FULLNESS OF LIFE, AMIDST AND BEYOND HIV/AIDS PANDEMIC

FULLNESS OF LIFE, AMIDST AND BEYOND HIV/AIDS
PANDEMIC
Ignorance and prejudice are fuelling the spread of a preventable disease. World
AIDS Day, 1 December, is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the
fight against HIV and AIDS.... It's up to you, me and us to stop the spread of HIV
and end prejudice.
~ worldaidsday.org
GREETINGS OF THE NEW YEAR 2013!!
Welcome to the 3rd issue of our Newsletter. In this issue we share on our experiences and
activities of the months of October to December 2012, and testimonies of our beneficiaries.
During this period we continued with our activities through the help of our benefactors and
well wishers.
The psychosocial activities to the clients were successful due to the commitment of the staff and
the moral support we received from the Christian Brothers leadership team.
The Education for Life outreach programs we did during the period benefited our clients,
college students and youths in parishes.
As part of advocacy we too participated in commemorating the World AIDS day with our
beneficiaries and other stakeholders.
Finally, we appreciate all who have responded to our appeal and supported us morally and
financially. We welcome more friends to support us morally and financially in our noble
mission.
Angeline Obutu
EFL Co- odinator
A Visit from the Leadership team
On October 2012, we were privileged to host Bros, Richard Welsh, Donal Kirk (provincial
leadership) and Bro Gerard (District Leader) and Dennis Readon of Christian Brothers.
This was a great moment for the clients and the staff.
It was motivating to share experiences and also a brief of the Brothers experience in
Zambia. We welcome you again and thanks for your encouragement and moral support.
Angeline Obutu
Br. Gerard and Br Don O’Kirk addressing the clients
BEHAVIOUR CHANGE PROCESS IN KAKAMEGA DIOCESE
On 28th – 30th November 2012 Angie and I travelled deep into Kakamega Diocese to facilitate an
EFL workshop in Chekalini Parish to a group infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. The
workshop was organized by the Sacred Heart Sisters, who are also trying their best to control
the spread of the disease.
It was very encouraging to see how the participants opened themselves so quickly to talk about
their issues, especially those who were already living positively. This made it easy for us to
interact with them as they had real and genuine life experiences to share. I confirmed this aspect
when one client shared how she was stigmatized ten years ago by her own family when first
diagnosed by HIV/AIDS.
Her experience humbled the other participants. They appreciated that thirty years since AIDS
was first discovered in Kenya, the stigma still exists - people are still dying without speaking
much about it.
In a nut shell, I thank the Sacred Heart Sisters through Sister Nancy for giving us that
opportunity to enlighten their clients about life issues.
Br. David Kwach
A TIME TO SMILE
As we have shared in the previous
newsletters, the saving and internal lending
communities (SILC) project has influenced our
clients positively. On the 17th and 18th of
December, 2012, the groups had their share
out day whereby they received their savings
and interest. The highest got between KSH
15000 and 18000.This amount may seem
minimal to an average Kenyan ,but for the
women it meant a lot and more especially as
they were sure of a meal with their families
during Christmas. One woman exclaimed that
this was the highest amount she ever
received in her life time.
The women had arrived early this day all in a
jovial mood. They danced and chanted
ululations as they received the shares. As
staff, we felt fulfilled as for once the clients
were all smiles.
We have deliberated that this year, 2013 all
clients join SILC groups.
Behavior change process at Tambach
Teachers Training College (T.T.T.C)
Teachers play a crucial role in mentoring the
child. The two year training offered to the
teachers has been known to focus more on
academic subjects with little attention given to
life skills training.
Brother Colm, a Patrician Brother noticed the
gap during his term as a tutor. Since 2006, he
has sponsored EFL to offer behavior change
programme to the first year students. In Nov
2012, more than 400 teachers benefited from
the workshop. From the feedback, many of
them acknowledged that they have been able
to make personal choices and acquired life
skills for handling children.
To reach the large numbers, we spent two
weeks handling groups of 6o’s for three days.
We thank Br. Colm for supporting us through
the years.
Angeline Obutu –EFL Co-ordinator
A day to collect shoes for OVC
Most of our clients dwell in slum areas. The biggest challenge in this place is that most of the
children who are schooling in these areas have no opportunity to get the shoes. This is an
indication that the children are prone to diseases such as foot rot during the rainy season. It
was a pleasurable moment as we were blessed with funds to purchase new shoes for the
orphans and vulnerable children. The parents acompanied their children to pick the right
shoes.
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Happy faces after receiving the shoes
Br. Nicodemus
EFL with the youths out of School in the month
Of December 2012
EFL endeavors to reach out to the youths who have
either finished high school or college and those who
did not have an opportunity to get a formal education
so as to engage them positively.
As part of the EFL mission and plan, youths are a
significant target group. This is due to their
vulnerability and if not addressed, can be a menace in
our society.
Idleness, lack of job opportunity and poverty has been
a source of frustration to this group which has lead and
contributed to crime rate, illegal drugs and alcohol
abuse.
Our experience as EFL program proves that the youths
are left on their own to make life choices and most of
them don’t have proper understanding of what awaits
them.
During the month of December 2012 Kobujoy youths
had an opportunity to congregate for three days and
went through behavior change process. This we
believe challenged them to begin relooking into their
lives and make conscious deliberate choices that will
promote a healthy state of mind body and spirit. At the
end of three days workshop we were encouraged by
the positive feedback from the group.
Antonio Ado Noah
EFL facilitator
Appreciation to EFL
I greatly appreciate EFL for supporting me in many
ways. It is not easy to find people who can give a
helping hand.
It was hard for my own parents to take care of me. This
was because both of them were infected by
HIV/AIDS. They were both weak and could not go to
do any work to get an income for our family. This
paralyzed the family in many ways. It was unfortunate
that my mother passed away after battling with illness.
Through God’s grace Education for life came into my
rescue. The programme supported me in my education
from class one to class eight. I did my K.C.P.E and did
not pass the exams. Education for Life did not give up
encouraging me. I knew that my life was coming to an
end. The EFL took me to vocational training to get
skills in tailoring. I took my two years studies and I
happily graduated in October 2012 with a certificate
in tailoring and dress making. I am seeing that my
future has been brightened. I am thankful for EFL who
have supported my success in life. I know that I am able
to help others too. I know that if one day I get my own
work, I will support my siblings.
I am still cheering up the EFL programme to continue
supporting the orphans and vulnerable children who
have given up. I was once there but now I am a
different person.
Thanks again and may God bless you all.
Sheila Atieno Ouma.
COMMEMORATING WORLD AIDS DAY
On 1st of December 2012 the Education for Life fraternity joined the world in celebrating the
day. The theme of the day is still getting to zero i.e. zero new infections, zero stigmas and zero
AIDS related deaths.
Being a value based organization; we started our celebrations with Eucharist at the Sacred
Heart Cathedral Eldoret where by a good number of individuals we serve turned up. We were
very much supported by the Home based care staffs and a couple of law students from Moi
University Annex campus. Candles were lit and red ribbons tied in honor of those who have
gone ahead of us as a result of HIV/AIDS.
The guest speaker who happened to be one of our clients emphasized a lot on getting to zero
and with behavior/proper attitudinal change we are likely to get there.
These are some of the EFL family who joined hands to mark the WORLD AIDS DAY
DAY OUT AND FOLLOW UP FOR ORPHANS AND VULNERABLE CHILDREN (OVC)
On 22nd December, 2012, we organized a day out and follow up of our sponsored children at the St.
Joseph Pastoral Centre.
The children, aged between 14-18 years, recited poems, danced and motivated each other. This was an
opportunity for them to know each other and form networks for peer support. As they took their lunch,
they acknowledged that this for them was their Christmas.
Hilder Nyaboke and a beneficiary giving a motivational talk during the OVC gathering.
GRATITUDE TO EFL
To the program staff I send my gratitude. You have done so much for us and have played
a role in our lives that even our fathers cannot. You have been mentors, teachers and
helpers to us. You gave us hope when all our dreams had been shattered by shinning light
in our education life when we had given up and we had no one to turn to. God answered
our prayers through you. We had given up and we were about to make another step in our
lives. You came and took hold of our hands and said we can make it, as nothing is
impossible. You gave us a second chance. Truly you were a God-send because you were
not tired of leading, correcting and helping us. Through it all you we were able to
recollect our past and help us start a new life. We feel so proud of passing through
secondary education. No words can express what we feel inside. Through seminars that
you have been inviting us to, we have been able to learn a lot about the project, especially
the seminar of 21/8/2012. This brought us a clear picture of the EFL project where we
came to learn deeply the mission statement and vision of the project. We also learned the
challenges the project is facing in order to ensure the well being of clients and we bore
witness as the beneficiaries that all that we were offered by the project was not just found
on a silver platter. It came through perseverance, dedication and hospitality of the staff
and the support of the well wishers. This is why nobody could leave your office being
hurt but instead with a lot consolation of the heart.
Finally, throughout the five years strategic planning workshop conducted by the
management and few chosen beneficiaries for the August seminar, we prayed that God
may open up ways for the project to run its activities smoothly in the future. It gives hope
to many others who have lost their hope in life, as I had before meeting my counselors,
advisors and mentors from EFL. I am proud to be one of the beneficiaries of the project.
May God bless the management and all the well wishers of this project abundantly.
Agembo Otieno Fredrick - EFL beneficiary
TO THE STAFF OF EDUCATION FOR LIFE IN ELDORET
Good people like you are rare to be found in this world. I do not have proper
words to
express my gratitude to you.
When I was a kid, I never knew if I could join school since I was an orphan and I had nobody
to take me to school. But today, I have all reasons to thank my God and put a smile on my
face because I got sponsors of Education For Life program in Eldoret who supported my
education from 2001 when I was in class one up to 2012 when I did my K.C.S.E
Education For Life has been very supportive of my education. If it was not for the Education
For Life program in Eldoret, I could be barrowing on the street. Today I am educated
person and I can make proper decisions in my life. Sponsors of Education For Life are very
kind and have shown me mercy and love during my education. I received good support from
sponsors whenever I met unfamiliar situations during my education.
In addition to my education, the Education For Life program has given me an opportunity to
interact and exchange ideas with different children through songs, poems, plays and
“mchongwano” (fun). We were able to share and bear one another’s burden whenever we
met as the children of one family of Education For Life.
May I take this opportunity to urge my fellow orphans who have a chance to be educated by
Education For Life in Eldoret, to remain focused and committed towards achieving the
expectation of the academic world and society. The journey will be full of challenges but
others have walked the same path and succeeded.
I would like to appeal to my fellow girls that early sex is not a game, it affects mind, damages
the spirit and hurts the body. Wait to have sex until you are of age and know the HIV status
of your partner. Dare to be different. Be the first to say NO! Do not follow the crowd! Avoid
pressure from your peers and take care of your body as your body is the temple of God.
May God bless the staff of Education For Life in Eldoret abundantly, as they continue to
support education of my fellow brothers and sisters who are orphaned and vulnerable.
Teresia Machio Ademba
The Joy of working in Education for Life
I have great respect for our clients who are affected and infected in
one way or the other. Sometimes they arrive at the EFL centre with
deeper problems such as pain, sufferings and humiliations from their
families’ backgrounds. But after sharing their circumstances of life
with the EFL counseling staff they become more energetic and
happier with hope to restart afresh even though they are still
suffering physically and psychologically.
Another joy has been the recognition of the potential for every
person, good that can be affirmed, induced, encouraged and
stimulated. In EFL we work with people who had given up in life and
felt no any helping hand that could come across them. This is the only
kindness and compassion we can offer. In addition, it has been my
joy to see the clients learn and support each other as they involve in
various social economic activities run by the project. They have a lot
of significant wisdom which benefited us too in our daily lives. Their
heart of openness especially when they come to the office enables me
to know that they not only need our support but we too want them
more.
“We do not praise poverty for itself. We praise the poor as a sign, the
sacrament of God in the world. The church feels that this is its
ministry: to defend the image of God in man.” ( Archbishop Oscar
Romero)
Br Nicodemus, EFL staff
MY HIV+EXPIRIENCE BEFORE I BECAME AN EFL
CLIENT
After I was tested HIV+ in 1994 August, I stayed for ten years
in denial without undergoing any HIV treatment. In late 2004 I
started HIV treatment with Ampath under a pilot scheme.
However, as I was still in denial, I never disclose my HIV status to anyone or even
listen to any topic dealing with HIV/AIDS.
Even though I was told that I don’t have AIDS but HIV virus, it did not make sense
to me because I did not know the difference. After attending an Education for Life
work shop, I knew the difference and learnt more about HIV positive living and
modes of transmission. I also learnt about the importance of abstinence when a
person is already infected. Before the workshop I thought that an infected person can
just have sex so long as his or her partner is also HIV positive. In the EFL workshop I
learnt that there is re –infection even when a person is already infected with HIV.
After the workshop I made a decision to put abstinence into practice. This has helped
me so much because in all these years I am on HIV treatment but not on life support
drug [ARVS]. Since then, I have been much healthier than before. I have been a role
model to many HIV clients who admire my new lifestyle and continue to encourage
others to live positively. I am grateful to the Education for Life team and other stakeholders.
MONICAH A. WAGWAU.
EFL STAFF
ASANTENI!
Kwa heshima na taadhima namshukuru Jalia kwa kutulinda na kutupa uhai usio na
malipo. Tumemtegemea kila leo naye hajatuvalia miwani abadan katan. Amekuwa nasi
katika majanga na furaha na yote ni shukrani kwake.
Ilikuwa mara yangu ya kwanza kupata fursa ya kujumuika na kusherehekea sherehe za
tafrija za krismasi na mwaka mpya kwani nilipata marafiki wapya ambao sitawasahau
kamwe.
Sasa nimemaliza kidato cha nne na yote ni kwa ajili ya usaidizi wenu. Miaka minne ambayo
mmekuwa nami nimewachukuwa kama familia yangu na marafiki wa dhati. Ni wengi
wanatamani fursa kama hii lakini nilibahatika kama kibogoyo aliahadiwa jino kuenda kwa
shamrashamra ya kufana.
Ni matumaini yangu kuwa nitaendelea kuwa na moyo huo usio wa kisebusebu ili watoto
kama mimi wasiojiweza waweze kujihisi huru na kupendwa. Ni wasia wangu kwa mungu
aweze kuwabariki na kuwanyunyiza neema tola tola kwa vile mnatujali.
Tunapokaribisha mwaka mpya natumai mtaandaa sherehe kama hii tena. Ninawavalia
mbeleko wana Elimu Kwa Afya kwani kama tujuavyo, chanda chema ni sharti kuvikwa
pete. Wasaalam!
HELDER NYABOKE
EFL CHALLENGE IN ADDRESSING HIV/AIDS
It is slightly over 30 years as the world struggles with HIV and AIDS. The trends have indicated
impressive management of HIV which has in a subtle way shifted the focus of many organizations to
other emerging issues.
As we appreciate the global efforts, the reality on the ground has a different face. Our experience
reveals that much more needs to be done to support people affected by AIDS and orphans.
The EFL programme serves within the geographic area of Eldoret town with many emerging slum
areas. Due to the many learning institutions the demand for houses is high leading to hiking of rent.
Majority of the clients are vulnerable having been affected/infected by HIV and AIDS and mostly
women who have been widowed or deserted due to their HIV status. This has led to sound economic
problems that the clients have to struggle with.
Those who have started ARVs are not given medications for opportunistic infections which conflicts to
the right of access to health care as the orphaned children struggle to get an education, the public
schools which though free have hidden costs such as payment for desk, compulsory uniform and most
of them going to school without a meal.
As funding cuts threaten current efforts, we have embraced the approach of enhancing self reliance
for beneficiaries through the SILC programme. However we remain awake to the reality that
financial support remains a must at least for some years to come.
Angeline Obutu