City Harvest Church
Practical AIDS Care and Education programme in Nairobi, Kenya
Church pastor Edward Simiyu started his ministry in a church that believed people who are HIV-positive would be healed if they had enough faith. This was challenged when Christian friends with strong faith died of the disease. Following a year of mission study in the UK, he re-evaluated his ministry and returned to Nairobi in 2004 to head up City Harvest Ministries, an iThemba partner based in central Nairobi.
See video clip about the work
Watch a video clip to see the area where City Harvest is working and hear from Pastor Edward Simiyu and others about the impact they are having on people affected by HIV and AIDS. Download and watch clip (QuickTime 6.5MB).
Raising awareness
Edward has successfully promoted HIV and AIDS awareness amongst City Harvest members. The church is now a place of refuge and Christian compassion for those affected, as well as an effective power working to eradicate the stigma associated with being HIV-positive.
Sunday and beyond
A mobile HIV-testing service is run during each Sunday service and five counselling and support groups are held in local slum communities during the week. The church has also opened an HIV-testing and counselling centre in a local shopping centre, allowing easy access to these services for local people. It also runs micro-enterprise initiatives to help those affected find ways to cover daily living expenses.
Life is tough in the slums and many people live on sewer lines with sewerage flooding their homes during the rainy season. This worsens their health situation. A healthy diet, regular exercise, counselling and support can greatly increase someone’s ability to live with the HIV virus for longer. However, in the slums, this sort of lifestyle is impossible and life expectancy with HIV and AIDS will be reduced unless support is given.*
City Harvest has a great and ongoing challenge ahead as they reach out to the local community, but each HIV-positive person they help comes to know that life does not have to come to an end. They now have hope for today, tomorrow and eternity.
* Information from Opening Circles, HIV and AIDS Care and Support Manual by Stephen Brooker, South London and Maudsley NHS
> The power of support groups
> Sylvia’s story – the vital importance of education
> Kenya country profile
> More about counselling and testing
> More about poverty alleviation through micro-enterprise
