Africa Asia Middle East Français Português Subscribe IRIN Site Map
PlusNews
Global HIV/AIDS news and analysis
Advanced search
 Sunday 20 January 2008
 
Home 
Africa 
Weekly reports 
In-Depth reports 
Country profiles 
Fact files 
Events 
Jobs 
Really Simple Syndication Feeds 
About PlusNews 
Donors 
Contact PlusNews 
 
Print report
KENYA: Florence Gundo: "How will we feed the children?"

NAIROBI, 18 January 2008 (PlusNews) - Florence Gundo is the coordinator and founder of the Orongo Widows and Orphans Group, which cares for 288 orphans in western Kenya's Nyanza Province. Gundo told IRIN/PlusNews how the political unrest had affected the group.

"Our group consists of several women, many of whom lost their husbands to HIV and are HIV-positive themselves. We run a nursery where orphaned children come and spend the day and get a meal; some of the women also live with and care for the orphans as guardians. Most of these orphans lost their parents to HIV.

"When the violence broke out immediately after the election, at least two of the people we support were killed by rowdy youths in their homes. One of our widows was attacked and her home was torn down to the ground; she was very lucky to escape alive. One child-headed household had their home invaded - they were chased away and when they came back everything had been stolen.

"We had been supported by AMREF [the African Medical and Research Foundation ] and MildMay [a UK-based HIV/AIDS charity] but this funding came to an end and we now buy food for the children with the proceeds from our income-generating activities - we grow and sell maize, sell baskets we make from reeds from Lake Victoria and also sell herbal medicines.

"During the fighting, our maize plantation was burnt so we have nothing left to sell or eat. Even if we did, Kibuye market, where we sell our things and buy food, was also burnt down.

"We have nowhere to get food now ... the nearest market is quite far and we are really struggling to feed the children. Some people brought us a truck full of grain the other day from Eldoret [a town in the Rift Valley], but we don't know how we will feed the children when this runs out.

"Fifteen of the orphans we care for are HIV-positive, and they require a more nutritious diet - for them the need is even greater than the rest.

"For those who are HIV-positive, getting drugs is also a major problem. They have to travel to the hospital and transport has become so expensive; before the election it was just 30 shillings [US 45 cents] to get to the nearest centre, but now it costs 100 shillings [$1.50], which, of course, we cannot afford to pay.

"We have been begging but how long can we do that? We need to get back on our feet to keep the children fed."

wm/kr/mw


Theme(s): (IRIN) Care/Treatment - PlusNews, (IRIN) Conflict

[ENDS]

[This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]
Print report
Countries
FREE Subscriptions
Your e-mail address:


Submit your request
 More on Kenya
17/Jan/2008
KENYA: Drug resistance risk as displaced HIV patients skip ARV doses
17/Jan/2008
GLOBAL: First two years in a child's life key to adult development
17/Jan/2008
GLOBAL: Space gears up for climate change study
15/Jan/2008
KENYA: Health workers grappling with conflict-related sexual violence
13/Jan/2008
GLOBAL: Even simple tech helps reduce poverty
 More on Care/Treatment - PlusNews
18/Jan/2008
ZIMBABWE: Cheaper, more accessible ARVs might be on the cards
17/Jan/2008
KENYA: Drug resistance risk as displaced HIV patients skip ARV doses
16/Jan/2008
NAMIBIA: The challenge of stigma - new radio report
15/Jan/2008
KENYA: Health workers grappling with conflict-related sexual violence
15/Jan/2008
BENIN: Efforts to reach pregnant mothers slowly paying off
Share:
Back | Home page

Services:  Africa | Asia | Middle East | Radio | Film & TV | Photo | E-mail subscription
Feedback · E-mail Webmaster · IRIN Terms & Conditions · Really Simple Syndication News Feeds · About PlusNews · Bookmark PlusNews · Donors

Copyright © IRIN 2008
This material comes to you via IRIN, the humanitarian news and analysis service of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the United Nations or its Member States. Republication is subject to terms and conditions as set out in the IRIN copyright page.