community profile
Waithaka is a large, densely populated slum in Nairobi with a high HIV/AIDS infection rate. The CARE for AIDS center in Waithaka opened in January of 2014, and the program has been met with excitement from church leaders and community members. Our partner church is called Redeemed Gospel Church, led by Rev. Kariuki. Dorcas Mwende and Daniel Kingangi serve as the center's Health and Spiritual Counselors.
Center staff
Health Counselor: Dorcas Mwende Muvila
Dorcas has been employed with CFA since 2014. She was blessed to grow up in a loving and supportive, Christian family. Now she works with CFA because it is her passion to work with the most marginalized people in the community.
"I love helping and bringing out meaning in people’s life. It's amazing to see lives transformed.”
Spiritual Counselor: Kimanthi Mutioh
Kimanthi joined the CARE for AIDS team in 2019 as the Spiritual Counselor in Waithaka. He loves his work, in particular, he enjoys counseling the clients and teaching the Word of God.
“[My favorite part of my work is] sharing the word of God. Giving hope, counseling, and ministering to families is incredible. I love that I am able to help heal the broken hearted.”
center history
Year graduates Faith-Decisions Orphans prevented
2014-2015 77 15 304
2015-2016 60 19 231
2016-2017 58 22 149
2017-2018 77 7 231
2018-2019 77 10 251
2019-2020* 79 32 392
2020-2021 78 12 297
*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.
Graduate Profiles
Tabitha, Waithaka Graduate
Tabitha Bosibori is 22 years old. She is the mother of two: Zedekiah is 5 years old and her youngest, Hazel just turned 2 months old. She was only in 10th grade when her first child was born. She entered into an arranged marriage and did not know that her husband was HIV positive. In 2015, Tabitha found out that she was HIV positive; she was 19 years old. She is currently in the CARE for AIDS program at Waithaka and will graduate in early 2019. Tabitha found out after the CARE for AIDS program from one of her neighbor’s who gradated from the program a couple years ago. Through the program she has learned how to make liquid soap and has hopes of making and selling it in the future, once she’s able to do work again (she is currently taking care of her newborn). She still attends seminars at the CFA center and brings her newborn along with her.
Most importantly, Tabitha learned how to take care of herself and her family while she was pregnant. She was taught about proper cleanliness and hygiene as well as how to take care of their bodies including eating a balanced diet with proper nutrition. She was taught about the crucial importance of taking her medication at the exact same time every day while she was pregnant in order to prevent passing the HIV to the child in her womb. She learned exercises to help her during her pregnancy and also during labor. Our staff taught her the importance of not over-exerting herself while pregnant as well as what precautions to take in her diet.
The CFA staff partnered with the staff at her clinic to make sure she was getting the care she needed before and after her pregnancy. Dorcas and Dan, our staff at Waithaka, along with the CHW at their center, took turns visiting Tabitha weekly and sometimes twice per week to make sure she had a safe birth for both her and the child. Dorcas, a recent mother herself, is making sure that Tabitha follows the doctors instructions regarding breastfeeding the newborn to prevent HIV being passed through the breastmilk. She has also already taught Tabitha about the medication the baby will need once she stops breastfeeding to prevent HIV and how to administer it.
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