Our Partners – KUAP Pandipieri

Photo: Eric Luva (left) and his family in Kisumu. Eric (8) and his brother were taken in my their aunt Lorna in January 2009 as their parents could no longer care for them. Lorna now has 5 children to care for and is supported by KUAP through their education and child services programmes.

KUAP Pandipieri is a Kenyan non governmental organization (NGO) providing community health, child social services and vocational education programmes to the most vulnerable communities of Kisumu, Western Kenya. Kisumu is the third largest city in Kenya, situated on Lake Victoria. It is one of Kenya’s poorest cities, facing challenges of food insecurity, growing urban poverty and a high prevalence of HIV/AIDS. According to the UN, roughly 60% of the population of Kisumu lives in slums and 15% are living with HIV/AIDS. Approximately 100,000 people are being targeted by KUAP interventions, about one third of the total population of the area. Children, people living with AIDS, and the poor communities living in the informal settlements (slums) are the main beneficiaries.

Background

KUAP- Pandipieri was established in 1979 by a Dutch missionary under the auspices of the Diocese. KUAP dedicated itself to local community outreach activities to address social and community development issues with an aim of increasing the capacity of local communities to tackle economic and social challenges. KUAP has developed into a secular non governmental organization with a multi-dimensional and integrated community development approach with three core, overlapping programmes: health; child social services and education.

Community health, child social services and education programmes

KUAP’s three core programme areas are health, vocational education and child social services. KUAP’s community Health Programme is a three year programme (funded by Irish Aid) providing essential health services in the informal settlements of Kisumu town, covering five sub-Parishes.

KUAP has an integrated approach to managing the HIV and AIDS pandemic, which combines educational and awareness raising to promote behaviour change, reduction of stigma and the prevention of new cases, as well as a range of voluntary counselling, testing and treatment services. KUAP’s integrated community health programmes link the Patient Support Centre, HIV and AIDS project and the Child Counselling project, to promote adherence to Anti Retro Viral treatment (ART) and to reduce the spread of HIV and AIDS in the community, through continuous education and support. In total, about 12,000 people (men, women, youth, children, church leaders, and teachers) received health education through schools and community outreach in 2009.

KUAP opened a Mother and Child Health (MCH) clinic in their headquarters in Pandipeiri, in January 2009 and this is making a significant contribution to the programme objectives. All mothers who tested positive for HIV were referred to the KUAP Patient Support Centre for ART services at an early stage contributing to a reduction in mother to child transmission. As a result of care, immunization and monitoring, the health of mothers and children are reported to be improving and there is a decrease in infant mortality of approximately 8%. KUAP’s psycho-social programme provides services for orphans and vulnerable children. In 2009, 2,011 children were given individual psychosocial support, 93 deaf children received psychosocial counselling and 564 children received group support counselling.

One of the highlights of the year was the Remembrance Day Celebration which was attended by over 100 children and youth. Children gave witness and talked about the healing process they underwent through counselling since their parents died and were able to receive support from each other. The social aspect of the Remembrance Day was very therapeutic for all. KUAP also used Memory Book as a tool to offer therapeutic support to families. In Pandipieri, almost 300 families created Memory Books and this has helped strengthen the relationship between parents and children – in an indication of the enhanced relationships, 49 parents disclosed their HIV status to their children. KUAP has been able to share the lessons from the Memory Book concept to a wider audience and participated in a workshop with participants from eight countries from Africa. The participants viewed the Memory Book as a valuable tool for reaching traumatized children in a therapeutic way.

KUAP’s education and child social services programmes target vulnerable children and youth in Kisumu’s slums. The focus of the Child Services Programme is Non-Formal Education, Child Rights and Advocacy and Rehabilitation of street children. The programme involves rescue and support of children at risk, provision of legal services and referrals. The rehabilitation of the programme provides temporary shelter to vulnerable children and support in re-integrating back into the community and access to education and vocational training. Over 200 children a week are reached through the child services programme.

Closely linked to the Child Services programme, KUAP’s education programme delivers vocational training to vulnerable children and youth through its nursery school, domestic school, art school and vocational skills centre. The programme aims to give young people the opportunity to improve their lives and provides skills and support in setting up small businesses. The main beneficiaries are child headed households, orphans and vulnerable children, children living with HIV and AIDS and young girls who have dropped out of school.

Aidlink and KUAP Pandipeiri

Aidlink and KUAP have been working together since 2003 on a number of projects focused on the areas of health, education and child social services. KUAP’s health programme is part of Aidlink’s three year Irish Aid Block Grant Programme. Aidlink continues to support KUAP’s education and child services programmes. KUAP Pandipeiri is now one of Aidlink’s key local partner organisations in Kenya and Aidlink staff regularly visit KUAP’s offices and its programme sites to monitor the progress of activities and to engage in strategic planning. Aidlink also encourages and facilitates reciprocal visits by the Director of KUAP to Ireland to meet with key Irish donors and discuss plans and programmes.

Photo: Peter Tosh, a participant in KUAP’s education programme. Peter spent 7 years living on the streets in Kisumu before being assited by KUAP. He is currently training to become a chef in the KUAP domestic schools and is being supported by KUAP to rebuild his life.