Community Profile
The Mlolongo community is located in Machakos County, one of the many counties that make up the greater Nairobi area. Machakos County has a 5% HIV infection rate and its residents largely live in extreme poverty.
The Mlolongo community in particular is known for high unemployment rates, poor housing and sanitation, and a thriving sex industry, all of which contribute to the large number of HIV infections in the immediate area.
CARE for AIDS launched operations in Mlolongo in late 2019 in partnership with House of Refuge Church under the leadership of Pastor Samuel Gitonga.
Center staff
HEALTH COUNSELOR: Celestine Musyoka
Celestine Musyoka grew up in Kangundo, in Machakos County, Kenya. Her father passed away when she was young, and Celestine was raised along with her four siblings by their mother. She currently lives in Nairobi with her husband David and their two children: Frederick and Margeret. Celestine joined CARE for AIDS in 2019 and serves currently as the Health Counselor for the Mlolongo Center in Nairobi.
Celestine’s favorite part of her work with CARE for AIDS is sitting one-on-one with clients, helping them to identify their issues and make informed decisions on how how best to live with their HIV. She is an advocate for those in her center, and is proud of the work she is able to do with clients who have defaulted on their medication before the program. She is proud to empower her community, and wants nothing more than for her clients to become self-reliant.
SPIRITUAL COUNSELOR: Emmanuel Wamanga
Emmanuel Wamanga grew up in Kitale, Tanzania and joined CARE for AIDS in 2019, where he was brought on as the Spiritual Counselor at Nairobi’s Mlolongo center. He was drawn to CARE for AIDS holistic care program, and felt called to help those in his community living with HIV/AIDS.
Emmanuel wants most to encourage his clients. He loves that he gets to walk with them and give them hope. He dreams to see them standing up and living a normal life, and hopes to continue working to help the children of those around him who are suffering from HIV.
Center History
YEAR GRADUATES FAITH-DECISIONS ORPHANS PREVENTED
2019-2020* 79 23 259
2020-2021 80 19 N/A
*The cohort in the 2019-2020 class was impacted by delays in the CARE for AIDS program caused by COVID-19 lockdowns and health precautions. To learn more about how we responded to the pandemic, visit this page.
CLIENT Profiles
Mercy, 2021 Client
Mercy is 23 years old. She has gone through the 9-month program and gained several skills. During recruitment, she had a detectable viral load and faced a lot of self-stigma. This was because she was living in fear thinking that if her sister found out about her status, she would despise her. But after three months of counseling sessions, Mercy disclosed her status to her sister.
She now has a low viral load and is doing well healthwise. She made a decision to follow Jesus Christ on June 11, 2021, when we visited her at her home. She is also doing well spiritually and attends church.
Currently, Mercy is a member of a savings group and has acquired a loan to start making petroleum jelly, hair oil, and shampoo that she supplies to salons. She is earning consistently and is economically stable. She is now selling her product and supporting herself. She is also looking forward to expanding her business into the upcountry.
MORRIS, 2021 CLIENT
Morris has gone through the CARE for AIDS program and gained several skills, including welding. During recruitment, he shared his story about how he has suffered along with his family (his wife and five children) throughout the rejection from his brothers. This rejection was the main problem affecting his work performance.
We took him through therapy sessions and amazingly, he rose up. His viral load, which was high, started to drop down until it is now undetectable. He became stronger daily and went back to work as a blacksmith. But he added to his skills when he did welding and is planning to buy a welding machine. He is an active member of Emmanuel Church Athi-River.
Veronicah Ngina Matheka, 2020 Graduate
Veronicah is a 45 year old mother of six. She has been living in extreme poverty for most of her life, and a few years ago she found herself in a desperate situation. With no formal training and a very small job market, she made the decision to provide for her children no matter what and became a sex worker. She contracted HIV and her health rapidly began to decline.
She found out about the CARE for AIDS program in Mlolongo during the center’s recruitment phase, and was excited to join the first class. Two months into the nine month process, Veronicah made a first time faith decision. She enrolled in the host church’s discipleship program, and has found a whole new angle on life. She new belongs to a women’s fellowship group at the church and has used the skills she learned at CARE for AIDS to start her own business in the community. She no longer works in the sex industry and she is full of hope and freedom. She can provide for the needs of her family and can now afford school fees for her six children. She loves her new community and the bright future she sees ahead for herself and her children.