In Nairobi's cemetery, under an unfinished concrete slab, lies Judy, a 36-year-old Kenyan sex worker who lived with HIV. She died on August 7, just hours before a planned meeting with AFP. According to sex worker organizations, at least 24 HIV-positive sex workers in Kenya, who were in good health at the start of 2025, have since died. This decline is linked to the U.S. decision to suspend humanitarian aid under former President Donald Trump. The cuts led to the closure of many clinics that provided condoms, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), and antiretroviral drugs—treatments that prevent HIV infection or reduce the virus's spread. The United States, historically the largest bilateral donor to Kenya’s health system, signed a $2.5 billion five-year health agreement with Kenya in December 2025, with $1.6 billion coming from Washington. However, the Trump administration’s policies, which prohibited supported NGOs from addressing certain social issues, limited the agreement’s impact on sex workers. As a result, clinics serving this vulnerable group have not reopened, leaving many without critical health services. A global trend has emerged: in July 2026, a report by the Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR) found that 73% of U.S.-funded organizations had stopped services for key populations, including sex workers, LGBTQ+ individuals, and drug users, who are at higher risk of HIV. Experts warn of a potential "catastrophe" in Kenya, where HIV infections are already rising among sex workers. Kenyan authorities estimate there are 285,000 sex workers, 27.5% of whom are HIV-positive. The lack of treatment access, combined with clients often refusing or being unable to use condoms, increases the risk of transmission. Kenyan statistics have not yet shown a rise in overall HIV infections, but officials acknowledge the risk of reversing recent progress. In 2025, new infections dropped by 27% compared to 2024, and AIDS-related deaths fell by 8%. However, these gains could be undone if at-risk populations are not better supported. Nearly 1.5 million people in Kenya, or 3.2% of the population, live with HIV, highlighting the urgency of maintaining current prevention and treatment efforts.