We received another email today from a woman who does work with a Kenyan NGO called HSHC doing HIV/AIDS work in Nairobi. Unfortunately, we are not in a position to donate bicycles to HSHC right now, but perhaps one of our supporters would like to make this happen.
Please take a look at her email and consider sponsoring the purchase of bicycles for their NGO. If you'd like to sponsor them, please contact me and I will make arrangements for bicycles to be delivered to HSHC through our shop in Kisumu.
Dear Worldbike,
Kudos on the fantastic work you have been doing in Kenya! I was elated to find out about your organization and your projects providing bicycles as a means of poverty alleviation. For the last ten years, I have been working across East Africa on a number of HIV and Human Rights related projects.
During the past year and some months, my organization, Just Cause, Inc., has had the opportunity to develop a working partnership with Help Self Help Centre (HSHC) headquartered in Nairobi (Westlands), in working toward health and human rights related projects. Through this work, I have fostered meaningful alliances with HSHC’s HIV/AIDS programme officers, and the Executive Director, Mr. Bernard Muchiri.
As I have personally visited HSHC project sites to see their work, I am able to testify firsthand to the impact this organization is having in people’s lives, both in the urban and rural districts of Kenya. HSHC’s holistic approach to programming seeks to provide for the psychosocial needs of its program recipients, encompassing economic independence to physical and emotional well being.I believe that the Holistic Orphans Support Program working within the rural and urban communities of the Keini and Ruiru districts,is a perfect fit for the work XAccess is doing, and could benefit greatly from bicycle ownership. This program serves to target vulnerable populations of women, orphans, and children. As the social and political infrastructures of these districts continue to be mitigated by the ravaging effects of HIV/AIDS, the vulnerability of these groups is increased exponentially. Due to this factor, HSHC not only mainstreams HIV/AIDS psychosocial assessments into its poverty alleviation strategies, but also further employs a rights-based approach when formulating interventions. This is a vital strategy, especially where interventions for these populations are intersected with issues of property rights.
Through the Holistic Orphans Support Program (HOSP), HSHC focuses on the psychosocial needs and rights of these groups vulnerable to HIV/AIDS, and how they are being safeguarded and addressed. Communities at large within the Keini and Ruiru districts have benefited from the implementation of the HOSP’s income generating projects, advanced vocational and agricultural training, HIV/AIDS education, and psychosocial support from trained individuals. As the number of female and orphan headed households continues to increase (especially households headed by female children), HSHC realizes that appropriate interventions and needs continue to progress, as well. HSHC looks ahead at options in planning for the future, so that effectiveness of the HOSP and others will not be compromised.
If provided bicycles, HSHC will be able to foster mobility of trade for farmers and craftsmen, as well as the youth, to their prospective places of business and education. Bicycles are able to further serve as a mode of transport for produce and other goods to local market centers.
I wholeheartedly request your consideration of this prospective alliance, and look forward to your reply.
Warm Regards and Blessings in Your Work,
Ms. Lorrie King
