Dirib Gombo, Kenya

September 2010

Kabale and her five children live in the village of Dirib Gombo, near Marsabit, where the Tumaini Clinic is in Kenya. Today, Kabale and her children are alive and healthy because of the Tumaini Clinic - one of BWM's partners.

Four years ago, Kabale's husband died of AIDS in the hospital. Kabale didn't know what caused his death until she became ill as well. At the time, she was 32 years old with five young children who depended on her for survival. At first, Kabale tried traditional herbs to cure her illness. When they didn't work, she searched for other options and found out about the Tumaini Clinic and its mobile branch. When she arrived at Tumaini, Kabale weighed less than 65 pounds. After receiving the ARV medication and support she needed, Kabale was able to become healthy again. She is now 120 pounds and is able to take care of both her children and a small garden. She is no longer worried about how to support her children.

Now, Kabale is part of the positive living group in Marsabit town, and is working to start a positive living group in her own village. Through the support group, Kabale has been able to shed self-stigma. She has used the mobile clinic to have all of her children tested for HIV. Her youngest son, Guyo, was born while she was HIV+, but because of prenatal care, Guyo is HIV-. She uses her own children as a demonstration to others that even though they might be sick, if they are treated, they can work to save their children. Through the support groups and care from the Tumaini Clinic, Kabale and the positive living groups are working to change the stigma in their community.

Arapal community, Kenya

March 2011

Water Is Life

In semi-arid northern Kenya, water is precious and closely guarded. As the saying goes, "Water is life." Before October 2010, the Arapal community (2,000 people) relied on a water source nearly 12 km away, and gaining enough access to the water source often produced conflict with neighboring communities. Also, the Arapal community did not have a latrine, and whenever rain comes, human waste washed into the water source, contaminating the water. For them, water was not life-giving.

Between October and December 2010, Blood:Water Mission's partner FH-Kenya helped the Arapal community by rehabilitating the water source with a gravity system, installing a water tank for the community, and laying pipes to connect school tanks to the main water point. In addition, FH-Kenya constructed three pit latrines with two doors each, washing rooms, six hand washing facilities near the latrines or kitchen, and a trough for livestock (so that they do not contaminate drinking water).

These changes transformed the Arapal community, both inside and out. Along the way, FH-Kenya educated community members on the importance of good hygiene and latrine use. Since the construction of the three latrines, at least six people have started to build their own latrines out of local materials. Relationships outside of the community are better, too. The area chief said, "Initially, there used to be a lot of animosity amongst communities living around us. Right now we are comfortable sharing water with them because it is a lot. As you can see, it is overflowing." Now, not only does water bring life, but water also brings peace.