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Where does SOTENI International work:
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SOTENI International
Mituntu, Mbakalo, Ugenya, and Kuria, Kenya
“All of us, together.” The traditional Swahili phrase sisi sote, pamoja captures perfectly SOTENI International’s approach to HIV/AIDS prevention in Kenya. By empowering those affected by HIV/AIDS and helping them to become a new generation of leaders in the fight against it, we can bring hope and positive change.
Most of us have heard the African maxim, “It takes a village to raise a child.” At SOTENI, we believe “It takes a village to prevent AIDS,” too.
That’s why we support Villages of Hope. These communities work to prevent and reduce the effects of HIV/AIDS while providing love, guidance, and resources to those affected by it. We began in 2003 and, with your help, created our first SOTENI Village of Hope in Mituntu. Since then, we have expanded with three other Villages in Mbakalo, Ugenya, and Kuria. Each Village determines its priorities for developing and sustaining programs that will lead to the prevention of AIDS.
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Current Projects
The four SOTENI Villages of Hope (SVH) draw on indigenous resources and leadership to break the cycle of disease and poverty by focusing on community development. SOTENI Kenya programs occur through our network of rural Villages. These villages have touched the lives of more than 10,000 AIDS orphans and their families through programs such as access to clean water, improved health services, women’s empowerment training, home-based care for AIDS patients, and community education.
The SOTENI Bridge Program has trained over 37 volunteers to work in rural and urban settings in Kenya. SOTENI’s goal is to enable interns to be AIDS prevention advocates both in Kenya and their home countries. Interns work side-by-side with Kenyans to achieve the goals set by the four Villages and regularly conduct research and complete reports on SOTENI Kenya programs.
SOTENI AIDS Barefoot Doctors (ABDs) provide home based care, support, and disease-prevention messages to persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) and members of their households in SVH-Mituntu, SVH-Mbakalo, and SVH-Ugenya. ABDs receive training in first aid, basic care, household hygiene, community public health, HIV prevention, programmatic reporting, and business practices. In thirteen months, the ABDs made 4,210 home visits, conducted 305 group sessions, and reached 142 PLWHA and 13,454 others.
The SOTENI Speakers Tour, through speeches at academic institutions, community organizations, churches and NGOs, educates, raises awareness and engages diverse audiences to join SOTENI to achieve its vision and mission.
SOTENI Student Clubs work to raise awareness and funds while educating their peers on the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
Partner Needs
We currently are looking for interested interns or volunteers to go to Kenya during the winter or summer of 2012, duration of stay is flexible.
SOTENI offers a wide range of volunteer opportunities for students and professionals. The Cincinnati office requires office volunteers and interns on a regular basis. Interns are also welcome in Kenya, as are professional volunteers with medical backgrounds and/or other experience which helps them to address issues in the developing world.
Financial Needs
Monetary donations to SOTENI International are always welcome to fund our various projects and programs in Kenya.Examples of current financial needs include regular funding for SOTENI's AIDS Barefoot Doctors program, which requires $35,000 each year to function; children in the sponsorship program; and scholarships for interns to work in Kenya. SOTENI is also looking to raise $75,000 to build a dispensary in SVH-Mbakalo, and funding for motorbikes for SOTENI Village of Hope Coordinators.
In Kind Needs
SOTENI welcomes donations of: laptop computers, medical supplies, airline mileage, digital cameras, color copies for SOTENI International, and shipping for donations to Kenya.
Mission Statement
We work to prevent the spread of AIDS by helping vulnerable people build self-sustaining communities. We cultivate local leadership, educate those most at risk, and share resources from around the world.
We use an innovative model for care, prevention, and capacity building called SOTENI Villages of Hope (SVH). Locally elected management committees provide leadership for each SVH.