Kenya Initiation Trip Report

Chapter Two: Kilungu KUSARD & Lucia School

Today, we left earlier to go to Nunguni in the Kilungu region, which is a bit further on the way to Mombasa, up in the mountains.  The scenery as we proceeded up the curving mountain roads was very beautiful, and we were amazed to see goats or cattle tethered by the side of the road, left to graze there on the green and abundant vegetation.  The hills had terraces of fields, reminding us of Japan, and the air was cooler and clearer than down in the dusty grassy plains.

 

We arrived at the KUSARD ART (AntiRetroviral Theatre) group.  We met this group of young men and women, all of whom work very seriously to bring the AIDS message to the people of the area.

 

First, we heard from the leader, Michael, who told us about the origins of ART and KUSARD, and introduced the various key people in attendance.  We saw several skits and songs from the talented performers of ART, and were moved by their ability to give the message in English, Kiswahili and Kamba languages. 

We heard from Catherine, the public health nurse who works directly with the Counseling, Testing and follow up care for the local area, about the results of this past year. 

 

At the VCTs, 120 people were tested this past year, with about 10 percent showing positive.  In the pregnancy clinics, 1000 were tested, and 12 tested positive.  Of  TB patients tested in the local area, 24 were tested and 12 were positive.  Only 6 husbands of wives who tested positive would come to get tested.    In the entire area, about 10 percent have been tested.  Another group of people are diagnosed by the presence of opportunistic illnesses, and by their health history and behavior. 

 

The major problem is the hiding and denial which are the result of fear of the stigma attached to a positive diagnosis.  Most people find it impossible to disclose even to their partners, much less their close family.  No one at a funeral admits the cause of death was AIDS.  This causes additional infections, because the undiagnosed spouse may be “inherited” by the male relatives of her AIDS-infected husband, and pass the virus to them and their wives.  Many women, even when diagnosed, will continue to breastfeed the baby, either to hide their status, or to cope with poverty. 

 

Again, the result is orphans and infected children. There is a strong feeling that men are actively refusing to get tested, or to support AIDS interventions.  Neither employers nor churches are being engaged in the effort to spread awareness to men.  This would be a natural point of intervention.

 

One other area of challenge is that of midwives, called Traditional Birth Attendants.  Many are older women, not educated, and unaware of ways that they can be infected, or that they can pass the infection.  This nurse, Catherine, has developed a way to work with such women, usually older women who are not very well educated.  First, she asks them how they deliver a baby, and what precautions they take.  After she hears, she can help them understand how they may be at risk to receive the virus, and how they could change their procedures.  For instance, many use no gloves, or use the same ones over and over, only rinsing them.  Or, when the baby is born, they may put a finger in the child’s mouth to clear out mucous or to stimulate the baby to breathe, unintentionally.  Or they use a razor to cut the cord which is infected, thus infecting the mom or the baby. 

 

Jessica Hasslen was there from an other NGO, called “Give us Wings,” and she reported that they give midwives a total birthing kit for each birth, complete with sterile equipment, towels, razors and bandages, so the midwife won’t be tempted to re-use implements. 

 

We presented the medical donations from AmeriCares to Catherine, including digital thermometers, vitamins and other items.

Then, Claire and I went to a nearby girls high school, St. Lucia Girls High School in Nunguni, and met the principal, Angeline Makau.  She suggested we speak to all the girls, so she summoned them from classes to stand outside in the shady courtyard, and we came out to the sound of beautiful choral singing, with those lovely and unmistakeable harmonies.

 

We were introduced and spoke briefly about our work, and then we sang “Hero.”  We really encouraged them to begin WAIT there; later we heard that 16 of them are orphans. 

 

That evening, we had dinner with the Wakhisi family, a friend and pastor of some Kenyan families we know in DC.   We reported about all our activities there, and explained our internal methods.  We also saw a beautiful dance to “Sakura” by his two daughters, Reika and Mika, and  enjoyed the antics of his six year old, Francesca.

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