This project is part-funded by Irish Aid

Contribution to Millennium Development Goals:

• Goal 6 - Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other diseases. This goal aims to halt and begin to reverse the spread of HIV.

Over 36 million people in the world are living with HIV/AIDS. Out of these 25.3 million are from sub-Saharan Africa. Consequently, over 1 million Kenyans have died from AIDS, and an estimated 2 million are living with HIV/AIDS.

More than 2/3 of the population in African countries live in rural areas. Information and health services are less available in rural areas than in cities. Rural people are therfore less likely to know how to protect themselves from diseases including HIV. The cost of care for HIV/AIDS infected people is very high due to lack of remission. Rural communities with scarce resources have to bear the burden of the constantly increasing AIDS patients including urban dwellers who have come back home as a result of AIDS.

700 Kenyans die of the disease every day.

29 people are infected every minute of every day

HIV/AIDS has created extra children to feed

HIV/AIDS has adversely affected the most productive group in society leaving the elderly in the villages with the task of looking after the orphans.

As families are slipping further into misery and poverty due to the disease, young children are being forced into early employment , early marriage and school dropout.

HIV/AIDS Peer Education Programme

The Peer Education project is a HIV/AIDS Education Programme. It was originally developed by USAID working with the Kenyan Girl Guides and Family Health International.Modules included values, relationships, sexuality gender, adolescence and HIV/AIDS.
The concept behind this type of programme is that the participants learn, and then pass on the knowledge to their peers. It has been run in Londiani since 2002 when the first FOL Irish service team travelled there. Since then the project has grown from strength to strength. Now it is run by FOL Kenya, and many of the original participants are now trainers in HIV/AIDS.

Outreach Programme

FOL works in partnership with the Marmar group in Ndubusat to provide an outreach service for AIDS orphans and people living with HIV/AIDS in the area. These people were identified by the Marmar group while travelling throughout the area running Peer Education courses. They provide food (through kitchen garden projects), clothing and support for these people.

For comments or questions please contact:
Friends of Londiani, 9 Cois Cuain, Mosestown, Whitegate, Co. Cork; Telephone: +353 21 4662730; info@friendsoflondiani.com

© 2008 Friends of Londiani, Ireland