HIV/AIDS Outreach in Mtito Andei

In early January 2013, Global Roots sent a team to Mtito Andei, Kenya, to expand outreach activities under the leadership of our local manager, Ritchie Mutua Martin.

At the time, Mtito Andei was one of Kenya’s HIV/AIDS epicenters, with nearly 60% of women in the region testing positive. Many of these women, often widowed, turned to transactional sex with truck drivers stopping overnight along this major route between Nairobi and Mombasa. Recognizing the urgent need for education and intervention, Global Roots worked to establish an HIV/AIDS education kiosk along the highway. Thanks to a San Francisco financier, funds were secured to bring this initiative to life.

The kiosk was staffed by trained young men from our cultural center on tribal land near Mtito. Ritchie Mutua’s extensive experience in HIV/AIDS outreach—gained from his work with the Kenya Wildlife Service—played a key role in the program’s success.

In addition to the outreach efforts, Global Roots supported two children’s gardens and chicken egg farms, which provided meals for local schoolchildren. We also introduced solar lighting to dark huts, enabling children from low-income families to complete their homework and continue their education.