Give Me Another Chance : Working with People with HIV/AIDS in the Slums of Nairobi, Kenya

Tiba Africa Foundation The Inner Being Alive

“Give me another chance”: working with people with HIV/AIDS in the slums of Nairobi, Kenya.

A diagnosis of HIV/AIDS is often seen as a death sentence in the Nairobi slums; there is huge shame attached to it and it's therefore extremely hard for people to admit their health status and seek the help they need. They frequently experience stigma from other people, and may then withdraw into themselves, feeling hopeless, angry and guilty, prone to developing ‘withdrawal syndrome’, putting themselves and their families at greater risk.

A pilot project in 2011-12 showed Tiba how this group of people can turn their lives around, with the help of new skills: breathwork, assertiveness work and confidence building.

Tiba therefore approached the IBF Development Committee for funding to continue and develop this important project. The Development Committee have been working with Daniel Marungu, CEO of Tiba and his Management Board to formulate their funding application in a way that will enable long-term change and benefit the whole community.

This resulted in Daniel and his Board divising a programme designed to empower and motivate this hard-to-reach group, recruiting 10 people from this community to first go through the programme on their own behalf and then learn to act as Ambassadors to further this work in their community.

The devised programme will include: Transformational Breath sessions; nutrition; home based care; self-employment skills; micro-finance; teaching others. The aim is to evaluate this project with a view to seeking further funding to expand this project from Kenyan Aid Agencies and overseas donors.

At the time of writing, Tiba has held a public meeting with the aim of recruiting itsfirst group of participants. This was led by Daniel, together with three health and welfare professionals, including Dr.Alfred Nandwa one of the Clinic’s Doctors. working in Kivuli Health Centre in Kabiria slum district of Nairobi, a community in which Tiba is based. They were joined by two participants from the previous project who talked about their own histories and how they had benefitted from the programme. Eighteen people came forward to be considered for the new programme and each will be interviewed as to their suitability.

Tiba would like to thank the IBF for its generosity and advice in taking this project forward. We will post regular reports as to how it proceeds.

Daniel Marungu, Chief Executive Officer, Tiba

Rajab Said, Tiba Chairperson

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