Kenya AIDS NGOs Consortium as an HIV/AIDS networking organisation

INTRODUCTION Since the first HIV/AIDS case was reported in Kenya in 1984, the number of those infected with the virus has risen at a very rapid rate. This rise has continued and there is no evidence that it has reached its peak. It is predicted that Kenya has yet to see the full impact of the epidemic. Currently more than 1.5 million Kenyans are infected with the virus and many of them are unaware of it . Despite massive public campaigns to sensitise people on the dangers of HIV/AIDS, behaviour change is minimal. There is therefore a great need for interventions which can influence behaviour change in order to prevent the further spread of the virus. Kenya AIDS NGOs Consortium (KANCO) was formed to facilitate better understanding of HIV/AIDS, and to develop appropriate responses to the epidemic which would in turn enhance positive behaviour change.

BACKGROUND The idea of setting up a consortium for HIV/AIDS was conceived in 1989 when representatives from NGOs were nominated to NASCOP (National AIDS and STD's Control Programme) committees that were formed to examine how HIV/AIDS could be dealt with in an integrated way. After these meetings there were consultations by NGO representatives on how to deal with HIV/AIDS. There was a need to respond to the challenges brought about by HIV/AIDS since there were a lot of setbacks faced by organisations involved in HIV/AIDS activities. There was a need to examine strategies that could be used to address the epidemic effectively.

KANCO was established in 1990 by the following NGOs: AMREF, Nowegian Church Aid, Christian Health Association of Kenya, the Kenya Red Cross Society, ACTIONAID Kenya, UNICEF and the Family Planning Association of Kenya. These organisations at that time felt the need to examine effective ways on how best NGOs could be supported to respond better to HIV/AIDS. There was a need to co-ordinate efforts and strengthen working relationships with the government. With time, more organisations realised the need for concerted efforts and joined the founder members in establishing KANCO. Currently the Consortium has 450 members and the number of members continues to rise.

Kenya AIDS NGOs Consortium (KANCO) is a national membership network for NGOs, CBOs and religious organizations in Kenya, who have an interest in or are involved in HIV/AIDS activities. Kenya AIDS NGOs Consortium exists to provide and promote leadership, solidarity and collaboration among members for collective action towards effective responses to HIV/AIDS.

PROGRAMMES KANCO is involved in the following programme areas:

Establishing and facilitating a networking system to provide forums for sharing experiences, resources and enhancing collaborative efforts both at national and district level;

Establishing and maintaining a resource center to collect and disseminate HIV/AIDS information;

Providing capacity for members to provide quality services and respond to HIV/AIDS epidemic more effectively;

Complementing government efforts in the development and articulation of relevant national policies for HIV/AIDS prevention, care and support.

THE RESOURCE CENTER In September 1994, the secretariat was established with funding from AIDSCAP to facilitate a process of policy analysis and raise the level of debate on priority issues. To support the policy development process, KANCO set up a resource centre to disseminate information on HIV/AIDS and to provide information, education and communication materials. The need for a resource centre arose from members' needs for a central place with practical and appropriate information and materials for their information needs on HIV/AIDS. The KANCO Resource Center has turned out to be a leading source of information on HIV/AIDS. To date, it has responded to over 9000 inquiries on HIV/AIDS information needs. The Center is equipped with relevant materials. Currently there are over 3000 items in the library. These include videos, computer-based resources, newsletters, journals and copies of freely distributed material.

THE POLICY PROJECT The Policy Project, a collaborative effort with AIDSCAP and FHI (Family Health International) was initiated in 1995 to facilitate the development of a supportive environment for discussions on policy development. The effort complimented government efforts in developing policies for HIV/AIDS prevention, care and support. The project aimed at stimulating better NGO understanding of policy formulation and their involvement in policy formulation.

AIDS INFORMATION SYSTEM (AIS) KANCO maintains a database of HIV/AIDS organizations in the country. (The database was previously maintained by NASCOP.) It contains a mailing list of key players like district AIDS/STI coordinators and other district network convenors. The AIS assists in locating information on coverage of HIV/AIDS activities and the type of services provided by NGOs and CBOs in the country. It also assists in identifying which parts of the country have interventions.

NETWORKING Through networking KANCO has been able to:

Provide a forum for members to meet every three months. In these meetings members discuss issues that are of concern to them and take practical action through the appointment of committees. In addition, during these meetings, at least two members share their experiences;

Capture unique interventions and other topical issues through the quarterly consortium newsletter, Partner. The newsletter also enhances member to member communication;

Facilitate networking at the district level for specific interventions;

Participate in national, regional and international forums;

Organise a Speaker's Bureau meeting to discuss topical issues on HIV/AIDS.

COLLABORATIVE ACTIVITIES KANCO works collaboratively with the following organizations and agencies:

UNDP and the Ministry of Planning and National Development (strengthening of NGOs/CBOs in three districts on the Lake Victoria shoreline to respond effectively to HIV/AIDS).

The Futures Group International (facilitating networking among HIV/AIDS service organizations, training of trainers and the establishment of a resource centre in Kisumu).

ACTIONAID-Kenya (launching of Youth to Youth: HIV prevention and young people in Kenya; organisation of a symposium for AIDS orphans; consultative meetings on basic needs as basic rights).

The British Council (training NGOs on participatory design and methodologies).

The National AIDS and STD Control Programme.

UN Agencies, especially UNAIDS and WHO.

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