FOUNDATION FOR HIVAIDS RELIEF IN SOUTH AFRICA

NAPELO COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATION (NALEPO) RIFT VALLEY PROVINCE, NAROK & KAJIADO, MAASAI MARA, KENYA ESTABLISHED IN 2022, NALEPO COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATION IS A KENYA-BASED NONPROFIT DEDICATED TO ERADICATING HIV/AIDS ACROSS SOUTHERN KENYA. THE ORGANIZATION CONTINUES AND EXPANDS THE VISION INITIALLY CHAMPIONED BY OSECBO (OCHORRO SIDAI ENKARE COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATION), ITS EARLIER SISTER ORGANIZATION FOUNDED IN 2015. WHILE HIHIA CONCLUDED ITS FUNDING OF OSECBO AT THE END OF 2024, MANY OF ITS DEDICATED LEADERS AND VOLUNTEERS HAVE SINCE TRANSITIONED TO SERVE WITH NALEPO, BRINGING WITH THEM INVALUABLE EXPERIENCE AND DEEP COMMUNITY TRUST.NALEPO FOCUSES ON AREAS OUTSIDE THE TRADITIONAL MAASAI MARA REGION, WITH TEACHING CENTERS NOW EXTENDING FROM AMBOSELI TO THE TRANS-MARA, REACHING DEEPLY INTO UNDERSERVED MAASAI COMMUNITIES. PROGRAMS ARE DELIVERED IN MAA, SWAHILI, AND ENGLISH, USING INTERACTIVE METHODS THAT ADDRESS THE CULTURAL AND BEHAVIORAL FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE SPREAD OF HIV/AIDS. KEY MESSAGES FOCUS ON ABSTINENCE BEFORE MARRIAGE, FAITHFULNESS WITHIN MARRIAGE, AND MAKING SAFE, INFORMED LIFE CHOICES.TRAINED LEADERS TRAVEL LONG DISTANCES ACROSS VAST AND RUGGED TERRAIN USING MOTORBIKES AND SAFARI VEHICLES TO REACH SCHOOLS, CHURCHES, AND VILLAGES. WITH CONTINUED FINANCIAL SUPPORT, LEADERSHIP MENTORING, AND ANNUAL OVERSIGHT FROM HIHIA, NALEPO HAS BECOME A REGIONAL FORCE FOR HEALTH TRANSFORMATION.THE LOCAL POPULATION HAS EMBRACED THE MESSAGE ENTHUSIASTICALLY, AND EACH YEAR, THOUSANDS OF HOURS OF VOLUNTEER SERVICE ARE CONTRIBUTED BY COMMUNITY MEMBERS. TEACHING CENTERS HAVE NOW BEEN ESTABLISHED ACROSS THE MAASAI MARA, RIFT VALLEY, NAROK, TRANS-MARA, AND AMBOSELI, HELPING NALEPO REACH A GROWING POPULATION OF MAASAI YOUTH AND FAMILIES WITH CULTURALLY RESONANT, LIFE-SAVING EDUCATION.

OCHORRO SIDAI ENKARE COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATION (OSECBO) - MAASAI MARA AND SW KENYA: THIS KENYA-BASED NON-PROFIT, ESTABLISHED IN 2015, AIMS TO ERADICATE HIV/AIDS AMONG THE MAASAI, A COMMUNITY OF AROUND 1,000,000 PEOPLE. OSECBO HAS BECOME A LEADING FORCE IN EDUCATING AND RAISING AWARENESS ABOUT HIV/AIDS. THEY ADDRESS BEHAVIORAL PATTERNS CONTRIBUTING TO THE VIRUS THROUGH INTERACTIVE RALLIES AND CLASSES CONDUCTED IN MAA, PROMOTING SAFE LIFE CHOICES. THEIR EFFORTS INVOLVE MAASAI LEADERS TRAVELING ACROSS THE MAASAI MARA ON MOTORBIKES AND SAFARI VEHICLES TO EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF INFORMED CHOICES AND THE RAPID SPREAD OF HIV/AIDS. KEY MESSAGES INCLUDE ABSTINENCE BEFORE MARRIAGE AND FAITHFULNESS TO ONE PARTNER. AS THEIR WORK EXPANDS THROUGHOUT THE MAASAI MARA AND NEAR THE TANZANIA BORDER, NEW TEACHING CENTERS ARE ESTABLISHED ACROSS MAASAI LANDS. DUE TO THIS RAPID GROWTH, A SECOND COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATION, NALEPO, WAS LAUNCHED IN 2022. HIHIA SUPPORTS OSECBO WITH FINANCIAL AID AND LEADERSHIP MENTORING, AND BOARD MEMBERS VISIT ANNUALLY. THE COMMUNITY IS ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THE MESSAGE, WITH MANY VOLUNTEERS CONTRIBUTING THOUSANDS OF HOURS EACH YEAR.