From women to icons of hope

While HIV/AIDS epidemic has left many families and communities disintegrated and in poverty the Helga Women Group, with the support of Plan, is restoring hope to many in Homa Bay, Kenya.

Liba Taylor

Some of the members of the Helga Women Group

The group was started in 2001 by a few women moved by concern for the future of their community. Its members were either women who had lost their husbands and their family livelihood, or their families were affected by HIV/AIDS. Their biggest worry was how to feed their children and look after their husbands and children.

The group started catering for HIV/AIDS patients, making sure they received some food and that they were looked after.

With no money, the group had a vision about the community; they wanted to create an income for its members and provide an essential service to people affected by HIV/AIDS. They devised a novel idea: to offer catering services to events and meetins and charge for this service. This way the group raised over £1,600 which instilled confidence, solidarity and sense of pride in what they were doing.

Its membership grew; its member decided to approach Plan Kenya to support the group's activities and soon the group was addressing not just AIDS but also child abuse, violence against women and drug abuse and other problems important to its members and their community. It also started running a successful microcredit programme to mitigate the economic impact of AIDS. In two years the women were running a steady account and the group was bursting with ideas to improve the standards of living in their community.

The group has helped change behaviour ingrained in every day life and taught villagers what organise communities can achieve through participatory and democratic leadership; it has become a truly communty-based organisation.

Liba Taylor

Some of the members of the Helga Women Group on their training organised by Plan

Plan responded to the group growing needs by facilitating training in financial management, group dynamics and home based care for HIV/AIDS patients. "This enabled them to overcome conflicts within the group; increased transparency and democratic governance and making their projects sustainable," says Simon Njenga, Plan Kenya manager.

The group now has a rising income and can save for long-term community projects. One of these projects is their poultry project, which they started with only 100 chicks. The Helga women are now earning about 14£ per week which goes towards medical care and education in the community. 

The group has also embarked on other projects - including agricultural, succession planning and awareness raising on the rights of the child.