Educate and Feed 85 At-Risk Kids in Kibera, Kenya

In Kibera, it is estimated that approximately 20% of people are living with HIV. This is much greater than the approximate 4% of people living with HIV in the greater Kenyan population.

In response to this health concern, St. Vincent's orchestrates HIV testing for all newly admitted children to our nursery school on an annual basis. The goal of this testing is to enable St. Vincent's and the families we serve to know the health status of our children and ultimately to monitor and support the health of all children under our care.

In collaboration with the Lea Toto health clinic, 29 newly admitted nursery school children received a rapid HIV test this year. In advance of the testing, parents/caretakers participated in a counseling/information session with our nursery school administration team to learn about the importance of testing and knowing their children's status, to share information about the necessary care for HIV-positive children and to discuss the importance of good nutrition, particularly for children living with HIV. This counseling is essential for preparing parents and gaining buy-in for the testing, as there still exists a stigma associated with HIV in our community. This stigma has previously led some parents to deny their children's HIV status for fear of rejection in the community. When this occurs, children do not receive adequate care for their HIV status. Following testing, St. Vincent's works with families of HIV-positive children to help them accept the results, understand how to care for their children (e.g., recognizing symptoms of opportunistic infections, accessing proper nutrition, etc.) and seek medical care early.

This year, we are so grateful that all of our children tested negative for HIV. We hope that this is symbolic of the ongoing efforts in the community to prevent mother to child transmission of HIV in Kibera.

Links:

• St. Vincent webpage