Kenya

‘Sexual education compulsory at schools’

In Kenya, Simavi primarily operates in the western part of the country where there are many problems as a result of HIV/AIDS infections. In addition to health projects, Simavi also works on water and sanitation.

A large number of the HIV/AIDS infections occur as a result of lack of information and because people are unable to talk about the subject due to the traditional way in which sex is dealt with. Furthermore, there is limited access to contraception, which is primarily available to married couples.

HIV/AIDS

Simavi has been actively fighting HIV/AIDS in Kenya for years, primarily by investing in sexual education aimed at adolescents, both in and around schools and in training adolescents in skills and assertiveness so that they become better at making choices.

The adolescents attend lessons and organise meetings with fellow students to inform others and are trained to counsel other adolescents. Simavi does this, amongst others, with partner CSA (Centre for the Study of Adolescence) and SAIPEH (Support Activities in Poverty Eradication and Health). The lobbying achieved an important result in 2010: the curriculum ‘Life skills’, including sexual education, has become compulsory at schools. Local partner organisation, CSA (Centre for the Study of Adolescents), played an important role in achieving this.

Maternal mortality

Maternal mortality is another problem Simavi tackles with partners. The high maternal mortality rates are primarily attributed to the fact that complications are often acknowledged too late and it takes too long to get to a hospital when things go wrong.

Furthermore, there is a lack of money, staff and materials in the hospitals themselves. Because home births in Kenya are unsafe according to the government, they are no longer permitted. But home births still occur because many people do not want to or cannot go to hospitals or clinics.

Training

GLUK (Great Lakes University of Kisumu), the Diocese of Kakamega and the Sisters of Mary of Kakamega are actively trying to reduce the maternal mortality by training health workers and volunteers (community health workers) to give information on, amongst others, the importance of the proper vaccination of children, prenatal examination and home birth risks.