Marie Stopes Sierra Leone Celebrates International Condom Day in Collaboration with AHF and Partners
Let us tell you what it felt like to be in Mile 91 on the 13th of February 2026.
From the moment you entered the town square, you could feel it. Music in the background. Football jerseys flashing across the field. Young people gathered in clusters arguing about who would win. Bike riders lined up confidently. Students moving from one booth to another. It felt alive.
International Condom Day was celebrated under the global theme “Just Use It,” led in Sierra Leone by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, in collaboration with Marie Stopes Sierra Leone and over 20 partner organisations, including NAS, NACP, UNAIDS, UNFPA, World Vision, Plan International, PPASL, CARE, JHPIEGO, DKT, Central University, the Police, the Military and many others.
But beyond all the names and banners, what really mattered were the conversations happening in real time.
The day began with a symposium. Young people did not sit quietly. They asked questions. Honest ones. Direct ones. Questions about HIV. Questions about condom use. Questions about protection. And the answers were given clearly, without judgement, without shame.
Then the football matches began.
Junior and secondary schools faced off against Central University. The Bike Riders Association played against the Police and Army team. The cheering was loud. The teasing was louder. And in between matches, something important was happening quietly. People were stepping aside to collect condoms. Some were walking up for HIV testing. Others were standing at booths, asking about family planning.
On Valentine’s Day, the final match between the Bike Riders and Central University drew an even bigger crowd. By evening, Mile 91 had turned into a full celebration space, music, entertainment, organizations lined up, all speaking with one message about protection and safer choices.
And Marie Stopes Sierra Leone was right there in the middle of it.
We were not just present. We were there to serve.
Over 500 residents engaged with our Sales and Social Marketing Team, receiving information about our full range of products and how to use them correctly, including our Flame Condoms, which many young people were curious about. We spoke about protection openly, demonstrated correct use, and answered practical questions people sometimes feel too shy to ask.
On Valentine’s Day alone, about 170 real people got access to care from our team.
And this is what we are most proud of.
The fact that we were there. The fact that people felt comfortable enough to walk up to us. The young woman who had been thinking about starting a method but did not know where to begin. The student who decided to test for HIV for the first time. The couple who stood together and asked questions without embarrassment.
These are the moments that stay with us. These are the real highlights of International Condom Day for us, being able to serve, to answer, to guide, and to stand beside the community in practical ways.
During the keynote address, it was shared that young people accounted for 35 percent of HIV cases recorded in 2025. Standing in a field filled with young faces, that statistic did not feel distant. It felt urgent. International Condom Day may have been a two-day event, but the message cannot end there.
If you are reading this, let this be a reminder to protect yourself before putting yourself in any sexual situation. Think about how you can preserve your health and your future. Protection is not something to be embarrassed about.
And when you see someone pick up a condom, do not judge them. Do not question them in a way that makes them uncomfortable. Do not shame them. Choosing protection is a responsible decision. It deserves respect.
The conversations we started in Mile 91 should not stop in Mile 91. They should continue in our homes, among friends, in relationships, in everyday life. Protection is not just for International Condom Day.
It is for every day.