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Investing in Education

Inid hi I

Issue 2 | August 2013

APHIAPLUSWestern Kenya

A

mong the most celebratedachievements in theeducation sector in Kenya isthe roll out of Free PrimaryEducation (FPE) in public

schools, and the more recent waiver oftuition fees in public secondary schools.However, despite this there are manyyoung people still unable to access school,especially secondary school. This is feltmost among orphaned and vulnerable

children (OVCs). Those in boardingschools have to pay boarding fees whilemany more have to meet other levies andrequirements such as books, uniform andeven regular meals that an OVC may notaord.

This year, the APHIAplus Western KenyaProject supported 19,011 OVCs in theregion with school fees and levies at a costof Ksh.165 million. Although majority of

the beneciaries are in Secondary schools,others are in early childhood developmenteducation (ECDE) centers, primary schoolsor vocational training centers.

Chrispine Jacobs, a Form Three studentat St. Mathias Secondary School in BusiaCounty is one such beneciary. He lostboth his parents while in class six, and

conind on p 5

Investing in Education 1

Munyanganyi Primay: The WASH Friendly School 2

Choosing the Right Path; The I Choose Life Way 3

Taking Control: More Women Embrace Family Planning 4

Empowering Orphaned and Vulnerable Children:Caregivers Through Education 5

Chrispine, a benefciary o the OVC school ees support

Transforming a Region by Saving Lives

government of kenya


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2 | Issue 2 August 2013

Munyanganyi

Primary:The WASHFriendly School

Munyanganyi Primary School in BungomaCounty, a school of 400 students,previously recorded over 50 reportedcases of diarrhoea every week. It wasmainly attributed to poor sanitation

and hygiene practices. This led to absenteeism andpoor academic performance. After being introducedto the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Programby APHIAplus Western Kenya, the school fraternity hasnoted a considerable reduction in diarrhoeal cases. Schoolattendance has greatly improved because of this.

Through the WASH program, the project supported theA pupil washing his hands at one o the wash tanks

Dear Colleagues,

This edition of APHIAplus WesternKenya newsletter, comes to you at atime when the project is evaluatingits mid- term performance. The last21/2 years have seen the projectdevelop strong partnerships with theMinistry of Health (MoH) and other keygovernment sectors with the aim ofimproving the quality of health servicesat community and health facility levels.

In line with the MoH CommunityStrategy, the project has dedicatedimmense resources towardsstrengthening prevention interventionsand health promotion activities atcommunity level, while supportinglinkages between the communitystructures and the proximate healthfacilities. Supporting the needs oforphans and vulnerable children (OVCs)has been a key objective of the project.This includes positively engaging theircaregivers and also ensuring that theOVCs remain healthy and receive qualityeducation.

Word from the COPThe project

has dedicated

immense

resources

towards

strengthening

prevention

interventions andhealth promotion

activities at

community level

Most of the stories in this editiontherefore highlight some of theimportant work that the projectsupports at community level.Although some of the initiativessuch as the boda boda ambulanceare

still in the infancy stage, we are keenon rolling them out to whole region.We also value the partnership wehave with local organizations thatwe have sub granted to supportvarious interventions in the regionand we hope to further strengthentheir work as we move on with theproject.

As we enter into the next half of theproject, we are alive to the fact thatthe region still faces a number ofchallenges especially in key serviceareas such as HIV/AIDS, TB, Malariaand maternal, neonatal and childhealth (MNCH). We shall continueworking with the MoH and otherpartners towards achieving settargets with the aim of improvingthe health of the people of WesternKenya.

Dr. Ambrose MisoreChief of Party


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Issue 2 August 2013 | 3

The WASH

program has

led to a spike

in schoolattendance,

there is

a drop in

absenteeism

and

enrollment

has increased

from 181 to495 students

building of two blocks of three-door ventilation improved pit(VIP) latrines with one specicallydedicated to female pupils. Theproject also supported the settingup of hand-washing facilities nearthe pit latrines.

Phoebe Olesi, chairlady of the

schools health club says, Wevelearned eective methods ofteaching pupils hygiene practicesincluding the proper way to washtheir hands and maintain cleanlinessafter using latrines. After thetraining we provided soap at handwashing points and emphasized onthe importance washing hands withthe soap after using latrines.

Before construction of the newlatrines pupils had to queue for longto relieve themselves while othersused nearby bushes or waited tillthey got home. The situation used to

be worse for females experiencingtheir monthly periods since somewould miss school for fear of havingto queue for long to change theirsanitary towels.

The school is optimistic about itsmock examination results later inthe year. The Head teacher, Mr.Wesangula, arms that the WASHprogram has led to a spike in schoolattendance. There is a drop inabsenteeism and enrollment has

increased from 181 to 495 students,he says.

The APHIAplus project, workingin partnership with the SchoolManagement Committees (SMCs),the Ministry of Education (MOE)and the MOH continue to integrate

WASH in schools in order tocreate a healthy and child-friendlyenvironment for learning. Theproject has supported the trainingof more than 3,000 teachers asTrainers of Trainers (ToTs) tosupport the WASH initiative in theschools and to identify and support

the OVCs within the schools. TheToTs train students who becomethe agents of change in promotingpositive health practices both inschool and at home. They sharewith their parents and siblingswhat they have learnt in the WASHlessons. The WASH activitieshave been integrated into the lifeskills education program so thatconstruction of VIP latrines and handwashing facilities are implementedside by side with adolescentreproductive health educationwithin the same schools.

In order to create a supportiveenvironment in the communityas well as ownership, the projectworks with SMCs to mobilizelocal resources to support theconstruction of the pit latrines. Thelocal community, parents and theSMC provide in-kind support aswell as contributing labor while theproject supplies building materialsand water tanks. This helps topromote a sense of ownership bythe local communities.

One o the latrines constructed through the support o APHIAplus Western Kenya


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Choosing the Right Path; The

I Choose Life Africa WayF

aith Birgen, a secondyear student atMasinde MuliroUniversity of Science

and Technology(MMUST) in Kakamega town,

is a committed member ofthe I Choose Life AfricaPeer Educators Club. The

club was started inthe University by IChoose Life Africa,

a local organizationsub granted by the

APHIAplus WesternKenya project to implementHIV/ AIDS preventioninterventions targeting youthin institutions of higher

learning.Before joining the club, Faithhad for many months hiddenbehind her books for fear ofbeing enticed into a life of

alcohol and drugs. Comparedto secondary school, the

university oered certainfreedoms which she was wary

of and was therefore consciousof the type of company she kept

to help her stay away from theperceived negative peer pressure.

She eventually made the move tojoin the club.

I joined MMUST in 2011 and in thatyear I knew I was not safe. I fearedgetting into a relationship or beingdragged into drugs by friends, saysFaith in retrospect. I kept to myselfand this negatively impacted onmy social life. I never smiled at menbecause I believed they were outto destroy me. It was quite a boring

life.Faith intimated that she joinedthe club because she wanted thecerticate that came with thecompletion of the peer educationcourse. Little did she know that theclub would completely reverse themany myths and stereotypes sheheld about life in campus. It was acomprehensive and interactive peereducation training which includedmentorship as well. It helped megrow socially and a passion to bea peer educator developed fast in

me, Faith adds with conviction.

She subsequently formed a behaviorchange communication group calledG2G (Girl to Girl) that mainly tackledissues aecting girls, and two monthsdown the line, she was featured onthe front cover of the KakamegaCounty Weekly magazine as a rolemodel for girls. With the additionalsupport of I Choose Life-Africa, shelater became active in organizing

campaigns, conferences and trainingprograms that addressed genderbased violence (GBV). I no longerfear the freedoms associated withinstitutions of higher learning becauseI have been mentored to be a leaderand a peer educator. Being aroundmy fellow peers has helped me betterunderstand my environment and itslimits she says. A student in pureapplied chemistry, Faith is now morecondent about her life choices thanksto the club and is additionally an activeparticipant in theater among otherextracurricular activities.

Faith Birgen a member o the I choose lie club

Hellen Sile one o the benefciaries rom the boda bodaambulance

Motorcycle deliveryis synonymouswith quick dispatchof letters anddocuments, but in

Cheptais Sub-county motorcycle riders

transport expectant mothers to healthfacilities to deliver their babies. Theuse of motor cycles, popularly knownas boda-boda, to ferry expectantmothers to Kopsiro Health Centre(HC) has boosted the number ofskilled deliveries in the health facilityleading to a reduction in maternal andnewborn deaths.

The initiative known as boda-bodaambulancewas launched by theChebyuk Community Unit (CU) (whichis linked to Kospiro HC) through thesupport of APHIAplus Western Kenyaproject. This was after it was realizedthat many women were delivering athome under the help of traditionalbirth attendants because they couldnot easily access the dispensary due

to bad roads and the hillyterrain.

The cyclists, who are localsidentied and recruited bythe Community HealthManagement Committee

(CHC) are reimbursed upto Ksh.500 for ferryingthe women at nightand up to Ksh.300during the day. Thenumber of deliveriesat the health facilityhas increased three-foldsince October last year,says nursing ocer-in-charge, Mr. Peter MustoNdiwa. On average permonth, there are now

Motorcycle RidersAssisting i


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OVCs. Such benets not only ensureregular school attendance by theOVCs but also improve their self-esteem. Furthermore, through theprojects support many OVCs havebeen enrolled into the NationalHospital Insurance Fund, a state-run health insurance scheme,and others facilitated to acquirebirth certicates.

conind from p 1Investing in Education

Veronica Makokha who has benefted rom the OVC school ees support

An expectand mother being erried by one o the boda boda to Chebyuk Health Centre

for a while had diculties payinghis schools fees. However, withhelp from Family Life EducationProgram (FLEP), a CBO sub-grantedby APHIAplus Western Kenya tosupport OVCs in Busia County, hewas enrolled for school fees supportfrom the project. He is now morehopeful for a brighter future. WhenI joined St. Mathias, life was a bitdicult. I was a day scholar and was

sent home several times to look formoney. I spent a great deal of timejust lounging at home not knowingwhat to do until APHIAplus cameto my rescue, Chrispine says. Butsince I started receiving supportfrom APHIAplus, life has changedand my performance has improvedbecause through their help I am nowa boarder and I have more time toconcentrate on my studies.

Another beneciary is seventeenyear old Veronica Makokha, a FormFour student at Our Lady of MercySecondary School in Busia County.Orphaned at a young age, Veronicahas for many years been living withher grandmother and for a whilemissed the better part of school forlack of fees before she was enrolledfor APHIAplus support.

It has been a long road full ofstruggles but right now I am studyinghard to pass my exams so that I

can get good grades and hopefullybecome a doctor in the near future,Veronica enthuses.

Besides the school fees and leviessupport, the APHIAplus WesternKenya project has provideduniforms, blankets, and mattressesto many OVCs, and sanitary towelsfor girls in need. The project alsosourced shoes for over 117,000

about 35 deliveries compared to theprevious number of 14 when theboda-bodaambulanceservice was notavailable.

Although Alex Masai-one of theboda-bodaambulance operators

in the region acknowledges theextra money he makes from

the service, he gets greateremotional satisfactionfrom aiding safe births bybringing women in labour

to the dispensary. I amassisting in delivering

life! Helpingthese mothers

during thesekinds of

situations makes me happy becausetoo many times in the past, womenhave died under the care of traditionalbirth attendants who are not as well-equipped as the dispensary he says.

Hellen Sile, one of the beneciaries

of the initiative smiles broadly as shenarrates her experience. I come fromKipsigiro, a village near the forestwhich is very far from Kopsiro HC. Iwas in great pain when I went intolabor but felt relieved when the boda-boda ambulancecame for me. I wasrushed to Kopsiro where I deliveredmy child. I dont think I would havemade it on time if it werent for thatboda-boda ambulance, she says.

I dont think

I would

have made

it on time

if it werent

for that

boda-boda

ambulance,

in Delivering Life, in Cheptais


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One of the challengesfaced by some ofcaregivers of OVCssupported by theAPHIAplus Western

Kenya project is illiteracy. Thisnot only limits their access toinformation that could help improve

the quality of care provided tothe OVCs, it also limits their abilityto engage in income generatingactivities.

To address this challenge, theRural Education and EconomicEnhancement program (REEP) alocal CBO sub granted by the projectto support OVCs in Butula Sub-county-Busia County, runs an adultliteracy program for such caregivers.A maximum of 30 students areenrolled in each class and they

undergo two hourly lessons twice aweek for a period of three months.Thereafter they are followed upuntil they are able to read, write andperform basic arithmetic skills.

Butula is one of the areas worstaected by the HIV pandemic, andmany of the caregivers of OVCs

cannot read or write. We want tohelp them eradicate illiteracy byproviding them with basic skills inreading, writing, communication andarithmetic, Rosemary Aluoch, theadult literacy program supervisorin Butula states. When we beganthe classes it all seemed like avery dicult process. Bringingtogether adults between the agesof 18 and 60 seemed quite tough,but with time we have seen a verybig change, she adds. Through

the support of APHIAplus WesternKenya project, 80 caregivers haveso far undergone the adult literacyprogram in the sub-county. Besidesgaining literacy skills, they havealso been trained on initiationand management of small scalebusinesses as well as appropriatefarming methods and nutritionpractices.

In April last year, 67 year-old LeonidaMakokha who cares for 7 OVCsenrolled into the adult literacyprogram. In spite of her age shewent through the classes with a lotof enthusiasm and can now read andwrite her own name in addition tosupporting her grandchildren in theirhomework.

Even when she confuses someletters while writing, Leonida is

Empowering Orphaned and

Vulnerable Children CaregiversThrough Education

Leonida Makokha a member o the adult literacy program

ProjctHighlight


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quick to identify her mistakes andmake corrections. She is still abit slow in her writing but hopesshe will in time outshine her

grandchildren and eventually writefaster than they do. This is one ofmy greatest achievements in life. I

wanted to know how to write myname and that is now my greatestjoy, she says with jubilation.The learning has also helped memonitor what my grandchildren aretaught in school. I go through theirhomework and check if the teacherhas marked their books and when Isee nothing written, I know that thechild did not go to school. Educationis very important and I want mygrandchildren to take it seriously.She adds.

On the days that she attends classes,Leonida does her house chores

very early to avoid burdening hergrandchildren with a lot of choresin the evening when they are backhome from school and insteadallow them to concentrate ontheir homework. She now fullyappreciates the value of education.

Justus Sylvester Owino is anotheradult learner enrolled in theprogramme. At 58 he has beenselling charcoal for the better part ofhis life. Before joining the classes hewas never sure of the prot he madefrom the trade due to his inabilityto carry out simple arithmetic. It

is six months since he joined theadult literacy program and is nowall smiles at how his business seemsto be thriving thanks to the literacyprogram.

Even when she

confuses some

letters while

writing, Leonida

is quick to identify

her mistakes and

make corrections.

She is still a

bit slow in her

writing but hopes

she will in timeoutshine her

grandchildren

and eventually

write faster than

they do. This is

one of my greatest

achievements

in life.

Members o the adult literacy program in Butula

When her pit latrine was swept away byood waters, 61 year old Prisca Atienoresorted to using the open bush as hertoilet an embarrassing ordeal especiallywhen hosting visitors in her homestead

located in Kowuor village, Karachuonyo in Homa BayCounty.

Widowed several years ago, Prisca shared a pit latrinewith her co-wife Rispar. The latrine had been constructed

by their only son, but was unfortunately washed awayby ood water some months after the sons death. Thetwo widows were left with no option but to use the openbush.

Later, at a community dialogue day organized by KowuorCU through support from the APHIAplus Western KenyaProject, the widows discovered that theirs was not anisolated case as many of the regions residents did nothave functional latrines. The matter was discussed atlength and it was then decided that the area Chief wouldtake action against those who failed to put up latrinesin their homesteads within the allotted two-week timeframe.

The community however acknowledged that the twoelderly widows were among those community memberswho could not marshal the physical strength or nancialresources to put up the latrines. The community memberstherefore resolved to bail them out and within a weekthey had a pit latrine in their homestead.

At the completion of the construction, an elated Priscasaid, I am happy to have a latrine after so many years ofexposing myself to embarrassment and the health risksassociated with open defecation.

Joining Hands;

Community BuildsLatrine for Widows

Rispar washes her hands ater visiting the latrine


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ediorial Offic conac

Pictorial

This Newsletter is made possible by the generous support o the AmericanPeople through the United States Agency or International Development (USAID)under the terms o Cooperative Agreement number AID-623-A-11-00002. Thecontents are the responsibility o PATH and do not necessarily reect the viewso USAID or the United States Government.

Copyright 2013, PATH. All rights reserved.

Editorial Team: Rael Odengo, Mark Okundi, Celestine Asena, Juma Mwatseu,Dr. Mukabi James, Cornelius Kondo, Wamalwa Masibo, Dr. Edward Kariithi,Oby Obyerodhyambo, Jolayne Houtz and Rose Thuo.

Graphic design: Media Reach Communications

Contributors: Dr. Ambrose Misore, Rikka Trangsrud

Kakamega Ofce:

Kenaya Building, Okwemba RoadP.O.Box 1330-50100,Kakamega - KenyaCell: +254 723 990 242

Bungoma Ofce:

Tel: +254 055 30394

ed

itorial

Kisumu Ofce:

Mega City, Mezzanine Floor along Nairobi RoadP.O. Box 19128 - 40123,Kisumu - Kenya,+254 070 213 149

Migori Ofce:

+254 020 2337186

Email: ino@aphiapluswesternkenyaAll rights reserved APHIAplus Western Kenya 2013

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3. Community health care workerssupporting in the anti-jiggers campaign inSiaya

4. APHIAplus sta handing over gits toprisoners at Kodiaga prison

1. APHIAplus Western Chie o Party,Dr. Ambrose Misore-handing over acertifcate o excellence award to SONYsugar company

2.Workers o Kebirigo tea actoyundertaking a condom demonstrationexercise during an outreach

5. Sarah Omolo a community health workerunder Nyajuok CU in Alego,Siaya testing ormalaria in the community

6. Ministy o health sta undertakingVMMC in Kocholia District hospital

government of kenya

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