A beneficiary of the Beacon of Hope Centre [Photo: Courtesy]
By Nicanor Ndiege
Mention the name ‘Beacon of Hope Centre’ to students of Multimedia University and automatically memories of free Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT), an exercise that they are so accustomed to, comes to mind.
The centre that sits on an eight and half hectares piece of land in Rongai town, for many years has been offering tri-annual free VCT services to students at the University.
Apart from pitching tent to carry out the exercise, on February 18, this year, young and aggressive media practitioners from the MMU journalism club, which I am part of, through their Cooperate Social Responsibility (CSR) set out to also give back to the centre.
During our activities, I realized that the centre was also giving hope to a special group of people in the society and I set out to find out.
A sign board at the centre drew my attention, it read; ‘Beacon Academy & Vocational Training/Production Centre’.
On the workshop’s doorway, the mission statement
within a rectangular frame reads: “To bring hope to women living with and affected by HIV and AIDS in poor communities by empowering and equipping them to meet their spiritual, physical, emotional, economic and family needs in a sustainable way”.
Within the centre, I met Naomi Mwikali a member from the Carpet Weaving production who has been in the centre for the last six years.
Soft spoken Mwikali says that she knew about the centre in the year 2006 from other women in the neighborhood, now colleagues, that the centre was in need of women living with HIV/AIDS to be trained on tailoring, carpet weaving and kikoi weaving.
“After getting the information I decided to go to the centre and I was really praying for the training because I was just sitting at home with nothing to do and that was the only work which could help me get some money to buy food for my children,” says Mwikali.
She says that after a short interview which included HIV testing, she was lucky to be taken to Carpet weaving unit a section she was really yearning for.
“I was elated to tears after being informed to start attending Carpet weaving classes without paying any single cent. It was like God sent gift to me,” recalls Mwikali.
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Life at the centre
The 38 year old Mwikali remembers nonchalantly that after a year of training they got an order for 50 Carpets, which came when she had already mastered the art of weaving.
Although her speed was still low she managed to weave three out of the total which set the stage for her first income.
“Even though my speed was low I got some good money which helped me pay my rent and also take my children to school,” she says.
Mwikali says that her life has since changed as her weaving speed has increased doubling her income.
Now she is able to stay on good diet considering her HIV status.
The visibly happy Mwikali notes that on a good month, she is able to make between Sh 5,000 and Sh10,000.
“Sometimes business is low and we are forced to source for orders outside. It keeps on fluctuating,” says Mwikali.
In the Carpet production, she says there are a total of 15 women all living with HIV/AIDS but are happy with what they are doing since the industry boosts the country’s economy a lot with the export of the indigenous weaved Carpets.
According to David Njuguna, instructor Beacon of Hope Vocational College, the centre which was started in the year 2002 in the former Quarry Slum before relocating to their present site is a community based centre whose aim was to offer assistance to women and their families who are living with HIV/AIDS.
“We realized that giving food baskets and handouts was a short term solution and was not sustainable. We therefore saw the need of empowering them with life skills that would enable them earn a sustainable living,” says Njuguna.
He says they introduced Carpet weaving in 2002 followed by Kikoi in 2003, tailoring in 2004, bead and card working in 2005, catering courses in 2010 while intake for fashion and design was due in May 2012.
However, Njuguna says that sometimes they are overwhelmed by the number of affected women who want to be trained as the centre’s capacity is too small to accommodate everyone.
He appeals to other Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), the government and donors to open up more such centres with a view to addressing the problem.
Mwikali who is a single mother of six on the other hand is appealing to affected women to come out and find something economical and sustainable to do instead of engaging in activities that would worsen their health.
True to their Calling, “The centre has been developed to initiate and establish tangible, indigenous and sustainable interventions to address the effects of the HIV/AIDS pandemic amongst women in poor communities” and Mwikali is a living testimony.
Nicanor Ndiege is a Faculty of Media and Communication Student at Multimedia University College of Kenya and also a freelance in print and photo journalism. He resides in Nairobi.