To promote and enhance community empowerment in Religion, Health, Education, Social and Economic development through religious preaching, advocacy, care and support in an integrated manner complimented by structured partnerships with other organizations and the Government of Kenya.
Female Genital Mutilation /Cutting (FGM/C) is a cultural practice that some Muslims practice and gives it a religious connotation. The women from this community continue to be negatively affected by this retrogressive practice that not only exposes them to death from excessive bleeding, impaired female reproductive organ but also has some long term effects which includes:
Skills, running meetings, communication, record keeping, group dynamics and group management, business planning and financial management.
Mary Ngumo is one of the mothers so far who have been able to prevent the transmission of the HIV virus to their children by taking the antiretroviral prophylaxis, thanks to the program. She is at her prime reproductive age of 30 years old and stays in Majengo Estate, a slum in Nanyuki Town in the Rift Valley. She joined the KCIU’s PMTCT program funded by the Positive Action for Children’s Fund in Laikipia County in April 2012 when she was 8 months pregnant and was referred to the clinic for prenatal care. Mary had not known of her HIV status till then and had not heard of the antiretroviral prophylaxis treatment given to mothers that can prevent the transmission of the virus to their unborn child. She is getting support from the Maalimat (CHV), the support group and at the clinic. “I got a lot of teachings and training on how to eat healthy and live positively as well as adhering to all treatment.” She is now very happy that her child is now living a healthy HIV free life thanks to the treatment she got. She is grateful to the program and for the treatment she receives as her child has a healthy start in life.
“I’m, Ann Wandia Wairimu aged 22 years old, a double orphan in a family of five siblings (3f,2m) under the care of my grandmother who lives in Nanyuki. Before being registered into the program, life was not easy for us as my grandmother was limited financially and not able to provide the basic needs e.g. food and school fees. We were enrolled into the program in 2011 and it has helped us in a big way. I benefited from vocational training as a saloonist at Lapinky College in Nanyuki. My dreams were realized; I graduated and got employed in a saloon (Vision Saloon) in Nakuru Town, Langalanga area! From my earnings of about Ksh 500 per day, I am now supporting my siblings in providing their basic needs like scholastic materials and meeting their daily needs. I greatly thank USAID through Aphia Plus and K.C.I.U for the support in vocational training which has improved my living standards and may God Bless you abundantly.
“I am Emmanuel Chege, 14 years aged boy in class 8 at Michatha primary school in Muchorwe area in Molo district. I am a third born in a family of 4 children and living positively with HIV. I am a single orphan living with my mother who is a farm laborer in the area to earn a living. My tribulation started when my father died of HIV when i was four years old. I have been unable to attend school frequently due to lack of school fees, uniforms and other scholastic materials. I have been out of school for along time because there is no one to assist me in paying my tuition fees and buying for me school uniform” “After being recruited in KCIU OVC care and support program, I have benefited very much from the project, I have been given uniform, School fees and even I have undergone HIV counseling and testing where I was tested HIV Positive”. “One day when I went to school, with my new school uniform the headmaster was very happy with me that during the assembly time, he took me out before all the children to see me and they all clapped for me for being smart and clean. I have never experience like that before
“I am Andrew, a 21 years old boy in form four in Chandera secondary school in Mchorwe Molo district. I am a double orphan living with my grandfather with my other 3 siblings. Before i was recruited in the project, I could not go to school normally due to the problem of school fees, uniform and other scholastics materials. “I have really benefited from the project so much that am able to study comfortably with determination for success, and can be able to concentrate in achieving high grades to gain University entry so that I can help my grandfather and brothers””
“I am Hannah Njambi, a 16 years old girl in the local polytechnic training in Hair dressing. I am a single orphan in a family of 7 children living with my mother who is a farm laborer in the area. Since my father died who was the only bread winner , we had to turn to our mother for all the support, our needs and requirements was not enough for us. “I was unable to clear my college fee thus caused me to spend little time in college and more time at home but the worst moment in my life was the times I could spent more time at home during my monthly menstruation periods as I could not afford to buy sanitary towels since their was no money to spend on it and again the prices of these pads are also very high for us girls in the rural areas. This led me to use old and dirty cloths, cut parts of the blankets not knowing we will use it in the night, at times I could use some plants called ‘Maigoya’ leaves, which are very soft but very poisonous leaves. When I used these things particularly the leaves, but the going become very touch that after using these items I started developing rushes in my private parts that made me take more time again for healing. But when I was recruited in the Aphia II project, I have really received help, Iam really happy for being recruited in the project because it has made me feel like a person with some value and integrity, am no longer using the blankets, plant leaves and now able to attend my classes without interruptions because of the benefits I have received Psycho social support, school fees and sanitary towels from the projects. At first I thought of getting a boyfriend or get married to a man who will help me out of this hard life but again I remembered about my mother, brothers and sister and the idea of living with HIV/Aids. I would wish to suggest for the project to introduce reusable towels that are easy to make. Were it not for the program then by now I could have even gotten married with children or infected with HIV. Thanks to Kenya Council of Imams and Ulamaa through Aphia II rift Valley OVC project”.
“I am Alice Nabwire a single parent and a guardian to 16 children in my house in Muchowri, Molo District. My husband and co-wife died of HIV/AIDS and left behind heavy responsibility. After struggling to make the ends meet, there was no where to turn to but God helped me when I joined the OVC care and support program with KCIU which I have really benefited so much after my children were recruited in the program they have benefited so much with school fees, uniforms, sanitary towels, knowing their status and most important is the psychosocial support they receive every month from the community home visitors which has helped us so much in coping with the psychological problems of losing a father and husband. I thank KCIU and Aphia II so much for the continuous support”.
My name is John Kungu aged 14 years. I am a single orphan and a 5 th born in a family of 10 children. I live with my mother who works as a casual laborer in order to support our family. I was on and off school most of the time since my mother was unable to meet my school needs which included uniforms and scholastic materials. Due to this, it forced me to accompany my mother on her casual work of working on other people’s shambas (small farms). I joined the program in 2010 of which I have received enormous support in terms of school uniforms. My younger sister got sanitary towels and through psychological support I managed to do well in school. I managed to score 392 marks in KCPE last year. Through this good performance, I qualified to join Starehe Boys Centre on February 2013 and thanks to the help of the program, I secured a scholarship with Equity Bank under their program Wings to Fly which works towards assisting the needy and bright students in the society to acquire quality education and achieve their dreams. It is a dream comes true! I want to become an engineer and help my other siblings and the community. I pray and thank USAID through APHIAplus and KCIU for the support provided”
