Women Fighting AIDS in Kenya (WOFAK)
Home and Hospital Care Visits and
Orphan Care and Support
Kayole, Dandora and Dagoretti in Nairobi Province, Kenya
Background
WOFAK was founded in August 1993 by a group of ten women, most of whom were HIV positive. They came together to give support to one another and to other women who were experiencing problems like rejection stigmatization and discrimination after their spouses' death as a result of HIV/AIDS.
 |
The unique feature of WOFAK is that it is an AIDS support organization run by women (80% of whom are HIV positive) and for women infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.
WOFAK's concern for women was triggered by the fact that more women are now getting infected with HIV than men. Currently over 13 million women have been infected globally and four million of these are already dead or about to die.
The bleak reality is that the sexual and economic subordination of women fuels the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Women must therefore empower themselves by networking, forming alliances and advocating for change.
"Money does not come easily here, especially when coming from individuals, not governments. This means that at least people in developed countries care what is going on." |
Top-level political commitment is needed to reduce the social vulnerability of women to HIV infection by improving their health, education, legal and economic prospects. This will require putting in place effective HIV/AIDS prevention and care efforts along with sound policies and programs targeting women affected by HIV/AIDS.
The Project
The sexual and economic subordination of women fuels the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Women must therefore empower themselves by networking, forming alliances, and advocating for change.
The purpose of the 'Home and Hospital Care Visits and Orphan Care and Support' program is to scale up comprehensive care to women infected and affected as well as children made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS. The program will also seek to support more families and communities to ensure their increased involvement and commitment to the care of PLWHAs at homes as a cost reduction initiative and to ensure holistic care that would be difficult to provide in a hospital environment.
"Money does not come easily here, especially when coming from individuals, not governments. This means that at least people in developed countries care what is going on." Dorothy Onyango
Women Fighting AIDS in Kenya (WOFAK)
The program will also create education and awareness components with an aim of controlling the further spread of HIV/AIDS, associated stigma and discrimination in the target communities.
SLF Ref#: WOFAK.03.07