From left: Jan Peciva, Fenuel Kalulu, Hon Murugi and Ambassador Fuchsova

Mr Frantisek Hejny, the Commercial Counselor at the Czech embassy in Kenya on Friday, 6th February opened the re-constructed Kenya Organisation of People Living with Aids (KOPLWA) Centre in Kibera. The Centre was swept away by heavy rains in November last year.

KOPLWA was founded in 2007 by people living with HIV/Aids. Most of the members are women who were abandoned by their husbands when they got to know they were living with HIV/Aids. Jan Peciva, a lecturer at Strathmore University rallied friends in Czech Republic who donated 1000 Euros to re-construct the Centre.

The project drew a lot of attention at the ‘NGOs and Development Projects Exhibition’ held at Alliance Française on Wednesday, 4th February. The exhibition was held was attended by the Czech Ambassador to Kenya Her Excellency Margita Fuchsova; and Kenya’s minister for Gender, Children and Social Development, Hon Esther Murugi.

KOPLWA has 72 adults and 70 children less than 10 years of age. 21 of the children are living with HIV/Aids. Since the children are stigmatized in school, members have started a special school for them.

At the centre, members hold gatherings for group therapy, self-help and motivation. These have been very useful in helping them solve problems. Families of members live off the clothes, drawings, and artifacts members make during the gatherings at the centre.

“The Centre has many needs. 20 of the members live in the 10x14 feet centre. It needs a latrine, paint, textbooks for the children, salary for teachers, and professional counseling for the adults,” said Mr Patrick Lumumba, the leader of KOPLWA.