She spent the better part of 2012 in hospital beds. Her weight dropped from 80kg to about 45kg. Her health was deteriorating.
However, these and several other challenges were not unique to Namune but to several other widowed women and men in her matrimonial village. This gave birth to Jitolee Support Group at Munyuki village in Lugari Sub County of Kakamega County.
The group, which is made up of HIV-positive widows and widowers, was formed in 2006 with the reduction of effects of stigma and other related difficulties.
Only three members have passed on, as at now, from the group’s original 20 members. The rest, 14 widows and 3 widowers, are leading normal and healthy lives.
The riveting story of Jitolee Support Group is informative and educative on part of gains reaped from various intervention efforts put in place by the government and other stakeholders since the first case of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) was reported in Kenya in 1984.
The national government created the National AIDS and STDs Control Programme (NASCOP) within the Ministry of Health in 1978 as part of the efforts to contain AIDs and Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs).
The programme adopted a multi-sectorial approach in which it mobilised a widespread effort against AIDS.
NASCOP’s strategy called for action in six primary areas: prevention of sexual transmission of HIV, prevention of HIV transmission through blood and blood products, mitigation of the socio-economic impacts of HIV/AIDS, epidemiological surveillance, coordination of research, and management and co-ordination of the multi-sectorial AIDS control programme.
In addition to this and other government efforts, a number of NGOs and private sector programmes have also contributed to the fight against AIDS.
The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and Heifer International are among international organisations whose roles in the fight against the scourge and its accompanying effects shall linger forever on minds of Jitolee Support group members.
Members of the group consider 2013 to be its year of luck.
That was the year when IFAD, through the Smallholder Dairy Commercialization Programme (SDCP), and Heifer International donated 6 and 10 dairy goats respectively to the group. The organisations further donated a breeder each to the group.
“Most of us, especially widows, were desperate at that time. Many people and organizations had come and made promises before, but they never came back,” says Mrs. Jemima Namuma, the group’s treasurer.
Namuma, who was once discriminated against for being HIV-positive, is now a model farmer in the community. She is working to break down cultural barriers and show outsiders the importance of goats.
This because of the nutritional value of goat milk accompanied by improved diet, which according to Namuma have boosted their health.
According to some commonly held belief, goat milk is a culturally and economically viable option in mitigating HIV and AIDS disease. This is attributed to Selenium ions that are found in goat’s milk.
Medical doctors observe, Selenium, which is commonly deficient in the human body, is necessary in the control of the human immune system and its deficiency has been linked to HIV/AIDS and other viral diseases.
Selenium further works directly on the AIDS viruses preventing them
from replicating. United Nations–World Food Programme (WFP) estimates 5 million tons
of milk is produced by 440 million goats worldwide.
“Before, I wouldn’t even have considered drinking goat milk. Now no one can take it away from me. Cow’s milk doesn’t even compare,” Namuna observes.
Namuna’s CD4 cell count has drastically increased and it is now approximately 900 from a paltry 66 in 2102.
Namuna is much stronger and has almost doubled her body weight.
Lugari Sub County Livestock Development Officer, Mr. Wellington Mang’oli said Namuna has gotten stronger. “She is able to work more. I can see she is more creative and enterprising,” he added.
Except for the deceased three, Cluster Differention-4 (CD4) for most of the group’s current members are more stable.
“We used to think goat milk was just for children, but now adults drink it because we see it as a medicine,” adds Ambogo.
Before the dairy goat project, the widows and widowers only grew maize and beans, just like the rest of farmers in the community.
But because the soil was of poor quality, most of them used to record
low yields.
However, since they started to incorporate goat manure into their farms, the soil has improved with increased productions.
Where in the past a farmer produced two bags of maize, they are currently harvesting about10 bags. They now cultivate a variety of crops, including maize, beans, cabbage, onions, and tissue culture banana. The crops feed the family, with plenty left over to sell.
“I want all of my children to broaden their minds and have an education. I don’t want them to lack for anything at all,” said Mrs Beatrice Ambogo, the group’s chairperson.
The level of stigma has drastically dropped, “In fact those who previously would avoid us have turned and become our best friends,” notes Namuna.
Groups of farmers tour Namuna’s farm to learn about goats, goat milk, livestock management and more. Namuna and her group have so far passed on 8 goats.
“This project has changed our history,” said Mr. John Guvaha, one of the group’s widowers. “It gave us milk and made us wealthy,” he added.
“IFAD and Heifer have raised my children. It is because of them that we can afford their school fees,” confessed Namuna.
The group hopes to further develop the goat business by processing the milk and making products like goat cheese.
Namuna says IFAD and Heifer’s success is unique because they look beyond short-term relief to change families forever.
“I owe my life to IFAD, Heifer International and the national government that brought them here. Thank you for being organisations with compassion. You rescued us,” Namuna said.
Jitolee Support members thank the livestock department in Lugari for
connecting them with the two donors. Kakamega County has also involved the group in her poultry farming promotion programme. “The interventions made by Heifer and IFAD has saved our lives,” concludes Ambogo.