Highlights From SVH-Mbakalo
SVH-Mbakalo serves a Western Province with a population of 155,000, including over 1,000 orphans and other vulnerable children (OVCs). Most of the residents are Bukusu, a sub-tribe of the Luhya culture. Over 55 percent of the people live below the poverty line. HIV/AIDS prevalence is estimated at 25% (source: Bungoma District Development Plan). That number may be declining; however, the burden of care continues to overwhelm local health facilities and programs.
Led by a locally elected management committee of 13 volunteers, SVH-Mbakalo aims to counter the effects of AIDS by providing essential services to OVCs and ensuring that the children remain HIV-negative or live positively with HIV. The Kenyan government recognizes SVH-Mbakalo as an official Community-Based Organization.
As with all four SVHs, the key elements of Mbakalo's program are food, clothing, shelter, health care, education income generation, love, psycho-social encouragement and hope.
The Flo DeWitt Women Empowerment Initiative
In June 2009, SVH- -Mbakalo launched the Flo DeWitt Women Empowerment Initiative, a microfinance program providing short-term loans of 30,000 Kenyan shillings to local women's groups. These loans enable the groups to finance income-generating activities and achieve greater self-sufficiency. The women are working on projects ranging from beekeeping to crop development and will repay their loans within a year.
Before being awarded the loans, the women's groups participated in training, where they received advice on how to effectively manage their capital, maintain membership, develop a sustainable project, and repay the money.
World Vision Partnership
Since 2008, SVH-Mbakalo has partnered with World Vision, which is facilitating the care and support of nearly 1100 OVCs in the area. These children receive food, tuition, improved living conditions and psychosocial support, according to their needs.
SOTENI Water and Sanitation Project
In 2009, fresh water in SVH-Mbakalo was minutes, rather than miles, away thanks to the Lake Victoria North Water Services Board, the Gender Sensitive Initiatives organization, the Kenyan Water Services Trust and SOTENI-Kenya. The massive project is bringing 20 hand-pump wells and 20 spring water pipes to the Mbakalo area, as well as 15 three-door latrines and 12 rainwater-harvesting tanks to its local schools. The Water Services Board funded the first phase of the project (12 hand-pump wells and 12 spring water pipes) in March, 2009. The project will be completed in 2010.
Health Services
The Mbakalo area has one doctor for every 142,000 residents. SVH-Mbakalo, which focuses on health services, opened a dispensary in February 2005. The six person staff includes a nurse, nurse’s assistant, lab technologist, accounts clerk, watchman, and a cleaning person. They provide essential services to people in the community, which includes the largest rural slum in the Western Province.
From 200-300 people with opportunistic infections and/or other health conditions visit the dispensary monthly. Most require anti-malarial's, antibiotics, analgesics or antihistamines. With the assistance of a government health center, the dispensary also offers immunizations. Patients often walk miles to receive care. Despite having no electricity, the dispensary is thriving. In Fall 2008, SOTENI purchased a solar refrigerator that enables extended storage of critical vaccines and other medicines.
Plans are in the works to relocate, upgrade and expand the dispensary on 2.25 acres of SOTENI land that the community donated. The expansion project is estimated to cost about $75,000 USD. We are seeking donors to help pay for it.
AIDS Barefoot Doctors
SOTENI Kenya's AIDS Barefoot Doctors, which include some OVCs, have cared for hundreds of households in Mbakalo. The MAC Fund gave SOTENI a one-year grant to re-start the program. We are seeking additional grants or donations to continue this successful program in the future. To learn more, go to the AIDS Barefoot Doctors program page.
Sponsoring orphans
The SI Sponsorship program directly supports seven children in Mbakalo (see Sponsorship section), and local leaders hope to see that number greatly expanded as new sponsors become available.
