Kenya

The Problem

There are estimated to be 1.5 million people living with HIV in Kenya (1). Progress has been made and the percentage of adults infected with the disease has fallen, with new infections halved over the last decade. Some issues still to address are:

• Young women are four times more likely to be infected with HIV than young men.
• Antiretroviral therapy (ART) reaches 70% adults and 25% of children who need it.
• MSM contribute to 15% of new infections.
• Over one million children have lost a mother or father to AIDS (2).

Our Response

Prior to ART being available in Kenya, EJAF supported the development of palliative home-based care programmes, now linked to ART as part of integrated support. When paediatric ART became affordable, EJAF was instrumental in launching the expansion of these life saving drugs by increasing the number of children on treatment tenfold. EJAF has also helped secure food, shelter, healthcare and education for over 11,000 vulnerable children, many orphaned as a result of HIV.

Our Strategy

EJAF’s recent approach in Kenya is to fund programmes of work that strengthen local or national provision and can be scaled up to address issues:

Addressing the needs of women 

Strategic programmes that aim to decrease the vulnerability of women and girls to HIV and to mitigate its impact on them. These include:

 

• Providing integrated services that include sexual reproductive health (SRH), HIV testing/treatment and prevention of mother-to-child transmission.
• Legal/human rights programmes that empower women infected, affected and at risk of HIV to make informed choices and protect themselves.

 

Scaling up response to the needs of orphans and vulnerable children 

Programmes that address the multiple needs of at least 500 children, including access to healthcare and education, adequate nutrition, shelter and emotional support.

 

Programmes for men who have sex with men (MSM)  

Programmes providing information, treatment, psychosocial support, and legal advice to MSM in order that they are able to make informed choices regarding HIV, access appropriate treatment, and exercise their rights.

1. UNAIDS 2009

2. UNAIDS 2009