Kenya

Sunday, January 21, 2007

Having barely touched down in Nairobi after traveling from the easternmost part of Indonesia, I found myself in the air again. This time I was off to Kisumu - a town in Western Kenya perched on the shore of Lake Victoria. We were headed there to help facilitate a visit from a group of Canadian Members of Parliament who had come to Kenya to see first hand some of the major health issues facing not only this country, but all of Africa.

The focus of their visit was on HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria; three diseases that have a crimpling effect on Africa, accounting for over 12 million deaths and immesurable human suffering. Statistics like these tend to wash over us without imparting much meaning or having much impact. Often they only have the effect of leading to a defeatist attitude that the problem is too big. A visit such as this gives a human face to these complex health issues and provides an opportunity to better understand the efforts currently underway that are having a positive impact.

Flying in across the great Rift Valley, I could see the vibrant green hillsides drop sharply down to the valley bottom and spread into an ironed flat sea of green grassland that drained out to Lake Victoria where the orange glow of the evening’s sunset mirrored itself in the distance. The shores of Lake Victoria border on three countries that are home to some of the most vulnerable people in Africa. For the Red Cross, this is a priority region and there are a number of programs operating here including an integrated health initiative for people living with HIV/AIDS.

The region has some of the highest levels of HIV infection and those infected and suffering from decreased immune systems are more susceptible to malaria and water born diseases that are also highly prevalent. By integrating malaria, water and sanitation, and HIV/AIDS home based care program, a single village based volunteer is able to address these interlinking health issues during each individual house visit. This approach ensures that those living with HIV have received LLINs (nets), Household Safe Water Treatment Systems and that they are being used properly and that information regarding treatment and prevention is understood.

We visited a village about an hour and a half’s drive from Kisumu called Siaya, where we were greeted at the local Red Cross office by a jubilant group of volunteers who broke in to raucous song as we arrived. Their exuberance was inspiring and was like a contagion of positive energy. Their chairman expressed his gratitude, saying that a visit to their small village by government officials from as far away as Canada gave them hope and encouragement. He explained the many challenges his village faced with high rates of HIV infection, tuberculosis and malaria but also of how his village had benefited greatly from the mobilization of volunteers.

Many of the volunteers are HIV positive but were empowered by the realization that they can play a role in improve the health and wellbeing of themselves and their communities. Through their work, the community itself has been strengthened by the same realization - that there are ways they can improve their own lives and livelihoods whether by making use of a bed net, a water storage system, or by seeking treatment.

The positive impact of these programs was evident in the homes we visited and in the people we spoke with. Beyond the immediate benefit of having received an LLIN, a water treatment system, or ARV drug therapy, the critical benefits of community invovlement were also evident.

By mobilizing community based volunteers in an integrated and interactive, the Kenyan Red Cross has developed culturally appropriate messages and approaches that utilize a variety of communication channels. The effect of this effort has not only been a positive change in behavior amongst the targeted group – those living with HIV, but also amongst the wider community. This was evidence in the open manner in which people in Siaya discussed their HIV status; a sharp departure from the stigma normally associated with the disease.

The homes we visited were mud-grass huts, sparsely filled with a few household items, mostly used for cooking and perhaps a mat or two for sleeping. In between the homes, chickens darted between small gardens where smatterings of corn and root vegetables grew. Children to young to attend school looked at us nervously as they sat between yellow-orange mosaics of grain spread out on the ground to dry in the sun.

This glimpse into rural African life was for some of the MPs their first, and many of them were struck by how basic their living conditions were. Some were at times visibly overwhelmed by the vulnerability of the people of Siaya, especially those living with AIDS. However, they also recognized their strength, resilience and how, with the adoption of a few tools and methods, their overall health and livelihoods could be dramatically improved.

Often it is not a question of not having solutions but of lacking the resources to implement them. The resolve of the volunteers and community members of Siaya can be found throughout Africa, but without the most basic of tools – nets, sanitation kits, and drugs - many villages are unable to carry out successful programs such as this.

The MPs who came to Kenya came by invitation but, they came by choice, and they should be commended for taking interest in issues that often do not receive the attention they deserve. Their attention, as elected MPs, is of course significant because of the role they have in determining how Canada can help improve the health and wellbeing of our global society. However, we all have a role in this; we are all represented by a Member of Parliament. As such, all of our attention to these issues is important as it will determine how Canada will act. Something as simple as taking a few minutes to write a letter to your MP or donating a few dollars to an aid organization can signal your support, and help ensure health issues like TB, HIV/AIDS and malaria are a priority. Collectively our actions shape and influence the world in ways we often don’t even realize.
posted by Adam Johnston at 3:38 PM

3 Comments:
Anonymous said...
Hi Adam,I am glad to hear that some of our officials are taking an interest and seeing first hand, the problems that our country needs to help with. We can only hope their visit will have a positive effect, on how Canada proceeds in helping the Red Cross, help these people.It must be rewarding for you to see how even basic aid can help make a difference.Keep up the good work and be sure to look after yourself.Love Gaile, Al & Family
February 28, 2007 11:58:00 PM PST

Sue Gunter said...
Hello AdamCongratulations Adam and the Red Cross on your work in Kenya! Kudos for offering the Canadian officials a window into what life looks like for hundreds of millions of vulnerable people in Africa. Thank you for encouraging readers to write to their MP's; a smart and very effective way to let our government know how we feel and what we would like done. We, a group of 10 ladies from Montreal, Canada visited Itegero, a village not far from Kisumu, last year for 3 weeks, and are still actively working to empower the people of Itegero and also attempting to meet some of their needs. We would really value speaking to you regarding our project, and resectfully request a reply to this comment. Many thanks, Sue

March 14, 2007 7:36:00 AM PDT
Adam Johnston said...
Hi Sue,Thanks so much for your comments. Great to hear of other Canadians taking action for humanitarian causes. I would be happy to hear more about your project... I can be reached by email at adamkjohnston@hotmail.comRegards,Adam