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this page Provinces - The Anglican Church of Kenya
Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) is located in East Africa. It believes in holistic approach of spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ through, teaching, healing and preaching. HIV/AIDS programme aims at achieving this ministry through compassionate response to people who are hurting.
Vision
A strengthened ACK leadership with the ability to eradicate HIV/AIDS and reverse the impact to create a HIV/AIDS-free society.
The Goal
To build the capacity of the Church with the right information to meet the challenges caused by HIV/AIDS in the community. The objective of the programme is to participate in the reduction of National HIV/AIDS prevalence.
ACK HIV/AIDS Programme
ACK started HIV/AIDS response at the National level in 1997 to coordinate what the regions were doing. ACK implements its development work through regional Church structures, where HIV/AIDS has been integrated in the development programmes for ease of implementation.
The HIV/AIDS programme addresses all issues relating to the pandemic in the 3 programmatic areas namely: capacity building, prevention and care and support. All the 29 dioceses implement HIV/AIDS activities through various departments like youth, Mothers Union and Kenya Anglican Men association.
ACK has about 86 health facilities and three main hospitals, which have HIV/AIDS activities. Community resource persons (CHW), AIDS educators and HIV/AIDS counsellors) carry out community care and home based care and counselling. Institutions like St. Johns Community Centre carry out HIV/AIDS programs in six slum areas of Nairobi.
- The Province has community drug shops, which serve the communities with first aid drugs and refer serious case to the hospitals;
- Community programmes on care and support of orphans are run through the Church;
- The three hospitals have started comprehensive care of people living and affected by HIV/AIDS;
- Some clinics and dispensaries have started VCT services.
Programme Achievement
- Trained 34 Bishops and their wives in 2003;
- Trained 54 Diocesan coordinators covering the marginalized areas of north-eastern Kenya;
- Started Diocesan HIV/AIDS programmes in the 29 Dioceses;
- Trained Department Coordinators: Sunday school and Brigade, Youth and Mothers Union);
- Development of ACK HIV/AIDS liturgy and week of prayer;
- Needs assessment survey was done in 2004 in all the Dioceses;
- Revision of the strategic plan to incorporate the 2004 2008 strategic plan for the Department of Social Services for the Anglican Church of Kenya;
- Implemented a National youth outreach programme and in partnership with FHI
- managed to train peer educators, HIV/AIDS committees, focal persons and puppeteers (2005-2006);
- St. Paul Theological College, Limuru encouraged ACK clergy and Church workers to join their Masters degree programme on community care and HIV/AIDS;
- Anglican clergy and Church workers have started to come out to share their experience of living with AIDS.
Christian Women of Faith
This is a group of former commercial sex workers who came together and formed a support group called Christian Women of Faith The group was launched by the Archbishop in 2003. The women meet weekly.
25 leaders from the group were trained on group dynamics and income generating activities (IGA) and support and care for the sick. After the training they were encouraged to form clusters of 20 women each under a trained leader for easy management of the group. Due to financial problems IGA projects have not been started as earlier planned.
Programme Challenge
- Rising demand for services by the Church institutions;
- Stigma is still high and hinders VCT programmes;
- Sustainability of the Diocesan HIV/AIDS programme and HIV/AIDS Desk;
- Role modelling for behaviour change both in the Church and community;
- Community structures for care and support of the infected and affected.
Conclusion
HIV/AIDS has affected Africa more than any other disease in history. It has affected all sectors of life and age group. The Church has the ability and credibility to effectively respond to the pandemic. The ACK through the capacity building process of the community has taken the challenge posed by HIV and AIDS.
The Church must meet the expectations of the community of being the salt and the light of the world. The Church should address the social cultural challenges of the community to successfully contribute to the wholeness of life in the midst of the pain and despair.
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