Walk raises money to build home for HIV positive children


BY KAMUNDIA MURIITHI

Pupils from primary schools near Embu town joined adults in a 10km walk to raise funds for the construction of a home for orphaned and abandoned HIV positive children.

The walk also purposed at fighting stigma and discrimination against HIV positive people.

Toto Love Children Home which has for 13 years provided an abode for neglected children and those living with HIV plans to relocate to bigger premises to accommodate more children.

The home organised the Saturday walk which culminated in a fundraiser at St Paul’s Cathedral Grounds.

The Founder, Ruth Ndwiga said the 17 kids under their care live in a rented three-bedroom house at Spring Valley Estate. Two house mothers and two volunteers from Germany also live in the same house.

Ms Ndwiga said they are unable to take in more children due to constraint of facilities yet they get requests to accommodate more kids.

The Kenya HIV Estimates Report 2018 indicates that in the year 2017, there were 855 children in Embu County who were HIV positive.

No other children's home in Embu County is dedicated to taking in HIV infected children.

For that reason, she revealed, they plan to raise Sh7 million to build a bigger home in a one-acre land that the home owns at Blue Valley Estate.

The Saturday walk aimed at raising Sh1 million to start the construction works, with plans to hold a major harambee in December and have the new home ready by next year.

“In the new home we plan to have ample and separate accommodation facilities for at least 30 boys and girls, the house mothers and volunteers. The home will have counselling rooms for HIV positive people and the rest of the society," She stated.

“It will have a support group for infected children to meet once a month. It will also host some income generating projects such as poultry and a kitchen garden to help provide nutritious meals,” said Ms Ndwiga.

Ms Ndwiga, a social worker trained on HIV home based care, said she started the home on concern that when the HIV positive adults she was taking care of died, there was no one left behind to take care of the kids.

She said at Toto love the children are counselled to accept their status and live positively.

The home started with seven kids and the number is 16 today. The youngest is six years and the oldest is 17 years and in Form Three.

“Despite the advances made in fighting HIV/Aids, stigma still reigns.,” she said.

Justin Muturi Foundation CEO Brian Muturi called on the community to change their attitude towards HIV infected people and end stigma against them.

“HIV is no longer a death sentence. It is a condition that can be managed through antiretroviral drugs and patients can lead normal lives just like any other person and live to realise their dreams,” he said.

The foundation is a key supporter of the home.

Gilbert Njeru who has supported the home since inception said some of the pioneer children are now adults, married and with children.

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