The USAID 4TheChild project which has improved uptake of evidence based HIV prevention interventions by adolescent girls and young Women (AGYW) through community facility linkages, peer led approaches and strengthened referral systems as officially closed shop.
The Project which has been helping vulnerable children, adolescents and men infected with HIV wounds up its operations after a five year stint in Kenya.
The project funded by United States Department of State has been operating in in the five Counties of Western Kenya including Bungoma, Kakamega, Busia, Kisumu and Siaya.
The Chief of Party for USAID 4TheChild Project George Okoth stated that they achieved a lot since the project started in March 2021 and they are saddened as it winds up its operations in the mentioned Counties.
“We are happy that the collaboration with other stakeholders as helped us implement the project which has seen a number of beneficiaries increase since we started and up to now as we close,” said Okoth.
The meeting which brought together officials from NGAO, the departments of health, state department of children, media practitioners, education stakeholders and those from agriculture hailed the project as a success and which has seen beneficiaries change their lives through funds which have helped them engage in businesses.
Mr.Steven Orinde, the Busia County Commissioner hailed the project as a milestone which has kept children in school.amd helped women engage in life skill businesses to prolong their lives.
“We are happy and sad at the same time because the beneficiaries need more partners like them.for survival, winding up their operations is a sad thing for us,” he said.
USAID 4TheChild was a five year project implemented by Moi University College of Health Sciences as the Prime in Consortium with local partners with support from 18 sub recipients contracted over the implementation period.
The project was implemented and targeted adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in Kisumu County and Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) and their families in Bungoma, Busia, Kakamega, Kisumu and Says Counties.
During the period 24,485 adolescent girls and young women received education subsidies, 17,438 OVCs received scholastic materials while 10,285 received school fees and 6,337 received bursaries.
On the viral load suppression, 94 percent were reached in Kakamega, 95 percent in Kisumu and 91 percent in Busia.
The enrollment gaps dropped from 27 percent to 4 percent and 17,569 CALHIV were successfully transitioned to Clinical partners.
On business grants and productive assets, 3,934 households (Supporting 8,578 OVC received productive business assets including tailoring machines, hairdressing kits, and equipment for fast-food kiosks.
8,205 caregivers and households benefiting 20,771 orphans and vulnerable children with business grants ranging from Sh5,000 to Sh200,000.
The project has also been strengthening child protection through policy, it supported the development, finalization and launch of three county children’s policies in Bungoma, Busia and Kakamega, it co-supported the Kakamega County sexual and Gender based violence control and management act 2024 to enhance SGBV prevention response.
Increase access to and demand for quality HIV prevention services for adolescent girls and young Women in Kisumu County.
The project improved uptake of evidence based HIV prevention interventions by A GYM through community facility linkages, peer led approaches and strengthened referral systems.
Increased access to quality health and social services for orphans and vulnerable children and their families in Kisumu, Kakamega, Busia, Bungoma and Siaya Counties.
The project supported county governments and community structures to deliver coordinated, family centred services addressing HIV, child protection, education, nutrition and economic strengthening needs of OVC households.
