Project Profile

- ST JOSEPH SHELTER OF HOPE "SJSHOPE" was started by Sr. Genovefa Maashao of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Archdiocese of Mombasa and the Voi Community. This centre was established in 1999 as a response to the rising numbers of PLWHAS and OVC, and the numerous problems and suffering emanating from the scourge.

- The Vision of the Centre is to have a community that is free from HIV and AIDS. It is committed to protect the uninfected and support the affected through treating and managing, caring, creating awareness so as to avoid further spread and re-infection, capacity building by empowering the community so as to reduce trauma, stigma and discrimination, as well as bring hope to both the infected and affected by improving the quality of their lives. The Centre is designed to address both social and cultural needs of PLWHAS together with OVC, in areas of education, nutrition and medication.

VISION

To have a community that is free from HIV and AIDS as well as other diseases by creating an environment that provides access to quality and affordable health care, nutrition, basic education and skills that provides for the support of Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC).

MISION

Initiate and sustain preventative measures against HIV and AIDS as well as other diseases, promote and participate in the provision of high quality affordable health care; support the infected and affected with nutrition and psychological assistance for prolonged and meaningful life.

CORE VALUES

- Integrity
- Diligence
- Accountability
- Confidentiality
- Credibility
- Respect of diversity of opinions
- Respect of one’s faith
- Zero tolerance to fraudulence
- Simplicity, service and prayer

SJSHOPE project goal; strengthening and empowering community for enhanced Home and Community Based Care (HCBC) to People Living With HIV and AIDS (PLWHAS) as well as Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC).

To provide People Living With HIV and AIDS (PLWHAS) as well as Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) with an environment that enhances HOPE in life (see Logo), health, and education, for the benefit of the individual, the community and the nation at large.

Specific Objectives

- Provide quality medical and nursing care to People Living With HIV and AIDS (PLWHAS) and Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC).

- Support Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) through the enhancement of education and shelter.

- Provide Capacity building of Community Health Workers (CHW).

- Deliver Home and Community Based Care (HCBC) and Counselling to those infected and affected by HIV and AIDS.

- Initiate programs that will incorporate other diseases.

- Collaborate with other stakeholders, I.e. Non-governmental organisations, international bodies and governments of those countries with the same objectives.

- Prevent new infections

- Reduce the spread and re-infection

- Supplement in nutrition

- Uplift the economic status of PLWHAS and OVC by initiating income generating activities and educating them on management and sustainability of the same.

“Everyone in my government and myself now dedicate ourselves to making the defeat of HIV and AIDS our number one priority”

- ST JOSEPH SHELTER OF HOPE wishes to compliment the Government’s effort, People Living With HIV and AIDS need to be treated with dignity, be given hope and have their lives prolonged. Orphans and Vulnerable Children need better living standards, that is; good health, security, shelter, food, clothing and education. Thus, the founding of the Centre is to inject this difference.

- It is against this background that the service of HCBC was identified as a significant contributor in HIV & AIDS interventions.

- This dream can only be realised through good and regular funding. The current team co-ordinated by Sr. Genovefa, assisted by 11 members of staff doing social work, Counselling, Clinical and nursing services, Accounting, Laboratory work, and 90 Voluntary Community Health Workers is far too small to meet the current and the rapidly rising demand.

- Carry out regular seminars/workshops to sensitise the community on the dangers and the spread of HIV and AIDS and how to destigmatise it.

Due to inadequate funds, we are unable to:

- Provide medical care and essential drugs to all infected and affected people within Voi,
- Provide sufficient good nutrition to all infected people,
- Provide OVC with basic needs including education which is a human right,
- Employ highly competent and adequate staff,
- Reach out to areas bordering Voi with high HIV prevalence rate,
- Obtain and maintain modern Medical equipment and machinery.

COMMUNITY’S CHALLENGE

- There are cases of clients failing to disclose their status to their partners thus causing poor adherence to HCBC interventions. This is associated with fear of stigma associated with HIV which remains a challenge to eradication of the scourge and as such more education is needed if stigma is to be eradicated.

- There is a high level of poverty associated with loss of income after loss of employment or death of the main household income earner. Disclosure ofHIV status to infected children remains a big challenge.

- There are different stakeholders working with CHWs using different strategies. This has brought conflict when serving the community as CHWs identify with the support Organisations rather than with the community.

- Volunteerism seems to end after some time and the CHWs who do voluntary work end up asking for incentives of which when introduced will be difficult to sustain.

1. Home and School for the Orphan and Vulnerable Children and mentally Challenged Children.

ST JOSEPH SHELTER OF HOPE "SJSHOPE" plans to put up a home and a school for truly Orphaned Children who lack both parents and have been abandoned by the family members.
"SJSHOPE" wishes to provide these children with the basic human right of getting education,
Currently "SJSHOPE" advocates for family love and care to the Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) by assisting them while living with the family members. This is with a reason of not denying the OVC the right of associating with their family members and other fortunate children. However, SJSHOPE has been facing the challenge of caring for OVC who have no one to care for them.
This forced the organisation to plan to put up a home and a school for the OVC. The school will be meant to be for the mentally challenged children. It was discovered through home visits to the sick by SJSHOPE staff that, most mentally challenged children are not offered an opportunity of going to school by their parent or caretakers. In Taita and Taveta district there are less than five schools which offer classes to the mentally unstable children and the lessons and care offered is sub standard.
SJSHOPE wishes to have a school with qualified teachers for the mentally challenged children who will be residing within the school compound under the leadership of Sisters of ST JOSEPH. The organisation has already secured a piece of land for this project and is looking for willing donors to assist in developing the land.

2. Extending the SJSHOPE health facility

ST JOSEPH SHELTER OF HOPE plans to extend its Health Facility to enable In-patient admission. This will involve putting up patients’ wards and a laundry room. Currently the facility operates as a Health Centre. The plan for Facility extension is as a result of the rising demand of in-patient admission from the community and mostly People Living With HIV and AIDS served by the facility.
SJSHOPE is ready to work with willing donors with the Objective of assisting Orphans and Vulnerable Children, People Living with HIV and the Community at Large.