Christian Mission Aid

Community Leaders Educated Aids Response (CLEAR)

Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for [70%] of the HIV/AIDS epidemic globally. About 80% of those infected are in the 15-49 year age groups. While children under the age of 5 years account for 10%.  

The spread of the disease has led to the poor rate of infant survival, low life expectancy and increased mortality rates. The overall life expectancy is expected to reduce to just 42 years. 

The AIDS pandemic affects women in their role as care givers in the family, and in their community at large. Apart from other tasks women are also expected to take care of their husbands and children infected with HIV/AIDS. In case a woman also suffers from HIV related illnesses, the burden becomes even heavier for her.

In Kenya more than 2.5 million people are now infected and live with HIV/AIDS.       

Emergence of the ‘CLEAR’ project: 

The AIDS epidemic has proven to be a great threat to the economic and social development in Kenya. The provinces of Nyanza, Western and parts of the Rift Valley, account for more than 72% of the reported cases. It is against this background that Christian Mission Aid [CMA], in partnership with Compassion Canada and CIDA, initiated a vigorous educational campaign known as the “CLEAR” program, to heighten awareness of the disease and to promote the adoption and use of preventative measures. The CLEAR project is an example of a program that came up in response to the Christian Church ministers’ [lay leaders] request to be equipped with some knowledge that could help them tackle the problem of AIDS in their local communities.  

CLEAR Target Groups:  

1.    The infected [the people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWA)].
2.    The affected [orphans and their families]. 
3.    The non-infected but fairly at risk of infection.

Project areas: 

Currently, the project is carried out in the five Nyanza districts of Nyando, Rachuonyo, Kisumu, Suba and Migori.  

The Approach: 

CMA works closely with community leaders like teachers, pastors, women group leaders, social workers, retired civil servants, civic authority leaders, community development workers and community health workers; among others.  

As the targeted change agents, the community leaders are trained on a range of issues on the subject of AIDS. This is meant to equip them with the necessary information that can be used to combat the scourge. They are trained on crucially significant themes such as:

¨        Communication skills.
¨        Basic facts on HIV/AIDS. 
¨        Basic facts on Sexually Transmitted Infections [STIs].
¨        Counselling skills.
¨        Cultural aspects and how they relate to change.
¨        Home Based Care.     

The participants benefit from a total of 12 seminar sessions spread throughout the entire two-year period. The seminars are conducted during the school holidays and the time in between is used to reach out to the community members in Churches, various institutions/schools, market places, chiefs’ meetings and even at funerals.     

Achievements: 

Since the CLEAR project was started in 1999, it has realized some tangible success as is evident from the objectives it has achieved:. 

¨        A total of 372 Community leaders have received expert training on all the relevant themes.
¨        Over 39,000 people have been reached with valid HIV/AIDS related information during the initial project period ending March 2001.
¨        Similarly a total of 38,502 people have been reached with valid HIV/AIDS related information since the second phase which begun in May 2001. 
¨        A total of 22 bicycles have been distributed in the five districts, to help cope with the problem of transportation faced by the trained community leaders.
¨        Committee members in all the districts have benefited from capacity building seminars aimed at strengthening their roles within the community, and more especially with regard to CLEAR project.
¨        The PLWA’s continue to benefit from Home Based Care activities that include; home visitations for social support, as well as palliative care through the use of basic drug kits. 

The CLEAR drama team performing a play. 

Constraints/Limitations:

¨       The number of orphans continues to rise, and children as young as 12 years are left with the responsibility of caring for their younger siblings.
¨       The CLEAR project vehicle was severely damaged in a bad accident, and this has hampered subsequent visits to the project areas. 
¨       The drama teams have developed very creative plays about AIDS, but they lack creative costumes that can draw people’s attention.
¨       There is a need for Home Based Care kits, which the CLEAR participants can use as they visit HIV/AIDS patients who are at home.
¨       There is a lack of materials such as puppets and pamphlets, which are very effective tools for information dissemination. 

Photo: These children are all AID's Orphans

We Partner with Compassion Canada on this program.

Interested in helping, or want further information?
Contact us at: Africa@CMAid.org
You can also help us financially by visiting our Online Donations page