ORIGIN

Vumilia is a community based organization that deals with the problems of HIV/AIDS in the Kabras community of Kakamega District, in the Western Province of Kenya. It was started in April 2004 by Rose Ayuma Moon who administers the program from her home in Nairobi, and at the Vumilia office in Kabras. Rose recognized the many problems faced by members of the Kabras community who are affected by HIV/AIDS and realized that a holistic and long term approach with a focus on capacity building was needed to reduce the related negative impacts on the community. Vumilia began as a small group of 12 HIV positive women meeting in the home of a community health worker, Florence, who agreed to assist Rose with the project. This small scale self help group gradually evolved as funding increased and community members became aware of the available support network. Women have played a key role in the development of this community organization since its formation.

OBJECTIVES

• Strengthen the capacity of families and individuals
• Ensure access to essential services
• Raise awareness to create a supportive environment

The capacity of families and individuals needs to be strengthened both economically and psychologically, as each is of vital importance to the wellbeing of community members. Essential services such as nutrition, health care and education should be made available to community members. Additionally, a supportive environment is necessary to enable people affected by HIV/AIDS to achieve the goals outlined above.
Vumilia is not a VCT clinic or medical centre, but what it does provide for those directly and indirectly affected by HIV/AIDS are the essential services of referrals to VCT clinics and medical centres; and when counselling and group counselling on HIV/AIDS awareness, guidance on healthy living practices, encouragement of self awareness, and how to care for HIV/AIDS orphans; training for home based care givers so they can provide continual care for HIV positive women; youth awareness education and counselling; basic health care and nutritional items for those in need; economic development initiatives to increase independence and ability to provide for self and family.
The optimum assistance Vumilia can offer community members to address these HIV/AIDS related problems is through three self help groups run primarily by Vumilia staff who have been trained in counselling: women’s group, orphans and carers support group, and youth awareness group.