I am Philip Otieno, an assistant chief in the local administration of North Gem for Maliera sub-location. Our role, as administrators, extends to addressing the social and economic areas of development within the jurisdictions we are assigned. We work closely with many stakeholders in the community to advance the well-being of the community.
I have very high regard for North Gem Community Development Program because it has had a very strong impact on the community. I am particularly encouraged by the strong support that has been provided to the children and families of people living with HIV/AIDS in the community. Through their efforts, we are witnessing higher school-retention rates within the community as we see education support extended to orphans and their guardians as well as through simple initiatives such as providing girls with sanitary wear. In due course, this will translate into better educational outcomes and improved socio-economic benefits to the community. Through their lobby and advocacy efforts, more funds have been allocated through initiatives such as the local CDF (constituency development funds) to provide bursaries to children with the greatest need. In 2013, 54 students in the community were supported through this initiative and the Program also provided additional domestic support through the provision of beddings and bed nets as well as food parcels.
The drive to fight the scourge of HIV/AIDS is also seeing positive results within the community and we can see that the efforts of the Program towards an HIV/AIDS-free society are slowly being realized. The community is becoming more aware for the need to be tested. Indeed, this awareness campaign driven by the Program has seen testing rates go up more than five-fold in the last two years. Today, as the local administration, we are partnering with the Program to bring community campaigns against HIV/AIDS to the people through our local Baraza’s (town-hall meetings). This awareness drive is also being witnessed in the local schools where behavior change and attitudes towards hygiene, sexual and reproductive health are bringing about a positive impact towards reducing HIV/AIDS prevalence rates in the community.
The Program has penetrated even the remote rural areas and has a much wider reach than has been seen here in the past and goes just beyond the six sub locations of North Gem to Wagai North. All these issues, coupled with the wider acceptance for HIV testing and the reduced stigmatization of people living with HIV/AIDS is bearing positive results on the community. As a community leader, I consider this Program to be a model initiative whose successes must be continually built upon. I look forward to many more years of cooperation with North Gem Community Development Program.