Our work

KENYA CARE GIVES THEM THE OPPORTUNITIES

HIV-positive single mothers can participate in a training program at the Day Care Centre. The women are guided to improve their lives and their future. The training program takes about 2 months. They receive:

• One meal per training day
• Education in hygiene and nutrition
• Education on how to live with HIV / AIDS
• Guidance in setting up a business plan to earn their own income
• Practice of skills for their business / activity to set up
• Providing an interest-free microloan to start their own business/activity.

SELF HELP GROUPS

The women participate in an officially registered Self Help Group and are responsible for each other. They save together in a common fund, they decide together about a small business that each of them – based on the business plan – can start, they have a large mutual social control, also when it comes to repayment of the microcredit.

Kenya Care opens a bank account for each Self Help Group for safe saving. Every week each woman deposits an amount, which they have determined together.  On their savings bank book they can see how much money they have saved, borrowed or repaid. The women are responsible for each other and for everyone’s participation.

After completing the training program at the Day Care Centre, the women can start their own ‘business’.  If they have a good plan, Kenya Care provides a small micro-loan for this. The local supervisors of Kenya Care, Festus and Caroline, accompany the women also after the training period and ensure that the money is well spent.

PERSPECTIVE

Even after the conclusion of the first teaching period (about two months in total), the women in the Self Help Groups continue to meet and support each other on a weekly basis.

The local Kenya Care supervisors monitor the situation and their aftercare ensures continuity:

• They actively monitor the home situation, with follow-up education on hygiene and nutrition, help and advice on personal problems
• They are present at the weekly group meetings and then give additional lessons and advice
• They follow the development of the women’s businesses.
• Ensuring that the microcredit repayments are made as planned.
• Regularly starting up new groups or supporting the creation of new projects.