Project Title: To support OVC impacted by HIV & AIDS and Strengthen Community Care in Bungoma   County

Project Goal: To improve the lives of OVC (mainly orphaned by AIDS), the households of their caregivers, as well as other PLHIV in Bungoma county, western Kenya. Support will be provided in the areas of nutrition, education, skill-building and the setting up of IGAs.

Specific Objectives:

1. To enable OVC to access quality education and professional training.
2. To offer HTS services and sensitization to prevent HIV infections, encourage disclosure and support adherence.
3. Host an OVC forum to share information and develop life skills on HIV/AIDs prevention
4. To support caregiver groups with revolving loan funds.

Target Group: OVC in Secondary School, Older OVC in Tertiary Institution, Caregivers, PLHIV and Households of the Caregivers

Key Activities

1. School fees support for OVCs in secondary and tertiary institutions.
2. Income Support for Caregivers through revolving loan fund
3. HIV & AIDs and Life Skills Building Forum and celebrating of World AIDS Day
4. Day to day running of an HTS site providing HIV testing and TB screening

Duration of the Program and numbers reached: The program has been in existence since 2007 and is ongoing. The program has supported 329 OVC (174 females,155males) in Secondary and Tertiary Institutions with fees that has kept them in school. A total of 231 caregiver’s households have been reached through the program.

Results and Impacts:

Stephen Lewis Foundation through CREADIS over the last 14 years has ensured that OVC are enrolled, attending school regularly and progressing from one level to the other. Some of the OVC are in Diploma colleges, others in our local universities and others now employed. This year 2021, 20 students sat for KCSE in March 2021 with the following scores; 5(B), 2(B-), 4(C+), 3(C), 4(C-), 1(D+), 1(D). 6 students also graduated 4 with undergraduate degrees, 1diploma in teaching from Kibabii TTC and 1 diploma in Early Childhood Education. The 12 students in tertiary institutions the same year have been supported with fees; 10 at University and 2 at KMTC.

The project has witnessed tremendous improvement in the number of sustainable kitchen gardens established by the caregivers and productivity from farm activities for ensuring regular availability of nutritious meals to OVC households.

Caregivers are enlightened through community sensitization on devolved funds, which supports education such as CDF and OVC Scholarship Fund at the department of children services. Leveraging on the available devolved funds a total of 10 Students (7 girls and 3 boys) were successfully linked to various bursaries. in 2021

The stand-alone HTS site has created demand among the community members on need of knowing the HIV status for prevention or link to treatment. A number of couples have been able to test and know their status. Through outreaches, communities have been able to access testing services. With the new strategy; assisted partner notification(APNS) more people are reached for testing. For the 6 months in the year 2021, 16 people have been identified HIV positive and linked to care.

Stories of Impact