The Organic Health Response for Mfangano Island, Kenya

why it's important:

Our program is called the Organic Health Response (OHR). OHR represents a vision cultivated by a group of organic farmers, health workers, and teachers from Mfangano Island and my team of international medical and graduate students. Together we have committed ourselves to addressing the devastating impact of HIV/AIDS among the remote island communities of Lake Victoria in Western Kenya. OHR has been developed through a unique collaborative system. Our programs are designed and implemented by Mfangano residents working in small teams with student volunteers from around the world, and supported by IT industries, international “Green” movements, and global health partners. OHR seeks to put power into the hands of local people. Rather than requiring rural communities to develop according to agendas set by international organizations, OHR strives to equip Kenyans on Lake Victoria with cutting-edge resources to grow a locally-directed future. As an inspired cooperative of grass-roots activists, we are working together to plant seeds of hope and cultivate local visions of wellbeing.

OHR is based out of a special Voluntary HIV Counseling and Testing (VCT) facility called The Ekialo Kiona Center("ekialo kiona" means "worldwide" in local Suba Language.) This solar-powered resource center will feature:

-Confidential Voluntary Counseling and Testing rooms for individuals, couples, and groups.
-Solar-powered computer lab and training facility with wireless internet access.
-Library and study room with local and international literature, textbooks, newspapers, etc.
-Large outdoor meeting hall for support groups, training workshops, awareness events, etc.
-Youth Friendly Activities (pool tables, video showings, indoor games, etc)

Through the Ekialo Kiona Center, we are pioneering a series of initiatives to empower these rural villages to respond “organically”—as unified communities—to the overwhelming socio-economic, epidemiological, and ecological challenges they face. This center will:

1) Encourage residents to know their HIV status by facilitating access to high-speed information technology as cover and incentive for participation in a unique “post-test club.”

2) This center will coordinate a series of health initiatives to provide nutritional and psycho-social support for people living with HIV/AIDS.

3) Facilitate computer and internet literacy programs focused on local health issues and introducing ecological sustainability ideas.

the plan of action:

Phase I: (July 2007) Introduction to Mfangano:
In July 2007, I visited Mfangano for the first time, and spent two weeks iving and working with some of the first organic farmers in Kenya, Joel Oguta and Richard Magarenge. I had spent the previous 6 months working in the Community Mobilization department for an HIV/AIDS organization called AMPATH in Western Kenya. I was overwhelmed by the HIV/AIDS situation on Mfangano Island and promised Joel and Richard that I would start thinking of ways that I could help.

Phase II: (December 2007) Needs Assessment:
The following December, over my winter holiday at Oxford I returned to Mfangano to conduct an informal health needs assessment in Suba District. I gathered ideas and concerns from numerous government and community leaders, health workers, women’s groups, students, farmers, and fisherman on Mfangano. The Organic Health Response model grew from recognition of the need for HIV counseling and testing services, the need for comprehensive support services for people living with HIV/AIDS, keen local enthusiasm for access to computers and the internet, and and opportunities to use my friends organic agriculture expertise to provide nutritional support for people undergoing anti-retroviral treatment.

Phase II: (July-September 2008) Securing Local Collaboration:
In July 2008, I returned to Mfangano, along with my younger brother Marco Salmen, to formally introduce a plan to Ministry of Health and local government officials, gather more community input and concerns, and secure partnerships with organizations in Suba District. We were able to successfully form a coalition of partners including the Suba District Ministry of Health (MoH), the International Medical Corps (IMC), a UCSF program called Family AIDS Care and Education Services (FACES), and several local community based organizations on Mfangano. We are now in the process of forming a local board of trustees and an island steering committe comprised of representatives from each of the villages on Mfangano to ensure that OHR is a locally owned and managed program.

how you can get involved:

Phase IV: (Fall-Winter 2008) Funding Procurement and Management Infrastructure:
We are currently pursing funding opportunities to cover initial costs for construction of The Ekialo Kiona Center. I will return in December to assist our local team in establishing local management infrastructure. Local Program Directors will be teamed up with our international volunteers, Steering Committee representatives will be elected by the 6 villages of Mfangano East Sub-Location, and Local Trustees will be elected to direct long-term vision.

Phase V: (Spring-Fall 2009) Construction of The Ekialo Kiona Center and Program Design:
In the Spring of 2009, OHR-Mfangano will start designing initiatives under each of our three Organic Health Response “branches.” 1) Organic Technology: OHR-Mfangano will conduct a ferro-cement training program for local carpenters. Upon completion of training, these carpenters will be hired to commence the construction on The Ekialo Kiona Center from this cost-effective and ecologically friendly building material. 2) Organic Nutrition: Local Program Directors, Richard Magarenge and Joel Oguta will identify available farm plots and establish organic food support infrastructure for Kitawi and Kitenyi beaches. 3) Organic Solidarity: OHR will work closely with FACES and IMC to conduct a needs assessment to develop support group program for HIV/AIDS treatment management on Mfangano.

Phase VI: (Dec 1st, 2009): Kick-Off Event and Pilot Phase Implementation:
The Ekialo Kiona Center will open doors for internet classes and HIV testing services on World AIDS Day, Dec 1st 2009, with a large awareness campaign and kick-off event. We will also begin enrolling residents in health and nutrition workshops to set up a network of support groups for people living with HIV/AIDS. We intend to conduct a several pilot study to evaluate our model in encouraging regular use of VCT services among residents and young people. We hope to explore opportunities to extend programs for nearby island communities along Lake Victoria and share experiences with like-minded organizations throughout Sub-Saharan Africa.