Communities in East Africa respond to HIV/AIDS

Summary

Local groups in Kenya and Tanzania working with World Neighbors address prevention, screening, nutrition and antiretroviral therapy, in addition to the social stigma, livelihood strategies and orphans

What is the issue, problem, or challenge?

The infected rate in these local communities is upwards of 20%, much higher than the 6% and 8% of Kenya and Tanzania, respectively. This is due to migration, lack of access to health education and services, gender violence, stigma and taboos. Many children in the community have lost both their parents. The population is approximately 5000 in these three areas.

How will this project solve this problem?

Training of community health workers in HIV/AIDS; education within the community at schools, churches, community meetings; partnering with mobile VCT clinics; distribution of condoms and microbicides (when available); support for orphaned children.

Potential Long Term Impact

The goals are to: reduce the number of people newly infected; to help people who are HIV+ to live longer and healthier lives; to provide orphaned children with financial and emotional support; and to support the communities as they address HIV/AIDS.

Project Message

I am very open about my HIV+ status. I want to encourage others not to be ashamed to go for a test. We should encourage people to to go for testing. In this era, people shouldn't die of HIV/AIDS.
- Risper Ogogo, Community Health Worker, Nyanza, Kenya

Additional Documentation

This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).

Resources