…and disease prevention are major priorities for us to provide for the students, the women’s group and community members. Teaching them how they can help themselves with better hygiene, clean water, and disease prevention (especially HIV/AIDS) is key to long term success. Poverty often contributes to illness and families struggle to have enough food and clean water. We provide many with toiletries, shoes, clothes, and help them get access to clean water and food.
Makutano and the surrounding area experience a high incidence of HIV/Aids. A number of our students are orphans because of the disease, and others have the virus because of spread in the family. In nearby Eldoret, there is an organization started by Indiana University doctors in partnership with Moi University that specializes in serving people battling HIV/Aids. We often provide transportation for the monthly hour drive to Eldoret for checkups and medicine.
Our schools have wells that are deep and will provide clean water for many years. Because of poor living conditions, our children often return to school after breaks with a variety of health issues including parasites and typhoid. We are thankful to be able to treat them and provide clean water from our deep wells that will be serviceable for many years.
Providing shoes and health care has seriously diminished the presence of jiggers (not to be confused with chiggers) and other parasites. Although we still have challenges, we are seeing more of our children living with good health.