Displaying 1 - 8 of 8
Abstract
ChildFund International (ChildFund) is a child‐focused International Non‐Governmental Organization (INGO) which, since 1938, has worked with local implementing partners (LIPs), government, and other partner organizations to help create the safe environments children need to thrive. The purpose of this commentary is to reflect on the utility and possible application of the suggestions and study designs in this special issue to real‐life intervention studies in dynamic context settings. The commentary provides three regional case examples with evaluation study lessons learned from…
Abstract
Child malnutrition is globally the highest risk factor for illness and death. It contributes to more than half of deaths in children worldwide. Children who lose their parents may face many hardships including food insecurity and poor child care resulting into malnutrition. However, in Kenya and the entire sub-Saharan Africa the problem of orphan-hood is expected to increase in the coming years due to more deaths from HIV/AIDS and other disasters. The objective of this study was to assess the nutritional status of orphaned and non-orphaned children. The study was a cross sectional…
Abstract
Globally, orphans and vulnerable children (OVCs) affected/infected by HIV/AIDS face many health risks, including malnutrition, early/unprotected sex, early forced marriage, HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), substance abuse, child labor, and high rates of mental health problems. We conducted formative research on mental health issues and HIV/STI risk behavior in Kasarani, a large slum in Nairobi, to guide the development of future interventions. Collaborating with a local community hospital, we used focus groups in the community to gather information that was…
The attached study compared the care environments of family-based care and institutional care to determine if care environment contributed to differences in sexual behavior and/or sexual exploitation of orphaned and separated adolescents.
The project followed a number of orphaned and separated children from communities within eight administrative Locations in UG County and includes 300 households, 19 Charitable Children’s Institutions (CCIs), and 100 street-involved children and youth.
Socio-demographics and sexual practices were ascertained through a standardized clinical through…
This paper is a literature review on the conditions of orphans in Kenya. It discusses the oppression faced by children due to the high HIV and AIDS rates in sub-Saharan African countries. These children have often lost security, safety and hope for the future. The majority of the children orphaned due to the HIV/AIDS crisis do not receive orphan-targeted support services. This analysis includes a discussion of the concept of oppression, as well as a discussion of how child welfare can sometimes act as an oppressive system.
The authors conducted a qualitative study using focus group discussions among 39 HIV-infected adolescents receiving care at HIV clinics in western Kenya and 53 caregivers of HIV-infected children. Participants felt that while knowledge and access to treatment were increasing, many community members still held negative and inaccurate views about HIV, including associating it with immorality and believing in transmission by casual interactions. Stigma was closely related to a loss of social and economic support but also included internalized negative feelings about oneself. Participants…
ABSTRACT
Within Kenya, an estimated quarter of a million children live on the streets, and 1.8 million children are orphaned. In this study, we analyze how HIV contributes to the phenomenon of child-street migration. We interviewed a random community sample of caregiving women (n = 1974) in Meru County, Kenya, using a structured questionnaire in summer 2015. Items included reported HIV prevalence of respondent and her partner, social support, overall health, school enrollment of biologically related children and whether the respondent has a child currently living on the streets.…
Abstract
Objectives
This study aims to determine the prevalence of maltreatment experienced by institutionalized children prior to their admission to Charitable Children's Institutions (orphanages) in western Kenya, and to describe their socio-demographic characteristics, reasons for admission, and the factors associated with prior experiences of maltreatment.
Methods
A systematic file review was undertaken in five CCIs. Demographic, prior caregiving settings and maltreatment data were extracted. Forms of maltreatment were recorded according to WHO and ISPCAN…