TOTAL WAR ON AIDS (TOWA) 2010-2012
The project provided correct and accurate information on HIV and AIDS to the residents of Nairobi East District, who were otherwise unable to access Health Education to make informed decisions about their lives.
The project aimed at facilitating prevention and management of HIV and AIDS and its implications on the socio-economic domains of the residents of Nairobi East District. The goal was to reduce the stigma and discrimination on HIV and AIDS in Nairobi East District and to continuously establish the linkages and networks with the government and other partners that focus on HIV and AIDS prevention and Management.
In quest to make sure that HIV and AIDS and its implications are significantly prevented and managed among the residents of Nairobi East District U-Tena:
This project was delivered through Magnet theatre, theatre for development, Community festivals. Mobile VCTs, Door to door counseling among others.
Magnet Theatre: This is a kind of performing theatre which is done within the community. U-Tena performed a skit about HIV and AIDS. The skit talked about stigma, discrimination, Rape, Education, Abortion, positive living on HIV and AIDS, Trusted partnership, Importance of VCT, PMTC, ARVs, Condom use and TB prevention. The skits were paused at a certain point so members of the community could discuss. In some cases the audience were allowed to advice a certain character as they advise themselves in the same issue. Because the skit depicts the happenings in the community, audiences brings HIV and AIDS challenges in families’ and with the help of the facilitator and fellow audience, possible solutions are discussed.
Theatre for development: Theatre for development is the same as magnet theatre but, there is no pausing of the skit.
Community festivals: Talent exploitation festivals were used to bring youth of Nairobi East District together. This formed a platform of disseminating HIV and AIDS information to those who turned up. Teaching on safer condom use was one of the core components of the day’s activities.
Mobile VCT: Mobile VCTS were erected in the slums of Nairobi East (Mukuru) and the general population including couples were mobilized, tested and reactive clients referred.
The project provided correct and accurate information on HIV and AIDS to the residents of Nairobi East District, who were otherwise unable to access Health Education to make informed decisions about their lives.
The project aimed at facilitating prevention and management of HIV and AIDS and its implications on the socio-economic domains of the residents of Nairobi East District. The goal was to reduce the stigma and discrimination on HIV and AIDS in Nairobi East District and to continuously establish the linkages and networks with the government and other partners that focus on HIV and AIDS prevention and Management.
In quest to make sure that HIV and AIDS and its implications are significantly prevented and managed among the residents of Nairobi East District U-Tena:
- Increased number of youth and couples seeking to know their HIV statuses through the Voluntary Counseling and Centers
- Increased number of people engaging in safer sex practices such condom use.
- Reduced number of sexual partners among the residents of Nairobi East District.
- Increased levels of care to orphaned children and the People Living with HIV and AIDS within Nairobi East District.
- Increased proportion of youth with skills to delay sexual debut and engage in safer sexual practices and avoid risky behavior.
- Increased number of testimonies of the people living with HIV and AIDS.
- Increased levels of care for the people living with HIV and AIDS.
- Increased the number of active partnerships and collaboration with other groups and organizations for the benefit of HIV transmission prevention activities.
- Increased awareness of the community and other partners about the work of UTENA as a group.
- Increased referrals facilitated by U-Tena.
- Increased level of donor confidence and support to UTENA and increased levels of donations to the organization.
This project was delivered through Magnet theatre, theatre for development, Community festivals. Mobile VCTs, Door to door counseling among others.
Magnet Theatre: This is a kind of performing theatre which is done within the community. U-Tena performed a skit about HIV and AIDS. The skit talked about stigma, discrimination, Rape, Education, Abortion, positive living on HIV and AIDS, Trusted partnership, Importance of VCT, PMTC, ARVs, Condom use and TB prevention. The skits were paused at a certain point so members of the community could discuss. In some cases the audience were allowed to advice a certain character as they advise themselves in the same issue. Because the skit depicts the happenings in the community, audiences brings HIV and AIDS challenges in families’ and with the help of the facilitator and fellow audience, possible solutions are discussed.
Theatre for development: Theatre for development is the same as magnet theatre but, there is no pausing of the skit.
Community festivals: Talent exploitation festivals were used to bring youth of Nairobi East District together. This formed a platform of disseminating HIV and AIDS information to those who turned up. Teaching on safer condom use was one of the core components of the day’s activities.
Mobile VCT: Mobile VCTS were erected in the slums of Nairobi East (Mukuru) and the general population including couples were mobilized, tested and reactive clients referred.
CIVIC EDUCATION: 2011-2014
Moving from Awareness to Meaningful Civic Engagement
Since 2011, U-Tena Youth Organization, Centre for the Study of Adolescence (CSA) and Ecumenical Centre for Peace and Justice (ECJP) have employed a triangular approach in implementing this governance project. The project was focused on promoting effective realization of human rights among marginalized urban poor people in select informal settlements in Nairobi. These organization entered into a consortium that increased the realization of human rights as expressed in the 2010 constitution of Kenya through various approaches.
The project addressed the identified problems through these objectives;
Interventions undertaken by Implementing Partners and Community
The results from the implementation period of 2013 include; enhanced capacity of 60 community members on constituting and management of resident committees and on developing and implementing strategic advocacy on ECSR violations. The committees were also facilitated to conduct 5 community advocacy forums and 3 feedback meetings to sensitize as well as take stock of progress and identify further action which reached out indirectly to approximately 4000 community members. The group also developed a tool for monitoring the constitutional implementation progress.
The resident committees worked collaboratively with other community members to identify 3 referral points for reporting ECSR violations at the community. They also developed 3 petition papers which were served to the relevant constitutional implementation bodies. The implementing partners held 3 linkages meetings comprising of officials from IPOA, CRA, Ombudsman, Gender Commission and KNCHR during which the petitions were served. There were also other platforms used for providing citizen oversight over government such as Facebook pages for the 4 resident committees reaching out to approximately 600 community members and 2 radio programs with Ghetto radio services which reached out indirectly to approximately 6000 community members and other members of the public. Information education materials were also reproduced in the quarter, including copies of the Kenyan Constitution and various Acts of Parliament such as the Kenya National Human Rights Commission, The Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission, The Administrative and Justice and The Independent Policing Oversight Authority. These are estimated to have reached out to approximately 600 households.
Moving from Awareness to Meaningful Civic Engagement
Since 2011, U-Tena Youth Organization, Centre for the Study of Adolescence (CSA) and Ecumenical Centre for Peace and Justice (ECJP) have employed a triangular approach in implementing this governance project. The project was focused on promoting effective realization of human rights among marginalized urban poor people in select informal settlements in Nairobi. These organization entered into a consortium that increased the realization of human rights as expressed in the 2010 constitution of Kenya through various approaches.
The project addressed the identified problems through these objectives;
- To enhance citizen awareness on the rights and responsibilities of marginalized groups such as women, persons with disabilities and youths as envisaged in the constitution.
Interventions undertaken by Implementing Partners and Community
The results from the implementation period of 2013 include; enhanced capacity of 60 community members on constituting and management of resident committees and on developing and implementing strategic advocacy on ECSR violations. The committees were also facilitated to conduct 5 community advocacy forums and 3 feedback meetings to sensitize as well as take stock of progress and identify further action which reached out indirectly to approximately 4000 community members. The group also developed a tool for monitoring the constitutional implementation progress.
The resident committees worked collaboratively with other community members to identify 3 referral points for reporting ECSR violations at the community. They also developed 3 petition papers which were served to the relevant constitutional implementation bodies. The implementing partners held 3 linkages meetings comprising of officials from IPOA, CRA, Ombudsman, Gender Commission and KNCHR during which the petitions were served. There were also other platforms used for providing citizen oversight over government such as Facebook pages for the 4 resident committees reaching out to approximately 600 community members and 2 radio programs with Ghetto radio services which reached out indirectly to approximately 6000 community members and other members of the public. Information education materials were also reproduced in the quarter, including copies of the Kenyan Constitution and various Acts of Parliament such as the Kenya National Human Rights Commission, The Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission, The Administrative and Justice and The Independent Policing Oversight Authority. These are estimated to have reached out to approximately 600 households.
HEALTHY CHOICES 2013-2015
Health choices 11 is a project implemented by U-Tena in partnership with Population service International Kenya to ensure that youth between the ages of 13-17 get to understand the important of making healthy choices. Population Service International trained U-Tena staff on facilitation skills with the aim of implementing this project in Embakasi and Makadara Districts in Nairobi Kenya.
Methodology
16 participants were recruited and they attended 4 sessions once every week for a month. Within this month, the team of facilitators covered eighty module as per the design of the manual requirements. In health choices the following topics were covered:
- Steps to making your dreams come true
- Knowing your body and you
- All you want to know about HIV
- All you want to know about pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections
- Skill building for safer sex practices
- Developing condom use skills
- Introduction to negotiation and refusal skills
Sessions-800
- Male 13-14: 358
- Male 15-17: 1190
- Female 13-14: 452
- Female 15-17: 1198
IMPROVING LEARNING OUTCOMES AND TRANSITION TO SECONDARY SCHOOL THROUGH COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION AND AFTER SCHOOL SUPPORT AMONG DISADVANTAGED GIRLS- 2013-2015
Research evidence from APHRC shows that in 2009/2010 the transition rate to secondary school for pupils residing in the urban slums of Nairobi was 58.6%, compared to 87.5% for pupils in the non-slums. In the slum areas 24.5% of girls aged 12-19 are out of school compared to 18.8% of boys in the same age group who were not attending school in 2010.
The goal of this project was to improve learning outcomes and enhance secondary school participation of disadvantaged girls in urban informal settlements. The objectives of the project were, to increase instructional time and opportunity to learn; increase awareness about challenges and support to girls’ education by parents and community leaders; decrease cost related barriers on girls’ transition to and continuation in secondary education; generate evidence on whether and how the proposed model works and to influence policy on marginalized girls’ education.
The project was commenced with baseline survey on which beneficiaries were recruited and then mid line survey and end line survey were done before the end of the project. Designing the intervention and selecting beneficiary and control groups was done through quasi-experimental approach. The project targets a total 494 girls in Viwandani: 124 are in treatment one, 139 are in control and 231 in treatment two.
This three year project was implemented in Viwandani by U-Tena Youth Organization in Partnership with The African Population and Health Research Center. Intervention commenced in early June, 2013 and ran up to 2015. The project targeted girls who resided in Viwandani ages 12 to 19 years in standard 6, 7 and 8. These girls were offered after school support in Literacy, Numeracy and Life skills mentorship by volunteer big girls who managed to maneuver the challenges of the slum of Viwandani and scored a University entrance form four grade. Selected parents were offered parental support (mentorship/counseling) in order to boost their investment in girl child education. Selected girls that attained a minimum of 250 marks in their Kenya National Examination were assisted with overheads that saw them transit into secondary school. This is an interventional study that generated policy information at the end of the 3rd year.
U-Tena implemented 93 Literacy session, 93 Literacy sessions and 36 Life Skills sessions, 14 parental counseling sessions and several community meetings. Up to 73% of the pupils in the projected were supported with $100 each to transit from primary to secondary school.
Meet Alumnus of U-Tena's Education project here
IMPROVING LEARNING OUTCOMES AND TRANSITION TO SECONDARY SCHOOL THROUGH COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION AND AFTER SCHOOL SUPPORT AMONG DISADVANTAGED GIRLS- 2013-2015
Research evidence from APHRC shows that in 2009/2010 the transition rate to secondary school for pupils residing in the urban slums of Nairobi was 58.6%, compared to 87.5% for pupils in the non-slums. In the slum areas 24.5% of girls aged 12-19 are out of school compared to 18.8% of boys in the same age group who were not attending school in 2010.
The goal of this project was to improve learning outcomes and enhance secondary school participation of disadvantaged girls in urban informal settlements. The objectives of the project were, to increase instructional time and opportunity to learn; increase awareness about challenges and support to girls’ education by parents and community leaders; decrease cost related barriers on girls’ transition to and continuation in secondary education; generate evidence on whether and how the proposed model works and to influence policy on marginalized girls’ education.
The project was commenced with baseline survey on which beneficiaries were recruited and then mid line survey and end line survey were done before the end of the project. Designing the intervention and selecting beneficiary and control groups was done through quasi-experimental approach. The project targets a total 494 girls in Viwandani: 124 are in treatment one, 139 are in control and 231 in treatment two.
This three year project was implemented in Viwandani by U-Tena Youth Organization in Partnership with The African Population and Health Research Center. Intervention commenced in early June, 2013 and ran up to 2015. The project targeted girls who resided in Viwandani ages 12 to 19 years in standard 6, 7 and 8. These girls were offered after school support in Literacy, Numeracy and Life skills mentorship by volunteer big girls who managed to maneuver the challenges of the slum of Viwandani and scored a University entrance form four grade. Selected parents were offered parental support (mentorship/counseling) in order to boost their investment in girl child education. Selected girls that attained a minimum of 250 marks in their Kenya National Examination were assisted with overheads that saw them transit into secondary school. This is an interventional study that generated policy information at the end of the 3rd year.
U-Tena implemented 93 Literacy session, 93 Literacy sessions and 36 Life Skills sessions, 14 parental counseling sessions and several community meetings. Up to 73% of the pupils in the projected were supported with $100 each to transit from primary to secondary school.
Meet Alumnus of U-Tena's Education project here
MTAANI INITIATIVE- 2012-2013
Mtaani initiative is a one year project that had an overall goal of creating and sustaining sound entrepreneurship opportunities to at least 400 youths in Viwandani Location in Nairobi County. This project was funded by Kenya Community Development Foundation and U-Tena youth organization was the principle implementer. This project commenced on October 2012 and culminated on November, 2013. Despite the fact that this project ran for one year, activities of this project will proceed beyond the said period once the sustainability plan is effectuated through linking youth groups to entrepreneurial institutions that will continue enriching them on the entrepreneur fronts. Mtaani initiative project had the following expected outcomes.
MTAANI INITIATIVE- 2012-2013
Mtaani initiative is a one year project that had an overall goal of creating and sustaining sound entrepreneurship opportunities to at least 400 youths in Viwandani Location in Nairobi County. This project was funded by Kenya Community Development Foundation and U-Tena youth organization was the principle implementer. This project commenced on October 2012 and culminated on November, 2013. Despite the fact that this project ran for one year, activities of this project will proceed beyond the said period once the sustainability plan is effectuated through linking youth groups to entrepreneurial institutions that will continue enriching them on the entrepreneur fronts. Mtaani initiative project had the following expected outcomes.
- Sustainable income generating opportunities created for 20 youth groups in Viwandani
- Sustained communication between 20 youth groups, private and public entrepreneurship opportunities in Viwandani
- 20 youth groups in Viwandani fulfilling legal obligations and linked to business opportunities
- Competent U-Tena Staff on Board management, financial policy, fund raising, monitoring, evaluation, strategic planning and auditing
HEALTH AWARENESS AND TREATMENT LINKAGES THROUGH THEATER: 2006-2018
Members of U-Tena youth organization went for community outreaches in the heart of the slums of Mukuru. Members rehearsed humorous skits and dances that encompass different health or any other contemporary themes. These skits and dances were staged in the community in the form of theater for development of Magnet Theater.
Magnet Theatre: This is a kind of performing theatre which is done within the community. U-Tena performs skits with various themes on family and behavioural issues. The skit is normally paused at a certain point for members of the community to be provoked. A facilitator comes in and helps the audience discover that the skit was not made for entertainment alone but also for education. In some cases the audience are allowed to advice a certain character as they advise themselves in the same issue. Because the skit depicts the happenings in the community, audiences bring family problems and with the help of the facilitator and fellow audience, possible solutions are discussed. Later the skit is preceded.
Theatre for development: theatre for development is the same as magnet theatre but, there is no pausing of the skit. Many abused cases of women and children go unreported .They are directly or indirectly revealed during the facilitated discussion, later, possible solutions are discussed.
For a number of Years U-Tena partnered with APHIA II Nairobi and APHIA Plus through Population Service Kenya to sensitize community members of Mukuru, Kyangombe and Kuwinda slums on various topics of HIV. Some of the highlighted topics were, need of voluntary HIV Counselling and Testing, Condom use, trusted partner, paediatrics and prevention of mother to child transmission, opportunistic infections among others.
U-Tena reached more than 360,000 individuals using theatre in the said communities.
NON COMMUNICABLE DISEASES AMONG THE YOUTHS (NCDS): 2016-2017
This was premised under the fact that U-Tena has a strong background in community mobilization and mentorship using performing arts. In this case performing arts doubled as physical activity and a strong tool for mobilizing and community outreaches to sensitize the youth to avoid risky behaviors associated with non-communicable diseases. U-Tena organized sports tournaments to bring together the youth groups within Viwandani to unite and develop the community and embrace healthy lifestyle. The sports tournaments were used as forums to discuss pertinent issues facing youths including drug and alcohol abuse, unemployment and subsequent mental problems U-Tena used these tournaments and focused on creating awareness on NCDs in Viwandani and beyond. This also included joining with other stakeholders to move the agenda on NCDs and advocated for budgetary allocation for surveillance and screening for NCDs, and treatment of the ones that have already acquired them at early stages to minimize complications arising from late diagnosis. More than 2000 youths were reached through performing art and sports in Mukuru.
HEALTH ACTION: 2011-2012
U-Tena Youth Organization), in partnership with Education Centre for Women in Democracy (ECWD and Centre for the study of adolescents (CSA), was tasked with implementing a sub-grant of the Healthy Action Project, an East African advocacy initiative supported through funding from the European Union. The project supported Civil Society actors to become stronger and more effective participants in civic processes that target pro-poor health policies, through contributing to policy formulation, monitoring policy implementation, and engaging with decision-makers. The project also aimed at increasing the advocacy and resource mobilization capacities of Non-State Actors to enable them to engage with the local and national government.
We received funding from EU through DSW (Deutsche Stiftung Weltbevoelkerung) and the Institute for Education and Democracy (IED). ECWD and her partners benefited from 10,000 Euros for quartrely project within 8-months.Each partner co funded the project at the rate of 10%.
U-Tena held four advocacy outreach events in different parts of Dagoretti in April. Performers of the advocacy skits who participated in the health action community festival attended the community outreach events hosted by U-Tena, in order to further their learning and to cement their skills in advocacy through theatre. The main aim of the outreach was to provide factual information on reproductive health and family planning. Outreach events helped to provide factual information on reproductive health and family planning.
During the discussion community members said, they are willing to utilize government health services. However, there is still a challenge of under –equipped health centers with few health providers .Therefore they are unable to serve the large population of Dagoretti District. In fact one woman said that if you go to the government health centers a patient is only provided with a consultation and is required to buy drugs at specific times.
The events also helped to encourage community members to demand higher quality health care by lobbying for increased budget targeting devolved funding. This project reached over 3438 people.
HEALTH ACTION: 2011-2012
U-Tena Youth Organization), in partnership with Education Centre for Women in Democracy (ECWD and Centre for the study of adolescents (CSA), was tasked with implementing a sub-grant of the Healthy Action Project, an East African advocacy initiative supported through funding from the European Union. The project supported Civil Society actors to become stronger and more effective participants in civic processes that target pro-poor health policies, through contributing to policy formulation, monitoring policy implementation, and engaging with decision-makers. The project also aimed at increasing the advocacy and resource mobilization capacities of Non-State Actors to enable them to engage with the local and national government.
We received funding from EU through DSW (Deutsche Stiftung Weltbevoelkerung) and the Institute for Education and Democracy (IED). ECWD and her partners benefited from 10,000 Euros for quartrely project within 8-months.Each partner co funded the project at the rate of 10%.
U-Tena held four advocacy outreach events in different parts of Dagoretti in April. Performers of the advocacy skits who participated in the health action community festival attended the community outreach events hosted by U-Tena, in order to further their learning and to cement their skills in advocacy through theatre. The main aim of the outreach was to provide factual information on reproductive health and family planning. Outreach events helped to provide factual information on reproductive health and family planning.
During the discussion community members said, they are willing to utilize government health services. However, there is still a challenge of under –equipped health centers with few health providers .Therefore they are unable to serve the large population of Dagoretti District. In fact one woman said that if you go to the government health centers a patient is only provided with a consultation and is required to buy drugs at specific times.
The events also helped to encourage community members to demand higher quality health care by lobbying for increased budget targeting devolved funding. This project reached over 3438 people.
BEHAVIOUR CHANGE COMMUNICATION: 2007-2012
Through drama, U-Tena partnered with different organizations in doing some programs in sensitizing and creating awareness to the community on various issues depending with the partners’ expectations and objectives.
Throughout the year of 2012 we implemented a B.C.C program with APHIA PLUS using theatre as a tool of passing information to the community. This was done through a tool of magnet theatre where a skit is performed after mobilization and frozen at a point to involve the audience. The audience is involved through hot sitting and by triggering a discussion aimed at counter arguing the myths within the community. These outreaches were mainly done in health center and community spaces. Referrals were made to the community members to access health services in the community health facilities; VCT, Sexually transmitted infection clinics and others.
APHIA Plus also partnered with U-Tena in offering youth friendly services in Ruben Medical Clinic. APHIA PLUS has also partnered with the U-Tena male C.B.O under the same program. The partnership targeted men aged between 15-24 years old and aim at increasing the uptake of quality health services and increase the adoption of healthy behavior to enable community lead healthier lives. The unique tool used to pass this information to the men is education through listening (E.T.L). U-Tena members also worked with APHIA Plus under the OVC Program in educating kids on reproductive health and hygiene through facilitated discussions and drama to the kids every holiday which was done thrice this year; April holiday, August and December Holiday. These activities resulted into an increased number of the people reached and educated on health domains and enormous referrals for health and counseling services.
WATER LOO PROJECT- 2012
Jhpiego supported U-Tena to carry out 18 months sanitation awareness in the three schools of Viwandani. These schools were Jobenipha Community Primary School, Little Bells Community School and Star of Hope Primary School.
This was done through theater where sanitation related topics were highlighted and a focus group discussion carried out on the same.
Other activities were:
- Sanitation community Murals
- Community clean ups
- Stakeholder meetings
- Community forums;
- Sanitation awareness through theater
TUPANGE: 2013-2015
Zindua Jamii Youth group, a youth group working under U-Tena, implemented programs within Embakasi district on family planning services uptake and information. This project was funded by Jhpiego Kenya.
Outreach- This involved a four day activity in social mobilization. It was done not within a health facility, as our major goal was to mobilize the services. The last two days within the four days, services were offered free of charge.
In reach –This was a two day activity where services were offered during the second day. Our role as youths was to mobilize the services that took place where mobilization was done for the two days. This took place within a health facility and the services were free.
Family Planning Awareness – This involved going out to create awareness per the action plan. We gave information on family planning.
Amua– Amua is a Swahili word, “decide.” This was a one day activity done within a private facility. We mobilized the community members to get the services within that one day. The services were offered at fees varying from one facility to another, but at a lower price than other working days. All this aimed at increasing the uptake of family planning services and working towards increasing it by 20%.