LOVE AND HOPE

HIV/AIDS INTEGRATED PROJECT

Love and Hope HIV/AIDS Integrated Project was initiated in July 1998 in CDN by Sr. Patricia Speight FMSA SRN, S.C.M under the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Africa.

Sr. Patricia and Mrs. Genevieve Oloo (both of Cathedral Parish) consulted with the Catholic Communities around the estates in Nakuru's Central Location on the needs of the community especially the neglected, abandoned, poverty stricken men, women and children who lived and died with little Hope for their own lies or the experience of the God's Love for them.

The aim of Sr. Patricia and Mrs. Oloo was to help those suffering from the many infections that beset people infected with HIV. At that time, the rate of HIV infection in Nakuru was almost 25%.

Starting with simple medicines, natural remedies, small help for food and shelter - all given in loving service, Sister and Mrs. Oloo made a great difference in the lives of those they met. Other volunteers joined them to assist the steadily increasing number of clients. The project now serves about 350 clients and families per year.

 

Love and Hope Project is concerned with

Treatment

The Project includes a Home Based Care Programme for people infected with HIV or suffering from AIDS and their families/caregivers that helps them how to cope with their situation. For example:
Each client, caregiver and family member is offered information of Nutrition and basic nursing skills , the importance of exercise and rest to improve health and prolong life.

Clients are invited to avail of Counselling to accept their situation and improve their lives, their relationships and their futures.

The client is encouraged to avail of the pastoral help of his/her own religion or church.

Needy children are helped with a food supplement, medical advice and some treatment for opportunistic infections.

The entry point for anyone wishing to avail of our HBC services is a positive diagnosis of HIV infection. Just as HIV infects people from every religion, social status and income, Love and Hope Project is open to anyone person with HIV who wants to become a client.

The HBC team conducts short training sessions for family caregivers and can help groups interested in Home Based Care.

Prevention

Education For Life is a department of Love and Hope Project that promotes prevention of HIV infection through Gospel based Behaviour Change Process Programmes. EFL Nakuru team was trained by and is affiliated to Education For Life National Team (which operates under the auspices of the Kenya Episcopal Conference). EFL facilitates the Behaviour Change Process by

Behaviour change

is a dynamic process, similar to the See-Judge-Act strategy familiar to Youth and Church Action Groups. In addition to HIV prevention, BCP can also be used against drug/alcohol abuse and other addictions; anti-social behaviour etc.
The duration of programmes is 2, 3, or 5 days in a block or over a period according to the time frame available. Our EFL Nakuru team facilitates BCP programmes, within Nakuru Municipality, free of charge to Secondary Schools, Youth groups, adult groups - teachers, parents, catechists, special groups e.g. street children in rehabilitation, seminarians, religious, etc. EFL also interacts with Clubs or Groups that promote positive behaviour change and offers Follow-Up programmes for BCP participants.
For children from 9 to 13 years, EFL also facilitates Behaviour Formation Programmes to help these pre-adolescents in character building, internalisation of Gospel values, the understanding and appreciation of human sexuality as a Gift from God and the dangers and damage resulting in misuse of this Gift.

People who would like to contact EFL to learn more or to plan a BCP or BFP programme can visit our offices at CDN compound (opposite Christ the King Cathedral ) next to CDN Justice and Peace Office.

The Love and Hope Project relies on the moral and spiritual support of all people good will in the larger community. We are grateful for local donations, as people from all conditions share food, clothing, books - any usable items, with their less fortunate neighbours who are our clients. We are grateful to the many Friends of Love and Hope.

 

Holistic care for adults and children living with HIV/ AIDS in Nakuru

We believe that each person and community has the power to change, to promote a healthy state of mind, body, spirit and environment.

A critical part is a supportive response to those living with HIV in the Community.

Statement of Belief - Dakar Senegal 1991

Some of the activities of Love an Hope Project are

• Forming support groups
• sharing information.
• Forming Support Groups
• Sharing information that will fight Stigma, empower PLWHA concerning their Rights and Responsibilities.
• Educating caregivers in the hom
• If someone is sick with AIDS you :
• bring them food and drinks
• wash their clothes and sheets
• Pre VCT and Post VCT Counselling; Counselling Services for PLWHA, and family members.
• Encouraging PLWHA to seek Spiritual Comfort according to their own religion or tradition.
• Many people with HIV and AIDS get great strength from spiritual counselling and care. They realise that in their struggle they are not alone. They find that their fears are diminished.
• Promoting long term family support and welfare of orphans
• Starting / supporting income generating projects for the infected and affected
• Promoting Positive Living for PLWH

VOLUNTEERS WELCOME !

Although Love and Hope Home Based Care Activities depend upon our full time staff, there are many things that unpaid volunteers can do to help.

Learn to identify STIGMA associated with HIV/AIDS and ELIMINATE IT in the people where you live, study, work and relax - even in yourself?

Learn The FACTS about HIV/AIDS -
how it affects people and how to prevent its spread.

Learn about positive living
and how to promote it in your own community.

Learn about Counselling
and the role of counselling for the infected and affected.

Learn the importance of good nutrition
to prolong life and improve health

Donate time
Be an unpaid volunteer at Hekima Centre helping to visit the sick, nurse them, pray with them

Donate food, or usable items to PLWHA. Many Love and Hope Clients are very needy. Many widows, widowers and orphans count on receiving supplemental food from Love and Hope Centre.

Contribute to our Orphan School Fees Fund
The families of Love and Hope Clients with nursery school children and Secondary School Youth are helped in paying School Fees.

Share your Skills
Do you have a skill or talent (handicrafts, drawing , managing a small business) ? Teach our PLWHA so that they can learn and earn for themselves.

Support our Income Generating Projects -
buy some of our items yourself or find a market and help to sell them. Some Projects in 2004 are Beaded Red Ribbon Badges; Greetings and Seasonal Cards (Women's Day, Easter, Christmas)

Promote our Behaviour Change Programme
Similar to the SEE-JUDGE-ACT process used in YCS for Adults and Youth to empower them to make Gospel based choices for positive behaviour change, to prevent HIV infection, and to promote Positive Living. This dynamic process requires and investment in time and a personal commitment. Many schools, parishes, youth groups etc lack one or both of these requirements. Learn about the programme and use your influence to help people take the time and make the effort!

Promote our Behaviour Formation Programme
for Std 6, 7, 8 children 9 to 13 years old: BFP uses SEE-JUDGE-ACT to help pre-adolescents be prepared for a life as growing up people in a world of temptations about sex, selfishnessand materialism.

 

For more information conatact

P.O. Box 100 Nakuru Kenya;
 Tel: 051-41707
Mobile: 0722 797 027