AEGiS-IFRC: Movement leaders visit Kenyan villagers living with HIV/AIDS

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2001. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

Movement leaders visit Kenyan villagers living with HIV/AIDS

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Cresent Societies - 8 October 2001
Caroline Hurford in Nairobi, Kenya

Ann Ombwayo, 35, spoke about her bad health in a shaky voice. She wanted to explain to the presidents of the International Federation and ICRC, sitting in her one-room adobe house, what it is like to live with HIV. After losing her husband seven years ago, she was 'inherited,' according to Luo custom, by a man who later died. Ann now lives alone. She has sent her surviving child away to her parents since she finds it difficult even to look after herself.

Earlier this year, when she was stronger, Ann joined other HIV/AIDS sufferers in PLAK (People Living with AIDS Kenya) - a group whose members defy taboo and speak openly about their HIV status, both among themselves and in the community. "It was wonderful to share our problems," Ann says. "Sitting on my own I feel drained and helpless - I haven't the strength to go to meetings any more."

Ann heard about PLAK through Jacqueline Naulikha, the Kenya Red Cross HIV/AIDS project coordinator in Kisumu. She relies on Jacqueline, or one of the Red Cross-trained community resource people - for food, supplementary vitamins, basic medicines or just moral support. Under the project, which has been running for six years and is soon due to start in Nakuru and Mombasa, the community nominates people to be trained to carry out basic home care, counselling and referral. These people then become trainers themselves, in addition to visiting an average of 10 HIV/AIDS sufferers each week.

"The philosophy behind the project is simple," says Patrick Couteau, HIV/AIDS coordinator for the East Africa region. "We want the community to take responsibility for themselves, because that is the only way the AIDS epidemic can begin to be dealt with."

After visiting Ann, the two presidents drove on to a meeting with the PLAK group past the clusters of mud houses which make up the landscape of Central Kolwa. On arrival, they were escorted by singing women into the home of the elected chairman, John Osir, 47. He told the visitors that he felt no shame since he was infected with HIV following a tradition he now denounces: he inherited his younger brother's wife.

Despite a cough which frequently overwhelms him, John crusades against wife inheritance - especially at funerals, when the death is rarely acknowledged as being AIDS-related and when wife inheritance is usually agreed.

After a touching roll-call around the room of 10 people living with HIV - including the oldest of John Osir's seven children, 27-year-old Celestine, Dr. Astrid Heiberg, the president of the International Federation, stood to congratulate the group. "You are role models not only for Kenya, but for Africa and the rest of the world," she told them.

Later, Dr. Heiberg said she particularly admired People Living with AIDS Kenya, not only for breaking the silence, but also because they use their remaining energies to help fellow sufferers. "Since the UN General Assembly session on AIDS last June, the Federation has been in partnership with the Global Network of People Living with AIDS, which we would like to see strengthened," she added. "It is clear that a change in behaviour is essential. But this is extremely difficult to achieve unless it is done through peers - and the members of PLAK are those peers."

At the end of her joint mission to Kenya with President of the ICRC Jakob Kellenberger, Dr. Heiberg again said that HIV/AIDS was the number one priority for the Federation. But she expressed disappointment over the low level of funding for the Africa HIV/AIDS appeal, launched at the end of last year: "It is not acceptable that we have such a low level of support - about 20% funding - after the commitment to tackle the scourge of HIV/AIDS made at the Pan-African Conference in Ouagadougou a year ago," she said.

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