A Discussion with Irene Kimani, Adolescent Program Coordinator, Lea Toto Program, Kangemi, Kenya
With: Irene Kimani Berkley Center Profile
May 25, 2016
Background: As part of the Education and Social Justice fellowship project, undergraduate student Khaliyah Legette interviewed Irene Kimani, the adolescent program coordinator of Lea Toto program in Kangemi, Kenya. Lea Toto is part of the Nyumbani family of programs providing services to children and families affected by HIV/AIDS in Kenya. In this interview, conducted in May 2016, Kimani discusses her responsibilities in the Lea Toto program and transitioning students out of the program.
What is your name and title?
Irene Kimani, adolescent program coordinator of the Lea Toto Program in Kangemi.
What are your responsibilities in this role?
I coordinate activities in the adolescent program, because they run across the program in the AIDS centers. We have a work plan on what we’re supposed to do in 2016 and 2017, so my work is basically to ensure that whatever is in the work plan is what actually happens, and looking also at the budget, that it also goes with the budget plans.
In what ways does your work help students transition to independence?
We have three areas that we look into. One is to train them on sexual reproductive health and rights. We also do economic empowerment and training, and we also do a lot of life skills training. So basically it’s to give information which will be helpful in their lives, because we see these children are in their second decade of life—10 to 19 years old, and then the young adults usually up to 25 years old—so there’s a lot to learn; they are just discovering themselves. They are HIV positive, so there’s a lot they need to be empowered with, such that will build their self-esteem, they’re self-aware of their condition, they are able to fight for their rights, and they’re able to learn more about businesses, and they’re able to start small businesses. And some of them go to school, so there’s a little bit of support to gain technical skills and a little bit on education. So by the time that child is leaving Lea Toto by 18 years old, they’re well empowered to be able to deal with life outside of Lea Toto, and also to be able to go to an adult comprehensive care clinic and continue with care.
In what ways do you see this department as important and necessary for these children as they transition out of Lea Toto?
First of all, we are empowering them, these young people, to exactly understand themselves, because usually some of the things we train are not taught at home or even at school, especially issues to do with sexual reproductive health. Rarely are they taught at home, because you know most parents shy away from talking about reproductive issues, or issues about sex and all that. And you know that some of these things affect the young people, and whatever they do during their second decade of life can really affect their future. So if they’re given information that will drive them to go through life in a positive way, their future will also be positive because, for example, we are looking into ways to try to reduce early pregnancy, issues of school dropouts. Developing positive life skills that will enable them to be able to handle life in the future. So I think it’s really important for them.
How long has this department been around?
For one year.
What are some of the immediate successes that you see from this department?
We have really seen them grow, and especially in their awareness about their health and clinic attendance. Because previously, you would notice that they’re not coming for their clinic appointments on time; some would even miss a week, two weeks, even a month. And, you know, they really do not understand why we keep on telling them "You have to take your medication." So that was the major thing that we’ve noted, because we’ve also realized that most of the young people are dying of HIV, and they’re getting really sick, so the mortality has been really high, so we have seen that decrease. We’ve also realized that they have very high self-esteem nowadays.
Most of those children—it started as a pilot—so most of the clients who were in the pilot are people that I can call up on anytime to do something for me, and they don’t shy away, they will just come. Some of them have decided to be peer educators, just by choice, just that they would choose to educate the rest. So, that’s a positive thing. They started their own line of communication, and they have a WhatsApp group that they check everyday. They encourage each other: “Please make sure that you don’t miss the next session”; “We would like to facilitate the next session.” I think for us that was very positive. And then we have a big number that has started small businesses. We have others that have written their business plans, so we are looking at them and seeing how they can be supported. And for us, that’s a success. Being a one-year pilot project it has informed us a lot, and when we are rolling out the next part we really see where to put emphasis on.
How would you like to see this grow within the next few years?
We would really like to see young people who are really well-informed, with very high self-esteem, regardless of their social status and their HIV status. I would really love to see a generation that is not stigmatized, that is not discriminated, and a generation that is self-reliant, a generation that will sit down and see what they have within themselves—their talents, their abilities—that they can use for them to be economically stable, rather than: “We need help, we need help.” People who can come up with ideas that will help them in the future. I just want to see a healthy generation—at least reduce new HIV infections. Because this is a very vital group that we have, because for us to reduce new infections of HIV, we have to deal with this group very, very well. So that we inform them, we give them a lot of information on prevention so that they can prevent transmitting the disease to others. And also that in the future they can be able in the future to have their own families, and that they have HIV free children. That is what I would really love to see in the future.
What is the most rewarding part of your job?
I’m always happy when I see the young people happy. That is what really gives me courage to continue. And to see the enthusiasm in them to learn more, them coming up with new ideas. You know, young people are really interesting. They will have an idea, and even if it is midnight, they will just text you: “I think this thing is going to work!” So, I am really happy, and when I see them also doing well health-wise, clinically doing well, I really feel good about it.
Irene Kimani, adolescent program coordinator of the Lea Toto Program in Kangemi.
What are your responsibilities in this role?
I coordinate activities in the adolescent program, because they run across the program in the AIDS centers. We have a work plan on what we’re supposed to do in 2016 and 2017, so my work is basically to ensure that whatever is in the work plan is what actually happens, and looking also at the budget, that it also goes with the budget plans.
In what ways does your work help students transition to independence?
We have three areas that we look into. One is to train them on sexual reproductive health and rights. We also do economic empowerment and training, and we also do a lot of life skills training. So basically it’s to give information which will be helpful in their lives, because we see these children are in their second decade of life—10 to 19 years old, and then the young adults usually up to 25 years old—so there’s a lot to learn; they are just discovering themselves. They are HIV positive, so there’s a lot they need to be empowered with, such that will build their self-esteem, they’re self-aware of their condition, they are able to fight for their rights, and they’re able to learn more about businesses, and they’re able to start small businesses. And some of them go to school, so there’s a little bit of support to gain technical skills and a little bit on education. So by the time that child is leaving Lea Toto by 18 years old, they’re well empowered to be able to deal with life outside of Lea Toto, and also to be able to go to an adult comprehensive care clinic and continue with care.
In what ways do you see this department as important and necessary for these children as they transition out of Lea Toto?
First of all, we are empowering them, these young people, to exactly understand themselves, because usually some of the things we train are not taught at home or even at school, especially issues to do with sexual reproductive health. Rarely are they taught at home, because you know most parents shy away from talking about reproductive issues, or issues about sex and all that. And you know that some of these things affect the young people, and whatever they do during their second decade of life can really affect their future. So if they’re given information that will drive them to go through life in a positive way, their future will also be positive because, for example, we are looking into ways to try to reduce early pregnancy, issues of school dropouts. Developing positive life skills that will enable them to be able to handle life in the future. So I think it’s really important for them.
How long has this department been around?
For one year.
What are some of the immediate successes that you see from this department?
We have really seen them grow, and especially in their awareness about their health and clinic attendance. Because previously, you would notice that they’re not coming for their clinic appointments on time; some would even miss a week, two weeks, even a month. And, you know, they really do not understand why we keep on telling them "You have to take your medication." So that was the major thing that we’ve noted, because we’ve also realized that most of the young people are dying of HIV, and they’re getting really sick, so the mortality has been really high, so we have seen that decrease. We’ve also realized that they have very high self-esteem nowadays.
Most of those children—it started as a pilot—so most of the clients who were in the pilot are people that I can call up on anytime to do something for me, and they don’t shy away, they will just come. Some of them have decided to be peer educators, just by choice, just that they would choose to educate the rest. So, that’s a positive thing. They started their own line of communication, and they have a WhatsApp group that they check everyday. They encourage each other: “Please make sure that you don’t miss the next session”; “We would like to facilitate the next session.” I think for us that was very positive. And then we have a big number that has started small businesses. We have others that have written their business plans, so we are looking at them and seeing how they can be supported. And for us, that’s a success. Being a one-year pilot project it has informed us a lot, and when we are rolling out the next part we really see where to put emphasis on.
How would you like to see this grow within the next few years?
We would really like to see young people who are really well-informed, with very high self-esteem, regardless of their social status and their HIV status. I would really love to see a generation that is not stigmatized, that is not discriminated, and a generation that is self-reliant, a generation that will sit down and see what they have within themselves—their talents, their abilities—that they can use for them to be economically stable, rather than: “We need help, we need help.” People who can come up with ideas that will help them in the future. I just want to see a healthy generation—at least reduce new HIV infections. Because this is a very vital group that we have, because for us to reduce new infections of HIV, we have to deal with this group very, very well. So that we inform them, we give them a lot of information on prevention so that they can prevent transmitting the disease to others. And also that in the future they can be able in the future to have their own families, and that they have HIV free children. That is what I would really love to see in the future.
What is the most rewarding part of your job?
I’m always happy when I see the young people happy. That is what really gives me courage to continue. And to see the enthusiasm in them to learn more, them coming up with new ideas. You know, young people are really interesting. They will have an idea, and even if it is midnight, they will just text you: “I think this thing is going to work!” So, I am really happy, and when I see them also doing well health-wise, clinically doing well, I really feel good about it.
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