiting health facilities, but when the services are brought closer, it helps them to talk freely.”
The campaign focus aligns with the Uganda AIDS Commission Annual Joint AIDS Review Report 2022/2023, which calls for increased sensitization to curb rising HIV infections among adolescents, hugely contributing to the new infection bracket.
According to the report, Uganda recorded 38,000 new HIV infections nationwide. Of these, approximately 15,000 new infections were among young people aged 15–24 years. Alarmingly, a large share of those new infections among the youth were among adolescent girls and young women — highlighting that young females remain disproportionately affected.
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