AFRO-NETS> Kenya AIDS Intervention/Prevention Project Group and Nutrition for PWAS

[Janet Feldman <kaippg@earthlink.net>]

Kenya AIDS Intervention/Prevention Project Group and Nutrition for PWAS
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Friends,

Hello, I recently posted this to INTAIDS, where there has been a dis-
cussion about HIV/AIDS and Nutrition. Here is a story about one way 
in which KAIPPG (Kenya AIDS Intervention/Prevention Project Group) is 
trying to address this vital connection and issue, and we'd be very 
happy to hear of other approaches as well! 

With many thanks and all best wishes, 
Janet Feldman
Director, KAIPPG/International
mailto:kaippg@earthlink.net

--
Subject: KAIPPG and Nutrition for PWAS

Dear Friends,

Hello, all, and many thanks for the invaluable INTAID postings on nu-
trition and food security for those affected by or infected with 
HIV/AIDS. I have seen several contributions from colleagues in Af-
rica, among them the fantastic work of CEDSI in Nigeria--with whom we 
network--and wanted to post a note about our own nutrition program.

My name is Janet Feldman, and I am the director of the international 
wing of KAIPPG -- Kenya AIDS Intervention/Prevention Project Group -- 
with offices in Kenya (where our programs are) and the USA. For seven 
years now, we have made nutrition an integral part of our work in the 
prevention and amelioration of AIDS, because we have seen how crucial 
nutrition is to PWAS and whole communities alike. We have developed 
an innovative program of food-growing and security -- stressing in-
digenous foodstuffs -- which has been very successful for various 
populations, among these AIDS widows, AIDS orphans and other vulner-
able children, people with AIDS, and individuals within communities 
who may not be AIDS-affected, but nonetheless suffer the effects of 
malnutrition.

One innovative program, called "The Community-Based Dietary Interven-
tion Project", involved the establishment of 6 nutritional field 
schools of 30 KAIPPG clients each (for a total of 180), mostly older 
women caring for AIDS orphans and other vulnerable children, who were 
trained in the entire process of crop husbandry and food production. 
They were taught how to use adaptable technologies in energy preser-
vation, the local production of animal and plant cakes, bread-baking, 
caring for HIV-infected children, and hygienic practices for keeping 
food safe to eat. Each school had a leader who supervised the activi-
ties and coordinated with KAIPPG. Each group was also trained to give 
basic treatment and care to its sick members. Some 15% of the yield 
from grains, cereals, and fruits was retained and supplied to other 
widows who did not benefit from the first phase of the project. This 
helped to expand the project without relying on external support.

The beneficiaries of the program were networked with each other and 
linked up with health workers and other care-providers, and the whole 
process developed into a self-contained web. Since the program worked 
with highly-stigmatized and neglected people with diverse needs, we 
had to put a system into place to address those needs as well. Each 
school was sub-divided into 3 smaller groups of 10 people, called 
"Family Care Committees", with each group also being under a team 
leader. The group's members maintained daily contact with one an-
other, and assisted each other in tilling the land, selling their 
farm products, and meeting the needs of families and individuals at a 
more personal level. Any needs not handled in the FCCs were reported 
to the field-school leader and in turn to KAIPPG. For the purposes of 
project replication, sustainability, and expansion, formal linkages 
were forged with government ministries at the district level, faith-
based organizations, NGOs, and other private groups in development 
work.

This is just one of our programs addressing nutrition, which we have 
created not only to benefit individuals and communities with better 
foodstuffs, but also to teach skills and sustainability. We know of 
efforts in other countries like Malawi, where Stacia Nordin of the 
Peace Corps is experimenting with permaculture and the use of indige-
nous foodstuffs from that country to help PWAS improve their nutri-
tional intake. We hope that there will be many more such programs de-
veloped and research done in this vital area, and we welcome all 
questions, comments, and interactions! Please contact us at 
<kaippg@earthlink.net> (Janet Feldman, KAIPPG/International) or in 
Kenya at <kaippg@africaonline.co.ke> (James Onyango, Exec. Director, 
KAIPPG/Kenya), and see us at:
http://www.kaippg.org

With many thanks and all best wishes, 
Janet Feldman
mailto:kaippg@earthlink.net

--
To send a message to AFRO-NETS, write to: afro-nets@usa.healthnet.org
To subscribe or unsubscribe, write to: majordomo@usa.healthnet.org
in the body of the message type: subscribe afro-nets OR unsubscribe afro-nets
To contact a person, send a message to: afro-nets-help@usa.healthnet.org
Information and archives: http://www.afronets.org