APHIA II KENYA

When the UN Commission on the Status of Women held its 53^rd session in New York from March 2 to 13, 2009 Kenya Girl Guide Association (KGGA) Ranger Guide member, Sheila Waithera Wangui, was among only four girls from around the world who graced the occasion. The 17-year-old student from Nginda Girls Secondary School in Murang’a District from the Central Province was invited to the event by the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) to make presentations on issues relating to HIV/AIDS in her home country.

The other four girls invited to the event are 24-year-old Miriam Oluoch-Otieno a KGGA Young leader who will chaperone Sheila, a requirement for under 18 year travelling abroad, 20-year-old Misozi Belessings Kumwenda from Zambia, 19-year-old Vanessa Macedo Fiuza from Brazil and 22-year old Nomusa Lauren Taylor–Dube from Canada.

"The girls represented WAGGGS at events, panel discussions, and partnership meetings during the session. They held presentations on their local associations’ work in the field of HIV/AIDS and made a presentation on WAGGGS’ fight against HIV/AIDS,” said Joyce Kariuki, the KGGA Projects Executive based in Nairobi, adding that they also shared their personal experiences with other participants.

Joyce Kariuki, Kenya Girl Guides Project Executive

One woman's fight to help a society to come to grips with the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

The name Ms Habiba Hassan Abdillahi is raising eyebrows in the North Eastern Province (NEP) of Kenya. And not because she is a woman trying to step into traditional male roles in a conservative society. Simply, Ms Habiba is one of only a handful of NEP residents who have gone public about their HIV positive status.

Born 27 years ago in Isiolo District, Habiba dropped out of primary school when she was 14 years old to enter into an arranged marriage with her cousin. But the marriage did not last and one year later, in 2000, the couple divorced. But luck would be on her side the following year when she met and married the man of her dreams. Or so it seemed!

Ms Habiba moved with her new husband, who was then working as a journalist, to Garissa where he was based. Naturally, children followed and the couple sired a girl and a boy, who are currently seven and four years old respectively. But Habiba was not prepared for the turn of events that took place in 2005.

Pathfinder’s APHIA II program reaches youth through peer educators who lead “Chill” sessions in local schools

Karatina, Kenya: Karatina division of Nyeri district is known for its chilly weather particularly during the May to July cold season. But there is more to the cold weather at Mathaithi Primary School. Based two kilometres from Karatina town on the Karatina – Nyeri road, the school has a program for adolescents that blends in perfectly with the chilly weather.

Since May 2007, Mathaithi Primary School has been one of the hundreds of schools in Nairobi and Central provinces enrolled in the APHIA II NC – supported “Chill” Clubs. The “Chill” initiative—named after the Kiswahili slang word for abstinence — is a comprehensive in-school HIV prevention program targeting 12-15 year old youth in the two provinces.

Mariam Francis is a 14 year old Orphan and Vulnerable Child (OVC) who lost her parents to AIDS-related complications.  Being the eldest child, Mariam is the head of a household of three siblings.   She was bedridden when a Community Health Worker (CHW) trained by APHIA II Coast met her.  Mariam was referred to the hospital... 

At 22 years, Valentine is a young mother of two with no source of income. Though she was in an abusive relationship, Valentine endured the beatings because...

Salome Ngonzi, a 40 year old mother of four, had been bed ridden for almost two years. Being a mother and wife, her health deterioration subjected her husband and children to immense suffering and despair. “I was sick for a very long period and I never thought of going to hospital until a Community Health Worker visited and referred me to Malindi hospital,” remarked Salome.

At Malindi Hospital, an APHIA II Coast supported site, Salome underwent...