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