Description:

There are an estimated 2.6 million Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) in Kenya, of whom 650,000 are orphaned by AIDS. More than one million households care for an orphan. In the absence of a coordinated multi-sectoral response, OVC are at risk of: (1) not knowing their HIV status; (2) delayed treatment; (3) economic difficulty due to caregiver illness and death; (4) family separation; and/or (5) situations that put them at greater risk of protection violations and HIV infection (school dropout, early marriage, risky behaviors).

The Kenya and JaxNaz program for orphans and vulnerable children affected or infected by HIV and AIDS seeks an AIDS-free generation by responding to the social, economic and emotional consequences of the disease on children, their families and the communities that support them. The goal of the Kenya & JaxNaz OVC project is to improve the health and well-being of children and families by mitigating the impact of HIV and AIDS and increasing children’s resilience and reducing their risk to the disease.