Mbakalo, a SOTENI Village of Hope

SOTENI Village of Hope, Mbakalo, serves a Western Province Region with a population of 155,000, including at least 1,000 orphans and other vulnerable children (SK census, 2005). More than 55% of the people live below the poverty line. The prevalence of HIV/AIDs has been estimated at 25 percent (Bungoma District Development Plan; 2002-2008). Although that number may be declining, the burden of care continues to overwhelm local health facilities and programs.

As with all four SOTENI Villages of Hope, the key elements of Mbakalo’s program are love, food, clothing, shelter, health care, education, income generation, psycho-social encouragement and hope. SOTENI Village of Hope Mbakalo, which focuses on health services, opened a dispensary in February 2005. Mbakalo plans to expand the dispensary by building a structure on 2.25 acres that SOTENI owns. Expansion would include a mother-and-child health clinic to provide antenatal care and postnatal care to age 5. The clinic would also offer immunizations and family-planning help. The cost of the project is estimated at more than 3 million Kenyan shillings, or at least $43,000.

The Story of This CD

In January of 2007 a SOTENI intern traveled to Mbakalo, Kenya with hopes to record the voices and music of a community SOTENI was reaching. This CD which contains the music of secondary school choruses, local bands, women’s support groups, and children, is the fruit of that trip. It is a testament of hope, enabling the listener to hear the actual voices of the community they are helping by purchasing this CD. It aims to open up paths of empathy, common responsibility, and connection.