Why?
The purpose of the project is to increase the family resilience of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) and people living with HIV (PLHIV) and their families, through meeting their basic needs, contributing to improving their social conditions, health and quality of life, minimizing future hazards, and by increasing the capacity of the Kenyan Red Cross and its volunteers. Kenya is severely affected by the HIV epidemic. 6.3 % of the adult population aged 15-49 is infected with HIV. Despite a significant decline in HIV prevalence over the past ten years, there has been an increase in mortality rate and reduced life expectancy over the past 15 years, largely because of AIDS, deterioration of health services, and increasing poverty. HIV threaten both national and household socio-economic and livelihoods security. Households suffer from food insecurity, malnutrition, and increased levels of poverty, at the same time as there is an increase in orphans and vulnerable children. The target areas are: Lamu county (Amu and Mpeketoni), Kilifi and Meru. Most people on the Amu island face a number of problems such as lack of clean water and inadequate medical facilities. In Mpeketoni the access to health care is limited due to both financial and geographical issues. In Kilifi county unpredictable weather conditions account for high crop failure probability.
What?
Intervention will be made on 8 levels: education, food and nutrition, HIV and AIDS prevention, psychosocial support, child protection, health, and income generating. The methods will include promotion of access to education, basic training and health promotion in cooking, hygiene, and sanitation, promotion of HIV prevention, sensitizing communities on sexual and gender based violence, and promotion of income generating activities like rabbit rearing and bee keeping.
Who?
The family assessment targets 800 persons living with HIV, and 5 000 orphans and vulnerable children and their families. A total of 800 youth are trained in peer education, which will reach 12 800 peers. The project will have a significant impact on the targeted beneficiaries and entire communities in terms of attitude change towards people living with HIV. Furthermore, the project will provide resource and environment for building project management capacity of the Kenyan Red Cross staff and volunteers.