So what am I doing here?

I am going to post some pictures later on, I just have to get to a computer with an available USB outlet first.

So 3 us of us found a 3 bedroom house to live in, and moved in lastnight. I have a bunkbed! There is passion fruit growing in out backyard, and a cement front yard perfect for frisbee.

We went to Nairobi National Park on the weekend so I'll post picturesof that shortly too! We saw giraffes, and zebras, a baboon's back end (before running of), and a black rhino!!! It was stellar.

In other news, here are my project plans over the next couple of months:

Will meet with Francis every Friday morning to report and update


1) Assessment of strengths and needs for those KENWA clients supported by home-care.
-25 Community Health Workers (CHW) are employed through KENWA. Each CHW supports 15 bed-ridden clients through-out the Nyeri district. Will visit 5 clients per CHW, equating to a total of 125 homes to visit. Will create individual profiles for each home. Homes will vary in size and dynamic aiming to gathering a general census on KENWA's home-based clients, with the potential of funding application for assessed needs.
Will collect the following data:
-Family profile: members, ages, employment/schooling, health.
-Health history for HIV+ clients, primarily around date of most recent CD4 test (100 KSH), and liver function test (200KSH)- assessing whether costs of tests are inhibiting regular screening, and need for applying for funding for testing. Also looking at number of clients on AVT, and further need.
-Current and potential Income Generating Activities (IGA). Looking at networking clients in order to create groups that can apply for loans through organizations such as KEEF

2) Population Service International has trained a youth group on educational performances and KENWA has HIV at the workplace advocates that are both facilitating educational programs on HIV/AIDS. Work with these groups to plan out possible forums for their training service, as well as possible further educational needs of the groups.

3) Youth training and education on HIV/AIDS and STI's. KENWA targets to have educational sessions during the 3rd and 4th week of August when schools are closed. Work with the youth group and potentially Kettie to organize the workshops. Youth week begins August 6th. PSI's youth group to participate in activities. Will attend to gather information.

4) Visit the Children's Home in Murang'a which houses 14 children who are orphans. Profile and assess strengths and needs of these children and the Children's Home. Look at possible fundraising strategies and possibilities for expansion since KENWA aims for all of their orphans, who do not have relatives able to care for them, to eventually live at this facility. Nyeri KENWA currently has 2 orphans that live full-time at their facility, and supports about 40 others who live with relatives.

5) Learn about and update the KENWA website.

6) Visit the Thika KENWA for two days in September to gather information about their programs and services.

7) Agriculture Show takes place in Nyeri for one week around September 12th. Work at the table during this time.

8) Continue the work of past volunteers supporting the women making bags to get their products out in the public.

9) Aug. 13-18- attending Trauma Counseling training at KENWA, through the Amani Institute

Hey Folks,
I don't have much time as I am just on my way to work, but all is fine. Kenya is beautiful. After a couple of days of sun, it is currently raining Vancouver style. We are currently working on finding housing and will hopefully have somewhere to live by this weekend. I got to view a fantastic public education performance put on by a youth group that is part of KENWA. It was about remaining safe and using protection. Even though I do not yet know the language the message and humour was very apparent. I think that part of my job will be visiting HIV+ folks in the Nyeri district (an area of about 40 kms) and looking at risk factors, needs, etc. I'm sure I'll be finding out more and learning so much over the next few weeks. I'll post pictures and more info soon!

Sam

Off to Kenya

Hi Everyone,
I fly out of Canada later today. I am going to Kenya, for 6 months, through an internship with CIDA and College of the Rockies. I will be living in Nyeri and working with KENWA (Kenya Network of Women with AIDS). Here are a couple of links for more info about KENWA:

KENWA

Another site about KENWA

KENWA is a grassroots organization started by 5 HIV positive woman who lost their family and social support network upon learning about their positive status. It now supports about 5500 adults and 1700 children- supplying food and shelter to those in need, ARV drug therapy for about 850 people, counselling and dissemination of information about HIV/AIDS, among many of activities. Basically they do great work.

This Blog is a means of keeping in touch with as many folks updated as are interested in reading and seeing photos.

See many of you in 6 months!
Cheers,
Sam