Last Friday, I had one of those busy, back-to-back meetings day. I was looking forward to start my weekend and as for every other Kenyan, that means that we going to party. My three girlfriends and I had been planning the entire week for a meet up, share dinner and drinks together as a “girls’ club” and gossip. I was excited with the expectations of a great evening. It has become a routine that every fortnight we meet, enjoy the evening and head home to our families. So this Friday, we are done with our meet up and it’s time to pay the piper. Just as my friend Mary pulls out her wallet, a packet of condoms fall out. We’re all staring at her as she casually collects it, as ‘Sexual Healing by Marvin Gaye’s plays lowly at the background. ‘Do you guys use condoms every time you have sex?’ Mary asks. We are dumbfounded and gets me thinking. As young people who are sexually active, do we protect ourselves from sexually transmitted diseases and unplanned pregnancy? According to Kenya AIDS Indicator Survey 2017, HIV prevalence among males and females aged 15-24 years was estimated at 1.34% and 2.61% respectively while overall HIV prevalence was 1.98%. Condom use is proven to offer double benefits by protecting against unplanned pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. If you want your condom to work, you’ve got to use it correctly. Here are some easy to follow instructions:

How to use a condom

• Did you know condoms have an expiry date! Always check for printed expiry date on the wrapper. DO NOT USE EXPIRED CONDOMS!
• Open condoms carefully so that you don’t damage them. Please do not use scissors or your teeth as much as you want to look romantic
• Ensure that the condom is ready to roll the right way, the rim should be on the outside so that it looks like a hat.
• Pinch lightly at the tip to ensure that you leave space for semen collection and place the condom on the head of the penis.
• Unroll your condom when the penis is erect (hard) but before contact with your partner’s genital area and wear it the whole time you are having sex. Make sure the condom is rolled to the base of the penis.
• If you are uncircumcised, you may want to pull back the foreskin then unroll the condom as described at the above step
• Lubrication on the condoms prevents condom breakage, you might want to add more lubrication which is available at purchase as water based or silicone lubricants.
• Enjoy your safe sex!
• After ejaculation, hold the rim of condom and pull out of your partner’s body before your penis is flaccid to avoid semen spillage.
• Carefully remove the condom, away from your partner to ensure you do not spill semen on them.
• Throw the condom away. Do not flush condoms down the toilet, they cause blockage.

Condoms can’t be re-used! Use a new condom every time you have sex, even when you want to change the kind of sex (from anal to vaginal sex)

Since last Friday, I have resulted to always carry with me a packet of condoms, if not for me, then to help a sister or a brother! J