With great success, the widows run a catering service and produce their own handicrafts. DfA supports them, among other things, in selling their products and enabling them to attend capacity building seminars where they can develop their skills. The cooperative also allows widows to get health insurance for themselves and their families. In a shared kindergarten, the young children are cared for during the day while their mothers work.

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Strong women fight against social exclusion

More than 1.6 million people in Kenya live with HIV/AIDS. The cooperative enables widows who are affected by HIV/AIDS to confront the stigma and fight against the social exclusion that goes along with the disease


The widows of the St. Monica Cooperative fight for equality and social recognition every day. Through their collective commitment and with great pride, they make a living without male assistance, despite societal stigmatization. They set an example for their children through promoting a modern image of women and breaking with outdated traditions, such as widow inheritance and widow cleansing, through their lifestyle and emancipation. In order to strengthen the community and alleviate adversity, social projects are being implemented. The widows provide education on HIV/AIDS and hygiene. Their children attend the cooperatives’ kindergarten and will later go to school. All widows have health insurance, which is not very common in the region.
A committee of widows also selects the children supported by the DfA sponsorship project. They choose the neediest in their community and pass on all necessary information to DfA.

534

Widows have health insurance

862

widows are connected to the project

4

small projects generate income

46

children are cared for in the kindergarten

Uzingu Wristbands

Uzingo is Kiswahili and means future. The colourful Uzingo wristbands symbolise a colourful future that we would like to provide to the widows and their families by covering their health insurance. Not everybody can afford health insurance in Kenya. It costs 500 Kenya Shillings monthly- money that many Kenyans don´t have. Vulnerable populations like the widows of St. Monica are affected the most because they have to raise their children on their own despite having to struggle with HIV infections and their own medical needs. In order to enable the widows to be with their children for as long as possible and care for them adequately, we have come up with a way of supporting them. The widows produce the Uzingo wristbands using colourful beads. Each wristband costs 5€, which is roughly as much as health insurance costs. Each wristband comes with an explanatory card, which the children of the widows have designed and painted. If you buy an Uzingo wristband, you get a nice bracelet or anklet for only 5€ and help an entire family, as the insurance covers not only for the mothers but also their children.

Buy Uzingo wristbands- promote health.

5

  • plus € 0.95* postage for one wristband
  • plus € 1.55* postage for 2 wristbands and more
  • plus € 2.70* postage for 10 wristbands and more
  • *prices apply for shipment within Germany.
  • The shipment will be initiated immediately after receipt of payment on the DfA account. Please add "Uzingo Wristbands" as reference in your transaction and send us an e-mail with indicating sizes and preferred colors.