Education Improvement in Thurdibuoro Community, Thurdibuoro, Kenya
Challenge:
A large problem in the area of Thurdibuoro, Kenya is the prevalence of HIV/AIDS. The disease has led to a number of ill effects in the community, resulting in large numbers of vulnerable widows and orphan headed-households. It also results in a drop in agricultural production, high rates of school drop-outs and an increase in those living in poverty.
Action:
The Thurdibuoro Community Integrated Development (THUCIDEP), a community initiative working with 142 area households, has created a project aimed to reduce HIV infections among youths. The project has adopted a number of strategies to achieve this goal. It focuses on awareness building and counseling services around the issue of HIV/AIDS. It also focuses on providing school fees to secondary level orphans. The project will also include medical care and support to those community members infected with HIV and initiate income generating activities. A final part of the project aims to build the capacity of THUCIDEP itself. With the support of gorta, members of THUCIDEP receive training with the Certificate in Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development (CSARD) course in Baraka College.
Benefits:
Of those receiving HIV testing, it is anticipated that the number of infections should decrease by 10% annually. An increase should occur in the number of trained home-based care workers, as well as the number of widows and orphans receiving clothes, drugs and food. It is planned that 30 students will have completed schooling and ten college courses within four years. Four THUCIDEP staff will also have benefited from their training courses. These trainings will ensure that the group has the skills necessary to effectively continue their work once their contract with gorta has ceased.
